After I threw out a little video the other day outlining the annoyance and danger of what the law-abiding concealed carrier has to go through when visiting a gun free zone like the Post Office, many people commented about the parking lot.
We’ve covered it before, but things got confusing. It’s thanks to politics, really.
Here’s the answer: Legally, you cannot carry your firearm on Post Office property. At all. Yes, this includes the parking lot on their property.
The whole debate come up when Bonidy v. United States was in full swing. Tab Bonidy is a licensed gun owner living in Colorado. He has explained that his local post office in Avon, Colorado not only prohibited him from carrying his concealed firearm into the post office when he picks up his mail, but they also prohibited him from even leaving the gun in his car parked in the parking lot, which he says violated his second amendment.
Since that time (and until earlier this month), there was quite a bit of confusion as to whether this ruling only applied to Bonidy, or to concealed carriers everywhere.
However if the Post Office is located in, say, a plaza, the parking lot should be a fine place for you to carry since it’s not federal property. However, the rule always stands that you may never enter a Post Office with your concealed or openly-carried firearm.
Only criminals can do that.
