Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 4749 | Private Investigators; Security Services
Section 4749.10 | Carrying Firearm.

Effective: July 1, 2005
Latest Legislation: House Bill 68 - 126th General Assembly
(A) No class A, B, or C licensee and no registered employee of a class A, B, or C licensee shall carry a firearm, as defined in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code, in the course of engaging in the business of private investigation, the business of security services, or both businesses, unless all of the following apply:
(1) The licensee or employee either has successfully completed a basic firearm training program at a training school approved by the Ohio peace officer training commission, which program includes twenty hours of training in handgun use and, if any firearm other than a handgun is to be used, five hours of training in the use of other firearms, and has received a certificate of satisfactory completion of that program from the executive director of the commission; the licensee or employee has, within three years prior to November 27, 1985, satisfactorily completed firearms training that has been approved by the commission as being equivalent to such a program and has received written evidence of approval of that training from the executive director of the commission; or the licensee or employee is a former peace officer, as defined in section 109.71 of the Revised Code, who previously had successfully completed a firearms training course at a training school approved by the Ohio peace officer training commission and has received a certificate or other evidence of satisfactory completion of that course from the executive director of the commission.
(2) The licensee or employee submits an application to the director of public safety, on a form prescribed by the director, in which the licensee or employee requests registration as a class A, B, or C licensee or employee who may carry a firearm. The application shall be accompanied by a copy of the certificate or the written evidence or other evidence described in division (A)(1) of this section, the identification card issued pursuant to section 4749.03 or 4749.06 of the Revised Code if one has previously been issued, a statement of the duties that will be performed while the licensee or employee is armed, and a fee the director determines, not to exceed fifteen dollars. In the case of a registered employee, the statement shall be prepared by the employing class A, B, or C licensee.
(3) The licensee or employee receives a notation on the licensee's or employee's identification card that the licensee or employee is a firearm-bearer and carries the identification card whenever the licensee or employee carries a firearm in the course of engaging in the business of private investigation, the business of security services, or both businesses.
(4) At any time within the immediately preceding twelve-month period, the licensee or employee has requalified in firearms use on a firearms training range at a firearms requalification program certified by the Ohio peace officer training commission or on a firearms training range under the supervision of an instructor certified by the commission and has received a certificate of satisfactory requalification from the certified program or certified instructor, provided that this division does not apply to any licensee or employee prior to the expiration of eighteen months after the licensee's or employee's completion of the program described in division (A)(1) of this section. A certificate of satisfactory requalification is valid and remains in effect for twelve months from the date of the requalification.
(5) If division (A)(4) of this section applies to the licensee or employee, the licensee or employee carries the certificate of satisfactory requalification that then is in effect or any other evidence of requalification issued or provided by the director.
(B)(1) The director of public safety shall register an applicant under division (A) of this section who satisfies divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section, and place a notation on the applicant's identification card indicating that the applicant is a firearm-bearer and the date on which the applicant completed the program described in division (A)(1) of this section.
(2) A firearms requalification training program or instructor certified by the commission for the annual requalification of class A, B, or C licensees or employees who are authorized to carry a firearm under section 4749.10 of the Revised Code shall award a certificate of satisfactory requalification to each class A, B, or C licensee or registered employee of a class A, B, or C licensee who satisfactorily requalifies in firearms training. The certificate shall identify the licensee or employee and indicate the date of the requalification. A licensee or employee who receives such a certificate shall submit a copy of it to the director of public safety. A licensee shall submit the copy of the requalification certificate at the same time that the licensee makes application for renewal of the licensee's class A, B, or C license. The director shall keep a record of all copies of requalification certificates the director receives under this division and shall establish a procedure for the updating of identification cards to provide evidence of compliance with the annual requalification requirement. The procedure for the updating of identification cards may provide for the issuance of a new card containing the evidence, the entry of a new notation containing the evidence on the existing card, the issuance of a separate card or paper containing the evidence, or any other procedure determined by the director to be reasonable. Each person who is issued a requalification certificate under this division promptly shall pay to the Ohio peace officer training commission established by section 109.71 of the Revised Code a fee the director determines, not to exceed fifteen dollars, which fee shall be transmitted to the treasurer of state for deposit in the peace officer private security fund established by section 109.78 of the Revised Code.
(C) Nothing in this section prohibits a private investigator or a security guard provider from carrying a concealed handgun if the private investigator or security guard provider complies with sections 2923.124 to 2923.1213 of the Revised Code.

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