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Strong Standards for Carrying Concealed Guns in Public

    Solutions

    Strong Standards for Carrying Concealed Guns in Public

    What does it solve?

    Carrying guns in public is a tremendous responsibility. States should set strong minimum standards for carrying concealed guns in public to ensure that people who are too dangerous or irresponsible to carry guns in our communities are blocked from doing so.

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

    This should include requiring that a person pass a background check, get a concealed carry permit, and undergo safety training that includes live-fire experience. States should also allow law enforcement to block people who pose a danger to the public from carrying concealed handguns in public. States also decide which out-of-staters may carry concealed handguns within their borders—and they should not allow the carry of guns by people with permits from states with standards weaker than their own.

      Concealed Carry Permit Required

      Which states require a permit to carry concealed guns in public?

      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

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      California has adopted this policy

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

      Colorado has adopted this policy

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

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

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

      Delaware has adopted this policy

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

      Florida has not adopted this policy

      Georgia has not adopted this policy

      Hawaii has adopted this policy

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

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Illinois has adopted this policy

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

      Indiana has not adopted this policy

      Iowa has not adopted this policy

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Maryland has adopted this policy

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

      Massachusetts has adopted this policy

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

      Michigan has adopted this policy

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

      Minnesota has adopted this policy

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

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Nebraska has not adopted this policy

      Nevada has adopted this policy

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

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

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

      New Mexico has adopted this policy

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

      New York has adopted this policy

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

      North Carolina has adopted this policy

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

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Ohio has not adopted this policy

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Oregon has adopted this policy

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

      Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

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

      Rhode Island has adopted this policy

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

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Texas has not adopted this policy

      Utah has not adopted this policy

      Vermont has not adopted this policy

      Virginia has adopted this policy

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

      Washington has adopted this policy

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

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Wisconsin has adopted this policy

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

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      Myth

      More guns equals less crime.

      Fact

      This claim is unsubstantiated by any legitimate evidence. In fact, scientific research—and basic common sense—shows the opposite is true: more guns make us less safe. A growing body of research shows that when it is easier for people to carry guns in public, violent crime rates go up. When states passed laws allowing concealed carry for the first time or limiting law enforcement discretion in issuing carry permits, violent crime rates rose by 13 to 15 percent.1John J. Donohue, Abhay Aneja, and Kyle D. Weber, “Right-to-carry Laws and Violent Crime: A Comprehensive Assessment Using Panel Data and a State-Level Synthetic Control Analysis,” Journal of Empirical Legal Studies 16, no. 2 (2019): 198-247, https://doi.org/10.1111/jels.12219.

      By the numbers

      You might be wondering…

      1. 1 What requirements should states set for carrying concealed guns in public?

      Learn More

      Permitless Carry: Carrying a Concealed Gun in Public with No Permit and No Training Resource
      Road Rage Shootings Are Continuing to Surge Resource
      Concealed Carry Reciprocity Resource
      Armed Extremism Resource
      74%

      Did you know?

      In a 2021 survey, an estimated 74 percent of US adults supported requiring concealed carry applicants to pass a test demonstrating safe and lawful use of a firearm.

      Cassandra K. Crifasi, “Public Opinion on Laws Regulating Public Gun Carrying,” Preventive Medicine 159 (June 2022): 107067, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107067.