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.
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?
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?
- No
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?
- No
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 adopted this policy
- If so, does the state require training?
- Yes
- Does state training include firing an actual gun?
- Yes
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?
- No
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 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 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
Myth & Fact
Myth
More guns equals less crime.
Fact
This claim is unsubstantiated by any legitimate evidence. In fact, scientific research—and basic common sense—show 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%. And when Arizona repealed its concealed carry permit requirement entirely in 2010—allowing people over the age of 21 to carry concealed guns in public without a permit—the result was an 11% increase the rate of gun injuries and deaths and a 24% increase in the likelihood that a person involved in a violent crime would be shot and killed.
By the numbers
13-15%
States that have weakened their firearm permitting system have experienced a 13-15 percent increase in violent crime rates.
stat
7x
People with at least one misdemeanor conviction were more than 7 times more likely than those without a criminal history to be charged with a new crime after buying a new handgun.
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11%
States where permit issuers had limited or no discretion in issuing concealed carry permits had handgun homicide rates that were 11 percent higher compared with states where law enforcement and permit issuers could exercise broad discretion in permitting.
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