(Apr. 9, 2024)
No Issue
Citizens may not carry a concealed handgun. As of July 2013, with the passage of a shall-issue law in Illinois, there are zero no-issue states. However, two U.S. territories have no-issue laws and do not allow the concealed carry of guns: American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.
May Issue
Citizens may be granted concealed carry permits at the discretion of local authorities, who may deny permits. Individual state requirements vary, but may include residency, passing a training course, and passing a criminal background check. There are two may-issue states and and two may-issue territories: Connecticut, Delaware, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Shall Issue
Local authorities are required to issue concealed carry permits as long as the applicant meets basic requirements such as a minimum age, no prior felony conviction, and no recent commitments to a mental institution. State laws vary on whether the permit applicant needs to be a resident. 48 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico are shall-issue jurisdictions, some of which are also constitutional carry states. In many constitutional carry states, permits will be issued upon request and completion of requirements for purposes of reciprocity (concealed carry in other states) or other reasons.
No Permits
& Constitutional Carry
No permits are issued, however the state allows concealed carry, making the state a de facto constitutional carry state. As of Apr. 9, 2024, Vermont is the only state that does not issue permits.
Constitutional Carry
Also called unrestricted and permitless carry: No permit is required to carry a concealed handgun. State laws vary based on residency requirements and some may include minor regulations, including lack of felony convictions. There are 29 constitutional carry states as of Apr. 9, 2024. In many constitutional carry states, permits will be issued upon request and completion of requirements for purposes of reciprocity (concealed carry in other states) or other reasons. ProCon does not track concealed weapons permits reciprocity (the ability to carry in a state other than that of residence).
| Constitutional Carry | No Permits | Shall Issue | May Issue | No Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | x | x | |||
| Alaska | x | x | |||
| American Samoa | x | ||||
| Arizona | x | x | |||
| Arkansas | x | x | |||
| California | x | ||||
| Colorado | x | ||||
| Connecticut | x | ||||
| Delaware | x | ||||
| District of Columbia | x | ||||
| Florida | x | x | |||
| Georgia | x | x | |||
| Guam | x | ||||
| Hawaii | x | ||||
| Idaho | x | x | |||
| Illinois | x | ||||
| Indiana | x | x | |||
| Iowa | x | x | |||
| Kansas | x | x | |||
| Kentucky | x | x | |||
| Louisiana | x | x | |||
| Maine | x | x | |||
| Maryland | x | ||||
| Massachusetts | x | ||||
| Michigan | x | ||||
| Minnesota | x | ||||
| Mississippi | x | x | |||
| Missouri | x | x | |||
| Montana | x | x | |||
| Nebraska | x | x | |||
| Nevada | x | ||||
| New Hampshire | x | x | |||
| New Jersey | x | ||||
| New Mexico | x | ||||
| New York | x | ||||
| North Carolina | x | ||||
| North Dakota | x | x | |||
| Northern Mariana Islands | x | ||||
| Ohio | x | x | |||
| Oklahoma | x | x | |||
| Oregon | x | ||||
| Pennsylvania | x | ||||
| Puerto Rico | x | ||||
| Rhode Island | x | ||||
| South Carolina | x | x | |||
| South Dakota | x | x | |||
| Tennessee | x | x | |||
| Texas | x | x | |||
| U.S. Virgin Islands | x | ||||
| Utah | x | x | |||
| Vermont | x | x | |||
| Virginia | x | ||||
| Washington | x | ||||
| West Virginia | x | x | |||
| Wisconsin | x | ||||
| Wyoming | x | x |
Sources:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “State Laws and Published Ordinances – American Samoa,” atf.gov, 2019
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “State Laws and Published Ordinances – Guam,” atf.gov, July 19, 2019
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “State Laws and Published Ordinances – Northern Mariana Islands,” atf.gov, Oct. 1, 2019
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “State Laws and Published Ordinances – U.S. Virgin Islands,” atf.gov, Oct. 5, 2020
Ciara McCarthy, “Concealed Carry Is Now Legal in All 50 States, and the NRA Doesn’t Want Us to Know What That Really Means,” slate.com, July 11, 2013
Radical Gun Nuttery, “Progress in Right-to-Carry,” gun-nuttery.com, July 3, 2013
U.S. Concealed Carry Association, “Constitutional Carry,” usconcealedcarry.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2024)
U.S. Concealed Carry Association, “May Issue,” usconcealedcarry.com (accessed Mar. 12, 2024)
U.S. Concealed Carry Association, “Puerto Rico: Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map & Gun Laws,” usconcealedcarry.com, Jan. 4, 2021
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