Where Guns Are Barred
W. Va. Code § 61-7-11a and W. Va. Code § 61-7-14 — schools, courts, posted property, and the locked car in the lot
- On a school bus.
- In or on the grounds of any primary or secondary school, unless a private school's written policy allows it.
- At a school-sponsored function in an area the school owns, rents or leases.
- On the premises of a court of law, including family courts.
Those are places it is unlawful to possess a firearm or other deadly weapon. At a school it is a felony, of not less than two years nor more than 10 years, or a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.
A person 21 years old or older with a valid concealed handgun permit may keep a concealed handgun in a motor vehicle in a school's parking lot or drive, and an unloaded weapon may be left in a locked vehicle.
Private property. An owner or lessee may prohibit carrying a firearm on their property. A person who refuses to give up the weapon temporarily, or to leave, when asked is guilty of a misdemeanor.
A business may not prohibit a customer or employee from keeping a legally owned firearm locked inside, or locked to, a motor vehicle in its parking lot, out of view, and may not search the vehicle for one.
Federal buildings and other places carry their own rules. A particular place is a question for a licensed West Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- W. Va. Code § 61-7-11a — Possessing deadly weapons on premises of educational facilities and courts
- W. Va. Code § 61-7-14 — Right of certain persons to limit possession of firearms on premises
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed West Virginia attorney.