North Carolina § 153A-129 - Firearms.

§ 153A-129. Firearms.

Except as provided in this section, a county may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the discharge of firearms at any time or place except in any of the following instances: When used to take birds or animals pursuant to Chapter 113, Subchapter IV. When used in defense of person or property. When used pursuant to lawful directions of law-enforcement officers. A county may by ordinance prohibit hunting on Sunday as allowed under G.S. 103-2, provided the ordinance complies with all of the following: The ordinance shall be applicable from January 1 until December 31 of any year of effectiveness. The ordinance shall allow for individuals hunting in an adjacent county with no restriction on Sunday hunting to retrieve any animal lawfully shot from the adjacent county. The ordinance shall be applicable to the entire county. The ordinance shall not be effective unless approved by a majority of those voting in a county-wide referendum held as provided in G.S. 163-287. Such special election shall only be held at the time provided by G.S. 163-287(a)(1). A county may regulate the display of firearms on the public roads, sidewalks, alleys, or other public property. This section does not limit a county's authority to take action under Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the General Statutes. History (1973, c. 822, s. 1; 2006-264, s. 16; 2012-12, s. 2(yy); 2015-144, s. 5(b); 2017-6, s. 3; 2017-182, s. 3(a); 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), 6.1.) Local Modification. - Davidson: 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 852, s. 1; Davie: 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 929, s. 1. Re-recodification; Technical and Conforming Changes. - Session Laws 2017-6, s. 3, provides, in part: "The Revisor of Statutes shall recodify Chapter 138A of the General Statutes, Chapter 120C of the General Statutes, as well as Chapter 163 of the General Statutes, as amended by this act, into a new Chapter 163 A of the General Statutes to be entitled 'Elections and Ethics Enforcement Act,' as enacted by Section 4 of this act. The Revisor may also recodify into the new Chapter 163A of the General Statutes other existing statutory laws relating to elections and ethics enforcement that are located elsewhere in the General Statutes as the Revisor deems appropriate." The Revisor was further authorized to make technical and conforming changes to catchlines, internal citations, and other references throughout the General Statutes to effectuate this recodification. Pursuant to this authority, the Revisor, in subdivision (b)(4), substituted "G.S. 163A-1592" for "G.S. 163-287" in the first sentence, and substituted "G.S. 163A-1592(a)(1)" for "G.S. 163-287(a)(1)" in the second sentence. Session Laws 2018-146, ss. 3.1(a), (b), and 6.1, repealed Session Laws 2017-6, s. 3, and authorized the Revisor of Statutes to re-recodify Chapter 163A into Chapters 163, 138A, and 120C and to revert the changes made by the Revisor pursuant to Session Laws 2017-6, s. 3. Pursuant to this authority, the Revisor of Statutes reverted the references. Editor's Note. - Session Laws 2015-144, s. 5(c), as amended by Session Laws 2017-182, s. 3(b), provides: "Subsection (b) of this section becomes effective October 1, 2017. A county may adopt an ordinance to prohibit Sunday hunting prior to October 1, 2017, but any such ordinance shall not become effective until October 1, 2017." Session Laws 2015-144, s. 9(a) is a severability clause. Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2006-264, s. 16, effective August 27, 2006, substituted "Subchapter IV" for "Subchapter III" in the middle of the first sentence. Session Laws 2015-144, s. 5(b), effective October 1, 2017, rewrote the section. Session Laws 2017-182, s. 3(a), effective October 1, 2017, added subdivision (b)(4).