Anyone here from Georgia?

Joined
Mar 31, 2004
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780
My wifes job might be making us move to Atlanta so I need some info.I called the local SO of the county we will probably be living in and he said the legal knife limit is 3" overall.What the **&%$!Ive never seen a knife with an overall lengh of just 3",is this true and do they enforce this.I also looked on a website of state knife laws and it said in GA that there is no limit period and that any knife no matter what lengh conceiled in your pocket is illegal.

Please tell me this is wrong,I might as well be moving to NY!

On the plus side is the handgun law.Here in Tn you have to take a 2 day course and pay around 185.00 total but in Ga the local probate courts do it and there is no class to take and its only 47.37 total for the permit.


In Tn we can carry any knife fixed or folding with a blade up to 4" which I think is fair.

Who is responsible for this outrage in my beautiful southern neighbor!


I forgot to add.....God Bless Tennessee
 
I'm not in Georgia, but...

1) Would you be living in an unincorporated municipality? If so, the sheriff enforces the law, but usually (not always) state law applies.

2) Would you be living in Atlanta proper, or in one of the suburbs? If so, then municipal law applies. I can't imagine Fulton County having its own set of weapon laws.

In other words, I don't think the sheriff is the right person to ask.
 
I live in Atlanta (Georgia my whole life) and I have never once heard or seen in print about any law limiting overall length to 3". That being said it is in some ways worse or at least as crappy then even that. Everything I have been able to find shows a three inch blade limit on a folding knife in Georgis (a few cities have 2.5 inch), but in Atlanta it is illegal to carry a knife with any kind of lock. That's right any kind of lock. Lockbcak, framelock, liner all evil. That is Atlanta city law. The state also passed a law saying that it is illegal to carry any "offensive" or "defensive" knife in public but did not define any of the terms. Is it enforced? I have never seen it or heard of it enforced. I think common sense should be you guide. If you keep it in your pocket/purse whatever and be low key you should be fine. I know that if you get busted for anything else that it is a nice tack on charge that you will be facing. Sadly except for one slip joint that I got as a gift I do not own a single knife that is legal to carry any more and with the whole no "offensive" or "defensive" knife law even that COULD be viewed as illegal on a bad day. Considering how so much of Georgia is rural and just about every male will have a knife on his belt it is amazing what the laws have come to here.
 
Fulton Co is where the house is were looking at so they are the one I contacted about the gun permit and also asked about the knife thing while I had them on the phone.I first called the highway patrol since they are the ones who regulate our permits and they said the same thing about the knife law.

Mark,im sure your right about that.Its probably not enforced unless you ever have to use it for defense then they can turn it around on you and say you were totin and illegal weapon so your at fault.Im personally way to worrysome to take that chance though so I guess its toenail clippers for me from now on.

Many times I dont feel like packing my pistol so I opt for a good knife but I will just have to adjust my thinking and carry the pistol at all time intead of the knife.

Thanks for the info.
 
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/gl_codes_detail.pl?code=16-11-126

16-11-126.
(a) A person commits the offense of carrying a concealed weapon when such person knowingly has or carries about his or her person, unless in an open manner and fully exposed to view, any bludgeon, metal knuckles, firearm, knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument of like character outside of his or her home or place of business, except as permitted under this Code section.
(b) Upon conviction of the offense of carrying a concealed weapon, a person shall be punished as follows:
(1) For the first offense, he or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; and
(2) For the second offense, and for any subsequent offense, he or she shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned for not less than two years and not more than five years.
(c) This Code section shall not permit, outside of his or her home, motor vehicle, or place of business, the concealed carrying of a pistol, revolver, or concealable firearm by any person unless that person has on his or her person a valid license issued under Code Section 16-11-129 and the pistol, revolver, or firearm may only be carried in a shoulder holster, waist belt holster, any other holster, hipgrip, or any other similar device, in which event the weapon may be concealed by the person´s clothing, or a handbag, purse, attache case, briefcase, or other closed container. Carrying on the person in a concealed manner other than as provided in this subsection shall not be permitted and shall be a violation of this Code section.
(d) This Code section shall not forbid the transportation of any firearm by a person who is not among those enumerated as ineligible for a license under Code Section 16-11-129, provided the firearm is enclosed in a case, unloaded, and separated from its ammunition. This Code section shall not forbid any person who is not among those enumerated as ineligible for a license under Code Section 16-11-129 from transporting a loaded firearm in any private passenger motor vehicle in an open manner and fully exposed to view or in the glove compartment, console, or similar compartment of the vehicle; provided, however, that any person in possession of a valid permit issued pursuant to Code Section 16-11-129 may carry a handgun in any location in a motor vehicle.
(e) On and after October 1, 1996, a person licensed to carry a handgun in any state whose laws recognize and give effect within such state to a license issued pursuant to this part shall be authorized to carry a handgun in this state, but only while the licensee is not a resident of this state; provided, however, that such licenseholder shall carry the handgun in compliance with the laws of this state.

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/gl_codes_detail.pl?code=16-11-127

16-11-127.
(a) Except as provided in Code Section 16-11-127.1, a person is guilty of a misdemeanor when he or she carries to or while at a public gathering any explosive compound, firearm, or knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense. (b) For the purpose of this Code section, 'public gathering' shall include, but shall not be limited to, athletic or sporting events, churches or church functions, political rallies or functions, publicly owned or operated buildings, or establishments at which alcoholic beverages are sold for consumption on the premises. Nothing in this Code section shall otherwise prohibit the carrying of a firearm in any other public place by a person licensed or permitted to carry such firearm by this part.
(c) This Code section shall not apply to competitors participating in organized sport shooting events. Law enforcement officers, peace officers retired from state or federal law enforcement agencies, judges, magistrates, solicitors-general, and district attorneys may carry pistols in publicly owned or operated buildings.
(d) It is an affirmative defense to a violation of this Code section if a person notifies a law enforcement officer or other person employed to provide security for a public gathering of the presence of such item as soon as possible after learning of its presence and surrenders or secures such item as directed by the law enforcement officer or other person employed to provide security for a public gathering.

Cont......
 
Cont...

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/gl_codes_detail.pl?code=1-1-1

For starters, I am not fond of offering advice to this group since there seems to be a strong dislike for LEOs in here.

Now to the heart of the matter, I am a Cobb County Police officer and here is some advice...always carry at your own risk. While I may be liberal in my enforcement action and I really don't care what type knife you carry(so long as you don't give me grief), there are some who do and will arrest you for the slightest infraction. Read the text and go to the site I have provided. Also remember that your attitude to and towards the officer that has you stopped/detained will reflect his/her actions towards you if your caught with a concealed weapon.

Remember these Key terms when you carry...

1 unless in an open manner and fully exposed to view
2 knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense
3 a person is guilty of a misdemeanor when he or she carries to or while a public gathering any explosive compound, firearm, or knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense
4 (1) For the first offense, he or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; and
(2) For the second offense, and for any subsequent offense, he or she shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned for not less than two years and not more than five years
 
1 unless in an open manner and fully exposed to view
2 knife designed for the purpose of offense and defense




1 does a knife clipped in the pocket with just the end of the knife and clip exposed count?

2 I would think any knife other than your grandpas Case canoe would be considered a violation.This really sucks because alot of people like me have big hands and cant manipulate a small knife or have the fingernails to open some of them.i dont just buy a knife for defense but for ease of use and most that fit that bill are considered "Tactical".





Like I say no big deal,if the great state of Georgia would rather me shoot a bad guy than cut em then so be it ;)
 
I lived in the Atlanta area for about 10 years and regularly conversed with friends from the Fulton, Cobb, Delkab, and Forsythe depts. I have no dislike of or problems with LEOs, know a good many of them. I was always told by these persons that a concealed carry permit covered ANY concealed item that could be considered a weapon. Basically the rule of thumb was that with a permit you could carry anything concealed without a problem until YOU USED IT. Then a new set of parameters kicks in to justify use etc. As far as the in plain view thing, try carrying a noticeable sheath knife or handgun in Atlanta and see how fast the LEOs react! Not a good idea. Some LEOs don't like knives, others could care less, but it is ultimately thier choice. As was previously stated, the proper attitude and respect goes a long way with the vast majority of LEOs.
My wife and myself carried concealed handguns while living, working and playing in the Atlanta area every day. We would not have left the house without our chosen EDC.
 
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