Skip to content
    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

      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

      Learn more

      The Latest

      130

      Did you know?

      Every day, nearly 130 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, Provisional Mortality Statistics, Multiple Cause of Death, 2020–2024; Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project nonfatal firearm injury data, 2020; and SurveyUSA, Market Research Study #26602, 2022.

      Last updated: 1.15.2026