430 ILCS 66/65 - "Prohibited Areas"

[Orlando]

I was very surprised to review the statute and learn of some areas which are prohibited to carry. I do not think all concealed-carriers read this, so I'm providing you the statute for your review here. I figured keeping your firearm locked in a DOJ-approved gun lockbox that is tethered to the vehicle was acceptable, but it appears that some Parking Lots prohibit firearms on their property, such as Zoos and Museums. That's in subsection 21 of the statute and it left me puzzled. I thought that you could go the city zoo, pay for their parking spot, secure your firearm and keep it inside the car while you patronize the zoo property. Same for our Museum parking lots. This is bonkers. 

 

Edited May 20, 2022 at 07:04 PM by Orlando

[Quiet Observer]

On 5/20/2022 at 2:03 PM, Orlando said:

I was very surprised to review the statute and learn of some areas which are prohibited to carry. I do not think all concealed-carriers read this, so I'm providing you the statute for your review here. I figured keeping your firearm locked in a DOJ-approved gun lockbox that is tethered to the vehicle was acceptable, but it appears that some Parking Lots prohibit firearms on their property, such as Zoos and Museums. That's in subsection 21 of the statute and it left me puzzled. I thought that you could go the city zoo, pay for their parking spot, secure your firearm and keep it inside the car while you patronize the zoo property. Same for our Museum parking lots. This is bonkers. 

 

 

Read section 23. 

 (b) Notwithstanding subsections (a), (a-5), and (a-10) of this Section except under paragraph (22) or (23) of subsection (a), any licensee prohibited from carrying a concealed firearm into the parking area of a prohibited location specified in subsection (a), (a-5), or (a-10) of this Section shall be permitted to carry a concealed firearm on or about his or her person within a vehicle into the parking area and may store a firearm or ammunition concealed in a case within a locked vehicle or locked container out of plain view within the vehicle in the parking area. A licensee may carry a concealed firearm in the immediate area surrounding his or her vehicle within a prohibited parking lot area only for the limited purpose of storing or retrieving a firearm within the vehicle's trunk. For purposes of this subsection, "case" includes a glove compartment or console that completely encloses the concealed firearm or ammunition, the trunk of the vehicle, or a firearm carrying box, shipping box, or other container.

[spanishjames]

You can keep it in the car at the museum. 

 

You can't carry in the museum's parking lot outside your vehicle, unless you're storing or retrieving from the trunk. 

[Euler]

On 5/20/2022 at 3:03 PM, Orlando said:

... I do not think all concealed-carriers read this ... some Parking Lots prohibit firearms on their property ...

 

Prohibited areas and the parking lot exception are required to be covered in the CCL class ("All Applicable State and Federal Laws Relating to the ... Storage [and] Carry ... of a Firearm"). The only parking lots that are totally prohibited are federal ones (including post offices), since they're not subject to state law, and colleges/universities, since they got a carve-out. All others have to allow storage.

[mauserme]

Beyond the answers above, I think when you see a "DOJ approved lock box" it refers to containers approved by the California Department of Justice.  There's no equivalent in Illinois.

 

 

 

[Quiet Observer]

Here is a little more on the post office parking lot restriction. 

Can You Carry A Gun At The Post Office? – The Legal Brief ~ VIDEO (ammoland.com) 

 

Another source that I checked stated that if the post office branch was in a commercial site, e.g. a shopping center, locking a gun in your car would be OK since the lot would not be post office property.

[Smallbore]

On 5/20/2022 at 3:34 PM, Euler said:

 

Prohibited areas and the parking lot exception are required to be covered in the CCL class ("All Applicable State and Federal Laws Relating to the ... Storage [and] Carry ... of a Firearm"). The only parking lots that are totally prohibited are federal ones (including post offices), since they're not subject to state law, and colleges/universities, since they got a carve-out. All others have to allow storage.

The way I read the law about universities they cannot prohibited parking lot storeage but can limit and designate the parking lot.

[Quiet Observer]

On 5/21/2022 at 8:37 AM, Smallbore said:

The way I read the law about universities they cannot prohibited parking lot storeage but can limit and designate the parking lot.

When the bill passed it was noted in threads here that the designated areas told thieves where to find vehicles that were most likely to contain guns. 

That seems like a reasonable assumption, but I have not heard of news reports of numerous thefts from vehicles parked in these areas. 

My news sources are in the Chicago area. Maybe there is a problem downstate?

[Euler]

On 5/21/2022 at 9:37 AM, Smallbore said:

The way I read the law about universities they cannot prohibited parking lot storeage but can limit and designate the parking lot.

 

As long as they allow storage in one parking lot, they can prohibit it in all the others.

[mobilemail]

I see that hospitals and clinics and nursing homes are in the prohibited list, I assume this also applies to the "in-between", assisted living facilities?

[Quiet Observer]

On 5/23/2022 at 12:16 PM, mobilemail said:

I see that hospitals and clinics and nursing homes are in the prohibited list, I assume this also applies to the "in-between", assisted living facilities?

 

"(7) Any building, real property, and parking area         
under the control of a public or private hospital or hospital affiliate, mental health facility, or nursing home". 

 

A clinic is not automatically included, unless it is on the property or under control of, or affiliated with a hospital or nursing home. Davis Hospital Medical Offices, even in different part of town, would most likely be. The Fairfield Swanson Medical Office on other than hospital or nursing home property maybe not be a prohibited area. Assisted living facilities do not necessarily provide medical or nursing care. They are specialized apartments. Of course, any building that is posted is a prohibited area. 

 

[FarmHand357]

Somewhere, possibly even on this forum, I found this handy reference that I keep on my phone:

 

[Xwing]

As mentioned above, you can legally store your firearm in your vehicle in almost all places in Illinois. 

 

The only two exceptions are:

Federally prohibited places:  The US Post Office is the most common one.  Following the Bonidy appeal in 2015, the court reiterated that you cannot legally have your firearm in your car in a USPS parking lot

Nuclear Power Plants parking lots

[cola490]

I

Edited June 9, 2022 at 10:11 PM by cola490

[Orlando]

Thanks a lot, everyone! I re-read the statute much more fully and slower, it makes sense now what the exception is. These other responses are great. Thank you so much and I apologize for posting. 

[yurimodin]

YAWN........concealed is concealed, take it to a jury. I carried all through the Lincoln Park Zoo a couple years ago even had my 15 round backup mag on me no probs. I carry in the liquor store all the time too, there is no sign and how am I supposed to know if they make all their money on booze vs cigarettes and lotto tickets. 

[soundguy]

On 6/21/2022 at 1:01 PM, yurimodin said:

YAWN........concealed is concealed, take it to a jury. I carried all through the Lincoln Park Zoo a couple years ago even had my 15 round backup mag on me no probs. I carry in the liquor store all the time too, there is no sign and how am I supposed to know if they make all their money on booze vs cigarettes and lotto tickets. 

 

A sign is required at the liquor store. If they are not serving alcohol, the percentage of sales does not affect the legality of CC. No sign, carry on.

 

Carrying at the zoo was more of a risk, as you know.

[soundguy]

On 6/8/2022 at 8:11 AM, Xwing said:

As mentioned above, you can legally store your firearm in your vehicle in almost all places in Illinois. 

 

The only two exceptions are:

Federally prohibited places:  The US Post Office is the most common one.  Following the Bonidy appeal in 2015, the court reiterated that you cannot legally have your firearm in your car in a USPS parking lot

Nuclear Power Plants parking lots

 

You can't even have an unopened bottle of wine in the back seat at a Nuclear Power Plant. I had to take them down the road and hide them behind a tree because the guards wouldn't let me through them out on the premises.

[yurimodin]

On 6/21/2022 at 1:51 PM, soundguy said:

 

A sign is required at the liquor store. If they are not serving alcohol, the percentage of sales does not affect the legality of CC. No sign, carry on.

 

Carrying at the zoo was more of a risk, as you know.

none of the liquor stores here have the sign.

[soundguy]

On 6/21/2022 at 10:37 PM, yurimodin said:

none of the liquor stores here have the sign.

I believe you are good to go then. 

[Quiet Observer]

On 6/21/2022 at 1:51 PM, soundguy said:

 

A sign is required at the liquor store. If they are not serving alcohol, the percentage of sales does not affect the legality of CC. No sign, carry on.

 

Carrying at the zoo was more of a risk, as you know.

I think that you should have worded it differently. Some will just read your first sentence and make the wrong assumption.  Liquor stores are not automatically required to post. They may if they wish to do so. Liquor stores do not generally serve alcohol. There may be some exceptions e.g., a tasting event. Only establishments that serve alcohol and meet the greater than 50% gross receipts must post. 

 

        (9) Any building, real property, and parking area under the control of an establishment that serves alcohol on its premises, if more than 50% of the establishment's gross receipts within the prior 3 months is from the sale of alcohol. The owner of an establishment who knowingly fails to prohibit concealed firearms on its premises as provided in this paragraph or who knowingly makes a false statement or record to avoid the prohibition on concealed firearms under this paragraph is subject to the penalty under subsection (c-5) of Section 10-1 of the Liquor Control Act of 1934.

[Bubbacs]

When did the percentage of booze to cigarettes' and lotto tickets get put into the statute?

Liquor stores were never on the prohibited list no?  Just like the local market and the movie houses they would need to post to be restricted!  No sign = No restriction.

The safe haven rules are important too. But they are relisted above and are pretty simple. We have been reading into what's not there for over 6 years now. 

Because it's Illinois and all, we should be re-reading the statute every 6 months. Seems some people tend to forget or get confused about what you can and can not do!

Promoting carry into a listed restricted area is also a violation of the coc iirc.  

[Euler]

On 6/22/2022 at 11:59 AM, Bubbacs said:

...

Liquor stores were never on the prohibited list no?  ..

 

Liquor stores were never statutorily prohibited.

[South Side 27]

On 6/8/2022 at 8:11 AM, Xwing said:

As mentioned above, you can legally store your firearm in your vehicle in almost all places in Illinois. 

 

The only two exceptions are:

Federally prohibited places:  The US Post Office is the most common one.  Following the Bonidy appeal in 2015, the court reiterated that you cannot legally have your firearm in your car in a USPS parking lot

Nuclear Power Plants parking lots

Do military base parking lots fall under the federally prohibited places? I thought I read that somewhere..

[Lou]

On 6/5/2022 at 12:32 PM, FarmHand357 said:

Somewhere, possibly even on this forum, I found this handy reference that I keep on my phone:

 

I’ve got a printed copy of this list in sun visor of my car. 

 

I’ve had to refer to it a few time. 

[Euler]

On 6/22/2022 at 3:44 PM, South Side 27 said:

Do military base parking lots fall under the federally prohibited places? I thought I read that somewhere..

 

It's up to the base commander. Perversely, most military bases are entirely gun-free zones (except for official duties).

[South Side 27]

On 6/22/2022 at 4:24 PM, Euler said:

 

It's up to the base commander. Perversely, most military bases are entirely gun-free zones (except for official duties).

Thanks for the reply. 

[FarmHand357]

On 6/22/2022 at 4:00 PM, Lou said:

I’ve got a printed copy of this list in sun visor of my car. 

 

I’ve had to refer to it a few time. 

 

+1

[Xwing]

On 6/22/2022 at 3:44 PM, South Side 27 said:

Do military base parking lots fall under the federally prohibited places? I thought I read that somewhere..

Yes, if it's "on base".  There are a bunch of "Federally prohibited places".  But most of them are places that only apply to a small portion of the population.  

Link to a list of them:
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/federal-ccw-law/federally-banned-locations-for-carrying-firearms/

 

[DiSc0rd]

On 6/22/2022 at 4:00 PM, Lou said:

I’ve got a printed copy of this list in sun visor of my car. 

 

I’ve had to refer to it a few time. 

that's a good idea