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Require Permits to Carry Concealed Guns in Public

    Require Permits to Carry Concealed Guns in Public

      What is the problem?

      It is legal to carry a concealed handgun in public in all 50 states. A substantial majority of states require a person to have a permit to carry a loaded, concealed handgun in public. States should not allow the carry of concealed guns in public without one.

      Although standards and processes vary, permits ensure that certain core public safety standards are maintained, such as requiring that a person has passed a background check and completed firearm safety training before carrying a concealed gun in public. Many states also authorize permit issuers to deny permits to people who pose a danger to the public. These laws promote responsible gun ownership and ensure fundamental public safety standards are preserved when people carry concealed guns in public places.

      For over a century, states have recognized the public safety benefits of requiring a permit to carry concealed guns. Yet over the last decade, the gun lobby has been pushing legislation to allow people to carry concealed guns in public places without a permit, background check, or safety training, dismantling the system of responsible gun ownership. Some states have passed laws loosening their permitting standards, and a handful of states have completely eliminated their concealed carry permit requirement. Permitless carry laws lower the bar for who may carry hidden handguns in public and allow untrained and unvetted people to carry concealed guns in parks, shopping malls, crowded town centers, and other public places.

      How it Works

      Ensuring that only responsible gun owners can carry concealed guns in public.

      Permitless Carry: Carrying a Concealed Gun in Public with No Permit and No Training Report

      Concealed carry permitting systems typically require training to carry firearms responsibly in public. Permitless carry laws strip away this critical safety component. Most states currently require a firearm safety course before a person can get a permit to carry a concealed handgun—many that require training that involves the live firing of a gun. This training ensures that permit holders are aware of responsible practices for handling and carrying guns in public.

      Concealed carry permitting systems generally require a background check and set standards for who is too dangerous or irresponsible for a permit, ensuring that only responsible gun owners can carry concealed guns in public. Permitless carry laws and legislation remove these safeguards and often allow carry by irresponsible and dangerous people, such as violent criminals and weapons offenders, people who pose a safety risk, and teenagers.

      Permitless carry legislation is part of the NRA’s broader agenda to weaken and repeal important gun safety measures, allowing more guns in public and undermining public safety. Emerging data shows that states that have passed permitless carry legislation are experiencing a substantial increase in gun violence.

      By the numbers

      HOW MANY STATES ALLOW PERMITLESS CARRY?

      The majority of states promote responsible gun ownership by requiring permits to carry concealed guns in public. 15 states allow permitless carry.

      Last updated: 4.7.2021

      Myth

      Requiring a permit to carry a loaded, concealed handgun in public violates the U.S. Constitution.

      Fact

      No federal court has held that requiring a permit to carry a loaded, concealed handgun in public violates the U.S. Constitution.

      Require Permits to Carry Concealed Guns in Public

      All Resources

      Did you know?

      Over 80 percent of gun owners, non-gun owners, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents agree that high safety standards are critical in issuing concealed carry permits.

      Daniel W. Webster et al., “Concealed Carry of Firearms: Fact vs. Fiction”. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Center for Gun Policy and Research. (2017), https://bit.ly/2QJr2Mi.