Firearms in Vehicles: Alabama

This Firearms in Vehicles policy applies to employees in Alabama under Alabama's "guns in vehicles" protections in Ala. Code § 13A-11-90, § 13A-11-91, and § 13A-11-92, which generally limit how employers can restrict the lawful storage of firearms in an employee's locked, privately owned vehicle in designated parking areas, while still allowing your organization to set clear safety rules (like keeping firearms out of sight and in the vehicle) and to address credible threats or other legally required situations.

The History Behind Firearms in Vehicles Policies in Alabama

This policy sits at the crossroads of workplace safety and personal gun rights, a tension that shows up often when dealing with Health, Safety, & OSHA Compliance. For years, many employers took the straightforward approach and banned weapons on the premises, including the parking lot. Employees, especially in rural areas and with jobs that involved travel or late shifts, pushed back. The question became simple and thorny at the same time, where does the property line end when someone is sitting in their own car?

Alabama's "parking lot" protections aim to limit how far an employer can go in banning firearms stored in employees' personal vehicles. The core idea in Alabama Code Sections 13A-11-90, 13A-11-91, and 13A-11-92 is a compromise: you can generally keep your workplace weapon-free, but you usually can't stop someone who can legally possess a firearm from storing it in a locked, privately owned vehicle (or a locked container affixed to it) in a designated parking area, as long as it stays out of sight and stays put. The law also puts real guardrails around privacy, so employers aren't treating parking lots like checkpoints, with narrow exceptions for credible safety risks or legal requirements.

That mix of rules is why this policy reads the way it does. It keeps your organization on solid footing if you want a no-weapons workplace, while spelling out the specific conditions Alabama expects you to respect in the parking lot. It also draws a bright line for employees, locked, concealed, and no handling of the firearm on your property, which is the part that tends to prevent arguments from turning into incidents.

Which Law is the Firearms in Vehicles Policy Meant to Comply With?

If you create and distribute a Firearms in Vehicles Policy for your Alabama-based employees, it is in an effort to comply with Alabama's Ala. Code § 13A-11-90, Ala. Code § 13A-11-91, and Ala. Code § 13A-11-92.

How to Write an Alabama-Specific Firearms in Vehicles Policy

• Start with "why" and introduce the concept that you're balancing workplace safety with Alabama's rules on storing firearms in personal vehicles.
• State your organization's general rule that weapons aren't allowed on your property.
• Explain the Alabama-specific allowance for lawful firearm storage in personal vehicles parked in your parking areas.
• Require that any stored firearm stays locked in the employee's privately owned vehicle or in a locked, permanently attached container.
• Require that firearms stay out of sight and aren't removed or displayed on your property.
• Set expectations for privacy by limiting questions about firearm storage and limiting vehicle searches.
• Allow questions or searches only when there's credible safety risk or when the law requires it.

When to Include this Policy in Your Employee Handbook

The law does not require you to publish a policy or issue a specific notice. That said, you still have to comply with the requirements that apply to you as an employer. 

This is a "depends on your workplace" policy. Include it if you offer the benefit, operate in a setting where this comes up, have a state-specific rule that differs from your national approach, or you've had issues in this area before. If you already have a clear all-employee policy that covers the same ground (and it meets Alabama's requirements), you may not need a separate policy here. 

Other Considerations

The law applies to Alabama employers who have at least 1 employee in the US.

Exceptions

None.