Introduction
Constitutional carry, also known as permitless carry or unrestricted carry, refers to the public legally carrying a handgun, either openly or concealed, without a permit. The phrase however does not typically apply to the unrestricted carry of a long gun, for instance. Carrying a concealed handgun in public, contrary to open carry where the gun is in view of the public, either in close proximity or on oneself, is allowed in every state of the country. Yet, each state has its own regulations and limitations regarding how and who may or may not carry a concealed weapon. While each law will differ in the language used, these laws fall into one of three categories: shall issue (meaning that if one meets all the requirements, the jurisdiction shall deliver a license), may issue (meaning that the jurisdiction has discretion in handing out concealed weapons permits), and constitutional carry (the jurisdiction does not require a permit or license to carry a concealed weapon).
States often differ on their position towards concealed carry. There are numerous reasons for this difference, one of them being their interpretation of the Constitution. This has seen states like New York, for example, who put forward a law that required people to show a permit signifying special need to carry a handgun in public, have this law struck down by the Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment is meant to protect gun rights outside the home.
State | Constitutional Carry | Open Carry Laws | Registered Gun Rate | Concealed Carry Reciprocity Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
California | No | Prohibited | 10.4 per 1k | May Issue |
Colorado | No | Allowed | 25.7 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Connecticut | No | Permit Required | 20.8 per 1k | May Issue |
Delaware | No | Allowed | 6.1 per 1k | May Issue |
Florida | No | Prohibited | 23.8 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Hawaii | No | Permit Required | 6.4 per 1k | May Issue |
Illinois | No | Prohibited | 11.4 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Louisiana | No | Allowed | 32.9 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Maryland | No | Permit Required | 22.1 per 1k | May Issue |
Massachusetts | No | Permit Required | 6.5 per 1k | May Issue |
Michigan | No | Allowed | 10.9 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Minnesota | No | Permit Required | 22.7 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Nebraska | No | Allowed | 22 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Nevada | No | Allowed | 37.9 per 1k | Shall Issue |
New Jersey | No | Prohibited | 1.1 per 1k | May Issue |
New Mexico | No | Allowed | 58.1 per 1k | Shall Issue |
New York | No | Prohibited | 4.6 per 1k | May Issue |
North Carolina | No | Allowed | 21.1 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Oregon | No | Allowed | 23 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Pennsylvania | No | Allowed | 26.9 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Rhode Island | No | Permit Required | 4.5 per 1k | Shall Issue |
South Carolina | No | Permit Required | 23 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Virginia | No | Allowed | 49 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Washington | No | Allowed | 1.2 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Wisconsin | No | Allowed | 16.3 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Alabama | Yes | Allowed | 38.7 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Alaska | Yes | Allowed | 38.5 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Arizona | Yes | Allowed | 35.6 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Arkansas | Yes | Allowed | 44.3 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Georgia | Yes | Allowed | 28.2 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Idaho | Yes | Allowed | 40.2 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Indiana | Yes | Allowed | 23.1 per 1k | Shall Issue |
Iowa | Yes | Allowed | 17 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Kansas | Yes | Allowed | 23.8 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Kentucky | Yes | Allowed | 24.1 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Maine | Yes | Allowed | 15.6 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Mississippi | Yes | Allowed | 27.4 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Missouri | Yes | Allowed | 18.4 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Montana | Yes | Allowed | 33.2 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
New Hampshire | Yes | Allowed | 52.1 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
North Dakota | Yes | Allowed | 40 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Ohio | Yes | Allowed | 17.7 per 1k | May Issue |
Oklahoma | Yes | Allowed | 25.9 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
South Dakota | Yes | Allowed | 72.2 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Tennessee | Yes | Allowed | 21.7 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Texas | Yes | Allowed | 34.1 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Utah | Yes | Allowed | 3.4 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Vermont | Yes | Allowed | 14.6 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
West Virginia | Yes | Allowed | 92.8 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Wyoming | Yes | Allowed | 245.8 per 1k | Constitutional Carry |
Constitutional Carry States
Throughout the United States, each individual state legislature has their own select rule on constitutional carry and whether or not a permit is required to carry a handgun in public.
The states that allow permitless concealed carry for 21 year olds are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Some states make exceptions for those who are 18 years of age and in the military, allowing them to conceal carry without a permit, these states are: Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Other states allow permitless concealed carry for 18 year olds, these include: Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota (only for residents of the state however), South Dakota, and Vermont. Only one state allows concealed carry for 19 year olds, Missouri.
List of states that allow for permitless concealed carry (PC), followed by age:
- Alabama – PC 21 years old
- Alaska – PC 21 years old
- Arizona – PC 21 years old
- Arkansas – PC 18 years old
- Georgia – PC 21 years old or 18 for military
- Idaho – PC 18 years old
- Indiana – PC 18 years old
- Iowa – PC 21 years old
- Kansas – PC 21 years old
- Kentucky – PC 21 years old
- Maine – PC 21 years old
- Mississippi – PC 18 years old
- Missouri – PC 19 years old or 18 for military
- Montana – PC 18 years old
- New Hampshire – PC 18 years old
- North Dakota – PC 18 years old for residents only
- Ohio – PC 21 years old
- Oklahoma – PC 21 years old or 18 for military
- South Dakota – PC 18 years old
- Tennessee – PC 21 years old or 18 for military
- Texas – PC 21 years old
- Utah – PC 21 years old
- Vermont – PC 18 years old
- West Virginia – PC 21 years old
- Wyoming – PC 21 years old
Constitutional Carry by State
Alabama
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
38.7 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#11
Shall Issue
Alaska
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
38.5 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#12
Constitutional Carry
Arizona
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
35.6 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#14
Constitutional Carry
Arkansas
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
44.3 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#8
Constitutional Carry
California
Constitutional Carry
No
Prohibited
10.4 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#43
May Issue
Colorado
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
25.7 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#22
Shall Issue
Connecticut
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
20.8 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#34
May Issue
Delaware
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
6.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#46
May Issue
Florida
Constitutional Carry
No
Prohibited
23.8 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#24
Shall Issue
Georgia
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
28.2 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#18
Shall Issue
Hawaii
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
6.4 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#45
May Issue
Idaho
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
40.2 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#9
Constitutional Carry
Illinois
Constitutional Carry
No
Prohibited
11.4 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#41
Shall Issue
Indiana
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
23.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#26
Shall Issue
Iowa
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
17 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#37
Constitutional Carry
Kansas
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
23.8 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#25
Constitutional Carry
Kentucky
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
24.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#23
Constitutional Carry
Louisiana
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
32.9 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#17
Shall Issue
Maine
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
15.6 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#39
Constitutional Carry
Maryland
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
22.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#30
May Issue
Massachusetts
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
6.5 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#44
May Issue
Michigan
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
10.9 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#42
Shall Issue
Minnesota
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
22.7 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#29
Shall Issue
Mississippi
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
27.4 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#19
Constitutional Carry
Missouri
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
18.4 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#35
Constitutional Carry
Montana
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
33.2 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#16
Constitutional Carry
Nebraska
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
22 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#31
Shall Issue
Nevada
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
37.9 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#13
Shall Issue
New Hampshire
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
52.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#6
Constitutional Carry
New Jersey
Constitutional Carry
No
Prohibited
1.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#51
May Issue
New Mexico
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
58.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#5
Shall Issue
New York
Constitutional Carry
No
Prohibited
4.6 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#47
May Issue
North Carolina
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
21.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#33
Shall Issue
North Dakota
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
40 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#10
Constitutional Carry
Ohio
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
17.7 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#36
May Issue
Oklahoma
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
25.9 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#21
Constitutional Carry
Oregon
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
23 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#27
Shall Issue
Pennsylvania
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
26.9 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#20
Shall Issue
Rhode Island
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
4.5 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#48
Shall Issue
South Carolina
Constitutional Carry
No
Permit Required
23 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#28
Shall Issue
South Dakota
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
72.2 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#4
Constitutional Carry
Tennessee
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
21.7 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#32
Constitutional Carry
Texas
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
34.1 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#15
Constitutional Carry
Utah
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
3.4 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#49
Constitutional Carry
Vermont
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
14.6 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#40
Constitutional Carry
Virginia
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
49 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#7
Shall Issue
Washington
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
1.2 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#50
Shall Issue
West Virginia
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
92.8 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#3
Constitutional Carry
Wisconsin
Constitutional Carry
No
Allowed
16.3 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#38
Shall Issue
Wyoming
Constitutional Carry
Yes
Allowed
245.8 per 1k
Ranked in the US
#1
Constitutional Carry