Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-122 (2026)

1. 1. Except as provided in § 5-73-322, § 5-73-306(5), § 16-21-147, and this section, it is unlawful for a person other than a law enforcement officer, either on-duty or off-duty, a security guard in the employ of the state or an agency of the state or any city or county, or any state or federal military personnel, to knowingly carry or possess a loaded firearm or other deadly weapon in any publicly owned building or facility or on the State Capitol grounds.
   2. It is unlawful for any person other than a law enforcement officer, either on-duty or off-duty, a security guard in the employ of the state or an agency of the state or any city or county, or any state or federal military personnel, to knowingly carry or possess a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, in the State Capitol Building or the Arkansas Justice Building in Little Rock.
   3. However, this subsection does not apply to a person carrying or possessing a firearm or other deadly weapon in a publicly owned building or facility or on the State Capitol grounds:
      1. For the purpose of participating in a shooting match or target practice under the auspices of the agency responsible for the publicly owned building or facility or State Capitol grounds;
      2. If necessary to participate in a trade show, exhibit, or educational course conducted in the publicly owned building or facility or on the State Capitol grounds;
      3. 1. If the person has a license to carry a concealed handgun under § 5-73-301 et seq. and is carrying a concealed handgun in his or her motor vehicle or has left the concealed handgun in his or her locked and unattended motor vehicle in a publicly owned and maintained parking lot.
         2. 1. As used in this subdivision (a)(3)(C), “parking lot” means a designated area or structure or part of a structure intended for the parking of motor vehicles or a designated drop-off zone for children at school.
            2. “Parking lot” does not include a parking lot owned, maintained, or otherwise controlled by:
               1. The Division of Correction;
               2. The Division of Community Correction; or
               3. A residential treatment facility owned or operated by the Division of Youth Services;
      4. If the person has completed the required training and received a concealed carry endorsement under § 5-73-322(g) and the place is not:
         1. A courtroom or the location of an administrative hearing conducted by a state agency, except as permitted by § 5-73-306(5) or § 5-73-306(6);
         2. A public school kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12), a public prekindergarten, or a public daycare facility, except as permitted under subdivision (a)(3)(C) of this section;
         3. A facility operated by the Division of Correction or the Division of Community Correction; or
         4. A posted firearm-sensitive area, as approved by the Division of Arkansas State Police under § 5-73-325, located at:
            1. The Arkansas State Hospital;
            2. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; or
            3. A collegiate athletic event; or
      5. If the person has a license to carry a concealed handgun under § 5-73-301 et seq., is a justice of the Supreme Court or a judge on the Court of Appeals, and is carrying a concealed handgun in the Arkansas Justice Building.
   4. As used in this section, “facility” means a municipally owned or maintained park, football field, baseball field, soccer field, or another similar municipally owned or maintained recreational structure or property.
2. However, a law enforcement officer, either on-duty or off-duty, officer of the court, bailiff, or other person authorized by the court is permitted to possess a handgun in the courtroom of any court or a courthouse of this state.
3. A person violating this section upon conviction is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
4. An off-duty law enforcement officer carrying a firearm in a publicly owned building or facility may be required to be in physical possession of a valid identification identifying the person as a law enforcement officer.
5. An off-duty law enforcement officer may not carry a firearm into a courtroom if the off-duty law enforcement officer is a party to or a witness in a civil or criminal matter unless the law provides otherwise.

History. Acts 1977, No. 549, §§ 1, 2; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 41-3113, 41-3114; Acts 1991, No. 1044, § 1; 1995, No. 1223, § 1; 1997, No. 910, § 1; 2013, No. 226, § 2; 2015, No. 1078, § 2; 2015, No. 1259, § 1; 2017, No. 562, § 1; 2017, No. 859, § 2; 2017, No. 1087, § 1; 2019, No. 431, § 1; 2019, No. 472, §§ 3-5; 2019, No. 910, §§ 680, 681.

A.C.R.C. Notes. Acts 2017, No. 562, § 7, provided: “Training program. The Department of Arkansas State Police shall promulgate rules to design a training program described under Section 1 of this act within one hundred twenty (120) days of the effective date of this act [Sept. 1, 2017].”

Acts 2019, No. 472, § 6, provided:

“Policy required.

“(a) A state institution shall develop a policy consistent with this act concerning the lawful open or concealed carry of a handgun by an off-duty law enforcement officer at a state institution affected by this act.

“(b) The promulgation of a policy under this section is exempt from the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, § 25-15-201 et seq”.

Publisher's Notes. Acts 2017, No. 859, § 2 specifically amended this section as amended by Acts 2017, No. 562.

Amendments. The 2013 amendment added “Except as provided in § 5-73-322,” in (a)(1).

The 2015 amendment by No. 1078 substituted “this subsection does not” for “the provisions of this subsection do not” in the introductory language of (a)(3); inserted designations (a)(3)(A) and (a)(3)(B); inserted “publicly owned” and “State Capitol” in (a)(3)(A) and (a)(3)(B); and added (a)(3)(C).

The 2015 amendment by No. 1259 inserted “and § 5-73-306(5)” in (a)(1).

The 2017 amendment by No. 562 substituted “5-73-306” for “5-73-306(5)” in (a)(1); added (a)(3)(D) and (a)(3)(E); and added “except as permitted under § 5-73-306(5), § 5-73-306(6), or this section” at the end of (b)(1).

The 2017 amendment by No. 859 included the amendments by No. 562; inserted “Arkansas” in (a)(2); inserted “or a public daycare facility” in (a)(3)(D)(ii); added (a)(3)(D)(iv); inserted “Arkansas” in (a)(3)(E); and made stylistic changes.

The 2017 amendment by No. 1087 substituted “§ 5-73-322, § 5-73-306(5), § 16-21-147, and this section” for “§ 5-73-322 and § 5-73-306(5)” in (a)(1); rewrote (b); and added (c).

The 2019 amendment by No. 431 added the (a)(3)(C)(ii) (b)(1) and (a)(3)(C)(ii) (b)(2) designations and added (a)(3)(C)(ii) (b)(3)

The 2019 amendment by No. 472 substituted “either on-duty or off-duty a security guard” for “or a security guard” in (a)(1) and (a)(2); in (b), inserted “either on-duty or off-duty” and deleted “any” preceding “other person”; and added (d) and (e).

The 2019 amendment by No. 910 substituted “Division of Correction” for “Department of Correction” and “Division of Community Correction” for “Department of Community Correction” in (a)(3)(C)(ii) (b) and (a)(3)(D)(iii).

Effective Dates. Acts 2017, No. 562, § 8: Sept. 1, 2017.

Acts 2017, No. 859, § 10: Sept. 1, 2017.