Introduction
The right to carry a concealed weapon is a hotly debated issue in the United States. Concealed carry policies vary greatly from state to state, with some states offering more lenient laws, while others require applicants to pass more rigorous background checks and even complete firearms training courses. In general, however, citizens of most US states have the right to obtain a permit that allows them to carry a concealed handgun in public. A majority of states allow individuals who are at least 21 years old to apply for a permit and many local governments have adopted even stricter requirements for gun ownership. For example, some cities may limit the types of firearms allowed or mandate additional safety measures like storing guns in locked cabinets or safes when not in use.
| State | Concealed Carry Permit Status | Concealed Carry Reciprocity Status | Open Carry Laws | Gun Ownership Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 52.8% |
| Alaska | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 57.2% |
| Arizona | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 36.4% |
| Arkansas | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 51.8% |
| Georgia | No Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 37.7% |
| Idaho | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 57.8% |
| Indiana | No Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 42.4% |
| Iowa | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 38.5% |
| Kansas | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 42.3% |
| Kentucky | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 52.5% |
| Maine | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 47.7% |
| Mississippi | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 54.1% |
| Missouri | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 52.8% |
| Montana | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 65.7% |
| New Hampshire | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 46.3% |
| Ohio | No Permit Required | May Issue | Allowed | 41.9% |
| Oklahoma | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 54.9% |
| South Dakota | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 55.6% |
| Tennessee | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 46.9% |
| Texas | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 35.5% |
| Utah | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 39.7% |
| Vermont | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 50.3% |
| West Virginia | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 60.6% |
| Wyoming | No Permit Required | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 60.7% |
| North Dakota | No Permit Required for Residents | Constitutional Carry | Allowed | 53.3% |
| California | Permit Required | May Issue | Prohibited | 16.3% |
| Colorado | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 37.9% |
| Connecticut | Permit Required | May Issue | Permit Required | 18.8% |
| Delaware | Permit Required | May Issue | Allowed | 38.7% |
| Florida | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Prohibited | 28.8% |
| Hawaii | Permit Required | May Issue | Permit Required | 9.1% |
| Illinois | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Prohibited | 22.6% |
| Louisiana | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 52.3% |
| Maryland | Permit Required | May Issue | Permit Required | 16.7% |
| Massachusetts | Permit Required | May Issue | Permit Required | 9.9% |
| Michigan | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 38.9% |
| Minnesota | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Permit Required | 39.1% |
| Nebraska | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 39.2% |
| Nevada | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 32.9% |
| New Jersey | Permit Required | May Issue | Prohibited | 8.9% |
| New Mexico | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 35.9% |
| New York | Permit Required | May Issue | Prohibited | 14.5% |
| North Carolina | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 37.1% |
| Oregon | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 41.4% |
| Pennsylvania | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 40.2% |
| Rhode Island | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Permit Required | 13.9% |
| South Carolina | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Permit Required | 45.5% |
| Virginia | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 35.3% |
| Washington | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 32.1% |
| Wisconsin | Permit Required | Shall Issue | Allowed | 47.1% |
Concealed Carry Permit Status by State
Alabama
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
52.8%
Ranked in the US
#10
Alaska
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
57.2%
Ranked in the US
#5
Arizona
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
36.4%
Ranked in the US
#35
Arkansas
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
51.8%
Ranked in the US
#14
California
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Prohibited
16.3%
Ranked in the US
#45
Colorado
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
37.9%
Ranked in the US
#32
Connecticut
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Permit Required
18.8%
Ranked in the US
#43
Delaware
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Allowed
38.7%
Ranked in the US
#30
Florida
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Prohibited
28.8%
Ranked in the US
#41
Georgia
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
37.7%
Ranked in the US
#33
Hawaii
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Permit Required
Ranked in the US
#49
Idaho
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
57.8%
Ranked in the US
#4
Illinois
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Prohibited
22.6%
Ranked in the US
#42
Indiana
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
42.4%
Ranked in the US
#21
Iowa
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
38.5%
Ranked in the US
#31
Kansas
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
42.3%
Ranked in the US
#22
Kentucky
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
52.5%
Ranked in the US
#12
Louisiana
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
52.3%
Ranked in the US
#13
Maine
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
47.7%
Ranked in the US
#16
Maryland
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Permit Required
16.7%
Ranked in the US
#44
Massachusetts
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Permit Required
Ranked in the US
#48
Michigan
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
38.9%
Ranked in the US
#29
Minnesota
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Permit Required
39.1%
Ranked in the US
#28
Mississippi
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
54.1%
Ranked in the US
#8
Missouri
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
52.8%
Ranked in the US
#11
Montana
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
65.7%
Ranked in the US
#1
Nebraska
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
39.2%
Ranked in the US
#27
Nevada
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
32.9%
Ranked in the US
#39
New Hampshire
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
46.3%
Ranked in the US
#19
New Jersey
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Prohibited
Ranked in the US
#50
New Mexico
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
35.9%
Ranked in the US
#36
New York
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
May Issue
Prohibited
14.5%
Ranked in the US
#46
North Carolina
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
37.1%
Ranked in the US
#34
North Dakota
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required for Residents
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
53.3%
Ranked in the US
#9
Ohio
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
May Issue
Allowed
41.9%
Ranked in the US
#23
Oklahoma
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
54.9%
Ranked in the US
#7
Oregon
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
41.4%
Ranked in the US
#24
Pennsylvania
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
40.2%
Ranked in the US
#25
Rhode Island
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Permit Required
13.9%
Ranked in the US
#47
South Carolina
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Permit Required
45.5%
Ranked in the US
#20
South Dakota
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
55.6%
Ranked in the US
#6
Tennessee
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
46.9%
Ranked in the US
#18
Texas
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
35.5%
Ranked in the US
#37
Utah
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
39.7%
Ranked in the US
#26
Vermont
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
50.3%
Ranked in the US
#15
Virginia
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
35.3%
Ranked in the US
#38
Washington
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
32.1%
Ranked in the US
#40
West Virginia
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
60.6%
Ranked in the US
#3
Wisconsin
Concealed Carry Permit Status
Permit Required
Shall Issue
Allowed
47.1%
Ranked in the US
#17
Wyoming
Concealed Carry Permit Status
No Permit Required
Constitutional Carry
Allowed
60.7%
Ranked in the US
#2