N/M I looked at some later posts and found my answer.


I've looked around some but I'm not finding an answer. Middle of Oct. I plan on passing through the lower tip of this fine state. I'll be passing through on Interstate 24, 57 & 64 from Paduka KY up to St Louis. I will have a hand gun & I have a GA CCW but IL does not recognize it. When I am in IL can I just put my gun in open view or will I need to do something else? Or do I just need to detour around IL?

Car carry is legal with out of state CCW. Since you're just passing through you'll have no issues. 

DO NOT put your firearm in open view. No open carry is allowed in Illinois, and an openly displayed firearm could easily get you negative attention.

With your home state carry permit, you can carry a loaded handgun (handguns only) concealed inside your vehicle while in Illinois, on your person or inside the vehicle. If you exit the vehicle the loaded firearm has to stay inside, or else be unloaded and enclosed in a case or container of some kind if you take it with you. Illinois does not have a duty to notify, but does have a duty to answer truthfully if asked at a traffic stop. Carry has been trouble-free since the law changed in 2013.

The travel route goes through scenic hilly country at the southern part of the state, and into farm country especially once you get on I-64. All relatively rural with only a couple of towns of any size, until you get to the metro area east of St Louis. Once past Fairview Heights, I would strongly advise continuing your journey through to Missouri. I think there is some bridge construction in St Louis right now, maybe someone more local can advise as to the current situation with the bridges. Taking I-255 south to bypass East St Louis and St Louis itself is an easier option, so that you don't have to deal with the somewhat confusing situation with the downtown bridges.

How about ARs?

I will be passing through next month.  I will have two ARs and a pistol.  The ARs will be in cases.

Unfortunately it looks like we will be spending the night somewhere in Illinois.  Do I leave the ARs locked up in the car or can I carry them into the motel room?

Illinois does not have any statewide AW or magazine bans. There are local AW and magazine bans in the Chicago area. If you are going through or to the Chicago area, you'll need to know exactly which cities and route you are taking as it's a patchwork mess. Chicago also bans laser sights.

The safest way to transport long guns under Illinois law is just for them to be unloaded and enclosed in some kind of case or container, preferably one that is intended for firearms. Illinois' transportation regulations are less restrictive than FOPA so generally no worries.

You can leave them in your vehicle or take them into hotel room, your choice. In your hotel room you can have loaded firearms as it's your (temporary) domicile.

The loaded car carry provision for non-residents only applies to handguns, and you have to have carry in your home state, preferably with a home state carry permit.

Pretty sure a home state carry permit is required.  (edit: assuming your state issues those) Too lazy at the moment to go look up statute I posted in a prior thread.

It is not required. There was considerable discussion during the passage of the bill (to the detriment of other far more pressing issues) to ensure that residents of Vermont would be able to carry under the non-resident provision. It just makes it convenient if you have a home state permit, as no knowledge of other state laws would be required.
It really could be argued that residents of any state that has unlicensed open carry could take advantage of this provision, as it just says "eligible to carry a firearm in public".

We will are going to Arkansas to visit friends and then on to Ft Wayne Indiana to visit the inlaws.  We will be driving through southern Illinois and expect that we will be spending the night somewhere east of St Louis.  

It is a shame that my firearms, which are perfectly legal here in Florida and every other state I will going through on our trip, could be a problem in Illinois.  

Thanks for your info.  The ARs will be in cases, unloaded and I will go ahead and put a trigger lock on them.   Good to know that the magazines are not going to get me in trouble.    I will have 1,000 rds of .223 to do shooting with my nephews in Indiana.

I don't plan in getting out of the car or stopping anywhere around St Louis so I really don't think I have to be concerned about having to use my carry pistol on the trip.

Your route is far away from Chicago or any of the anti-gun Chicago-area cities that have local bans.
I'm guessing from your description that you'll be traveling across I-70 which most would call "central" Illnois. Endless miles of absolutely flat farm fields, stretching out to the horizon all across I-70. This time of the year you'll see some big dust plumes from harvesting operations in those fields.

You could stay somewhere in the Metro-East St Louis area like Fairview Heights or Collinsville. About the only town of substance along I-70 once you get away from the St Louis area is Effingham which has a selection of restaurants and hotels. I would rather stay in Effingham than Terra Haute IN.

So if I'm understanding this thread right... I can travel into IL with my loaded handgun (chambered round?) in the car, either on me or in the center console, and when I leave the vehicle I don't have to do anything special with it if I'm leaving it in the car (like unloading it, separating mag and gun, etc)?

What about parking? For instance if the location has a posted no weapons sign?

MO ccw so not recognised by IL.

Correct. Car is a "safe haven" so as long as it's in the car you are ok. If your location is posted for no carry you have to lock the car if unattended, or else leave the loaded gun in a locked container.

The only true "no firearms" zones are the federally designated areas like post offices, federal buildings, and nuclear power plants.

Thanks, what are the knife rules? I usually have one in the dash which would normally be easily seen.