Constitutional Carry States

Map

Table

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.

StateConstitutional CarryOpen Carry LawsRegistered Gun RateRed or Blue State
CaliforniaNoProhibited10.4 per 1k Democrat
ColoradoNoAllowed25.7 per 1k Democrat
ConnecticutNoPermit Required20.8 per 1k Democrat
DelawareNoAllowed6.1 per 1k Democrat
FloridaNoProhibited23.8 per 1k Swing State
HawaiiNoPermit Required6.4 per 1k Democrat
IllinoisNoProhibited11.4 per 1k Democrat
LouisianaNoAllowed32.9 per 1k Republican
MarylandNoPermit Required22.1 per 1k Democrat
MassachusettsNoPermit Required6.5 per 1k Democrat
MichiganNoAllowed10.9 per 1k Swing State
MinnesotaNoPermit Required22.7 per 1k Swing State
NebraskaNoAllowed22 per 1k Republican
NevadaNoAllowed37.9 per 1k Swing State
New JerseyNoProhibited1.1 per 1k Democrat
New MexicoNoAllowed58.1 per 1k Democrat
New YorkNoProhibited4.6 per 1k Democrat
North CarolinaNoAllowed21.1 per 1k Swing State
OregonNoAllowed23 per 1k Democrat
PennsylvaniaNoAllowed26.9 per 1k Swing State
Rhode IslandNoPermit Required4.5 per 1k Democrat
South CarolinaNoPermit Required23 per 1k Republican
VirginiaNoAllowed49 per 1k Democrat
WashingtonNoAllowed1.2 per 1k Democrat
WisconsinNoAllowed16.3 per 1k Swing State
AlabamaYesAllowed38.7 per 1k Republican
AlaskaYesAllowed38.5 per 1k Republican
ArizonaYesAllowed35.6 per 1k Swing State
ArkansasYesAllowed44.3 per 1k Republican
GeorgiaYesAllowed28.2 per 1k Swing State
IdahoYesAllowed40.2 per 1k Republican
IndianaYesAllowed23.1 per 1k Republican
IowaYesAllowed17 per 1k Republican
KansasYesAllowed23.8 per 1k Republican
KentuckyYesAllowed24.1 per 1k Republican
MaineYesAllowed15.6 per 1k Democrat
MississippiYesAllowed27.4 per 1k Republican
MissouriYesAllowed18.4 per 1k Republican
MontanaYesAllowed33.2 per 1k Republican
New HampshireYesAllowed52.1 per 1k Democrat
North DakotaYesAllowed40 per 1k Republican
OhioYesAllowed17.7 per 1k Swing State
OklahomaYesAllowed25.9 per 1k Republican
South DakotaYesAllowed72.2 per 1k Republican
TennesseeYesAllowed21.7 per 1k Republican
TexasYesAllowed34.1 per 1k Republican
UtahYesAllowed3.4 per 1k Republican
VermontYesAllowed14.6 per 1k Democrat
West VirginiaYesAllowed92.8 per 1k Republican
WyomingYesAllowed245.8 per 1k Republican

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.

Both governors of Florida and Nebraska have recently signed a law that will also allow residents to conceal carry weapons without a permit.

List of states that allow for permitless concealed carry (PC), followed by age:

  1. Alabama – PC 21 years old
  2. Alaska – PC 21 years old
  3. Arizona – PC 21 years old
  4. Arkansas – PC 18 years old
  5. Georgia – PC 21 years old or 18 for military
  6. Idaho – PC 18 years old
  7. Indiana – PC 18 years old
  8. Iowa – PC 21 years old
  9. Kansas – PC 21 years old
  10. Kentucky – PC 21 years old
  11. Maine – PC 21 years old
  12. Mississippi – PC 18 years old
  13. Missouri – PC 19 years old or 18 for military
  14. Montana – PC 18 years old
  15. New Hampshire – PC 18 years old
  16. North Dakota – PC 18 years old for residents only
  17. Ohio – PC 21 years old
  18. Oklahoma – PC 21 years old or 18 for military
  19. South Dakota – PC 18 years old
  20. Tennessee – PC 21 years old or 18 for military
  21. Texas – PC 21 years old
  22. Utah – PC 21 years old
  23. Vermont – PC 18 years old
  24. West Virginia – PC 21 years old
  25. Wyoming – PC 21 years old

Constitutional Carry by State

Alabama

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do_not_disturb_on

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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38.7 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#11

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Alaska

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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38.5 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#12

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Arizona

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

35.6 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#14

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Arkansas

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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44.3 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#8

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

California

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Prohibited

Registered Gun Rate

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10.4 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#43

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Colorado

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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25.7 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#22

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Connecticut

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

20.8 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#34

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Delaware

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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6.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#46

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Florida

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Prohibited

Registered Gun Rate

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23.8 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#24

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Georgia

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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28.2 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#18

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Hawaii

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

6.4 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#45

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Idaho

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

40.2 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#9

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Illinois

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Prohibited

Registered Gun Rate

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11.4 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#41

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Indiana

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

23.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#26

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Iowa

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

17 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#37

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Kansas

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

23.8 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#25

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Kentucky

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

24.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#23

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Louisiana

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

32.9 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#17

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Maine

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

15.6 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#39

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Maryland

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

22.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#30

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Massachusetts

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

6.5 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#44

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Michigan

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

10.9 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#42

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Minnesota

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

22.7 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#29

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Mississippi

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

27.4 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#19

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Missouri

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

18.4 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#35

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Montana

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

33.2 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#16

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Nebraska

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

22 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#31

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Nevada

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

37.9 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#13

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

New Hampshire

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

52.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#6

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

New Jersey

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Prohibited

Registered Gun Rate

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1.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#51

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

New Mexico

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

58.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#5

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

New York

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Prohibited

Registered Gun Rate

help

4.6 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#47

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

North Carolina

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

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No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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21.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#33

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

North Dakota

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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40 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#10

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Ohio

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

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Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

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17.7 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#36

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Oklahoma

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

25.9 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#21

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Oregon

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

23 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#27

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Pennsylvania

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

26.9 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#20

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Rhode Island

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

4.5 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#48

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

South Carolina

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Permit Required

Registered Gun Rate

help

23 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#28

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

South Dakota

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

72.2 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#4

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Tennessee

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

21.7 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#32

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Texas

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

34.1 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#15

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Utah

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

3.4 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#49

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Vermont

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

14.6 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#40

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Virginia

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

49 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#7

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

Washington

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

1.2 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#50

Democrat

Registered Gun Rate

West Virginia

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

92.8 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#3

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

Wisconsin

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

No

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

16.3 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#38

Swing State

Registered Gun Rate

Wyoming

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add_circle

Constitutional Carry

help

Yes

Allowed

Registered Gun Rate

help

245.8 per 1k

Ranked in the US

#1

Republican

Registered Gun Rate

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