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    Q&A

    How many states require a person to obtain a permit before carrying a loaded, concealed handgun in public?

    7.16.2020

      The states shown below require a person to have a permit to carry a loaded, concealed handgun in public. Most of those states require a person pass a criminal background check and take firearm training before getting a permit.

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      21 states have adopted this policy

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      California has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Colorado has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Delaware has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Florida has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Georgia has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Hawaii has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Indiana has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Iowa has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Maryland has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Michigan has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Nebraska has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Nevada has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      New York has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Ohio has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Oregon has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      No

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      No
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      —

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      Yes

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Texas has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Utah has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Vermont has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      No

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Washington has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      No
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      —

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Wisconsin has adopted this policy

      If so, does the state require training?
      Yes
      Does state training include firing an actual gun?
      No

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

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      Did you know?

      Every day, more than 120 people in the United States are killed with guns, twice as many are shot and wounded, and countless others are impacted by acts of gun violence.

      Everytown Research analysis of CDC, WONDER, Underlying Cause of Death, 2018–2022; Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) nonfatal firearm injury data, 2020; and SurveyUSA Market Research Study #26602, 2022.

      Last updated: 5.7.2024