Section 65 of the “Firearm Concealed Carry Act” (Public Act 98-63) lists quite a few places you CANNOT carry a concealed weapon, even with your license.
The good news is that our allies in Springfield got a “safe harbor” provision that allows you to drive into the parking lot of a prohibited area and still be legal as long as you keep your gun in your vehicle. Without that provision, citizens could be committing a crime just pulling into a parking lot of a school, government building or hospital even if they never left their vehicle.
With your vehicle being your “safe harbor” you can keep your gun in your car, go and conduct whatever business you must do, and return to your car (and your gun) and go about your business. If you want to lock the gun in the trunk, you must unload it before exiting the vehicle, and then you are legal if you are bringing it to the rear of the vehicle for storage.
Following is a list of all prohibited places. Please note that you cannot carry in the parking lot, buildings, or property of these places. Some exceptions are noted below.
1) Elementary or secondary school, whether public or private
2) Pre-school or childcare facility
3) State buildings
4) Court buildings or buildings being used for a court proceeding
5) Local government building
6) Jail, prison, juvenile detention / correctional facility
7) Hospital, affiliate, mental health facility or nursing home, whether public or private
8) Train, bus or other public transportation funded in part / whole with public funds
9) Bars and any restaurant that serves alcohol which accounts for more than 50% of their sales
10) Permitted public gathering / event (pass-through exception)
11) Special Event Retailer’s Licensee location
12) Public playgrounds (No pass-through allowed)
13) Public parks (pass-through allowed if trail or bike path merely passes through, but is not totally within the public park)
14) Cook County Forest Preserves
15) College / University, whether public or private – ANY location
16) Off-track betting parlor, riverboat or gambling venue licensed by the State
17) Stadium, arena, or any collegiate or professional sporting event
18) Public library
19) Airport
20) Amusement park
21) Zoo or museum
22) Nuclear Regulatory Commission facility – you may NOT have a firearm anywhere on their property, even in your car.
23) Any place prohibited by federal law.
If you are on a bike path or hiking trail that passes through a park, you can carry concealed as long as you are just passing through. Additionally, you are allowed to pass through a public gathering to get to your house or place of business.
