Arkansas Attorney General Clarifies State’s Concealed Carry Law

AmmoLand ^ | December 20, 2025 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

On November 14, 2025, the Arkansas Attorney General (AG), Tim Griffin, clarified Arkansas law about the legal carry of firearms. The three questions to be answered included: publicly owned buildings or facilities, the legal definition of an “athletic event” in Arkansas law, and what type of carry is prohibited in statutorily prohibited spaces. The questions were asked by the Honorable Sonia Eubanks Barker, a Republican state representative with a pro-Second Amendment reputation.

AG opinions are not binding on judges. They are statements of what the Attorney General believes the law to be. They are often taken into account by prosecutors when determining whether to prosecute in a given circumstance.

AG Griffin’s response was detailed and encyclopedic. It is well-crafted and an excellent read. The response explains Arkansas’s statutory law about the carry of firearms in considerable detail. The response also explains some of the intricacies of law and statutory interpretation. In addition to the lengthy response, the AG  provides brief summaries of his findings. AG Griffin found:

1. Arkansas statutes do not prohibit the open carry of firearms in municipal parks or athletic events. The statutes prohibit concealed carry at athletic events, and both open and concealed carry in municipal buildings and facilities unless the person has a endorsement to the Arkansas Concealed Carry permit showing they completed required training.
2. Athletic event is defined.  “athletic event” refers to organized sports activities—such as games, contests, or practices affiliated with school, leagues, or other entities—and does not include unorganized play.”
3. The prohibited places list for concealed carry in A.C.A. § 5-73-306 only applies to people carrying concealed weapons. There are numerous other statutes which contain more general prohibitions on the carry of weapons generally, whether openly or concealed. People with the endorsed Arkansas Concealed Carry permit are exempted from many of the prohibitions

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TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: ar; banglist; carry; handgun

[marktwain]

At the election in 2026, Arkansas voters will vote on an improved "right to keep and bear arms" amendment to the state constitution.

[riverrunner]

Every yard gain is another yard closer to winning.

[JimRed]

I thought the good ol’ second amendment spelled it out pretty clearly...”shall not be infringed”.