Concealed Carry Permit - By State

Open Carry
#1

How has the permitting process worked for you in your state?
(Looking for firsthand experiences here)

Hoping this thread will serve as a means of awareness to others living in your state and help them through the permitting process by cutting through the legslese of what actually needs to be done when they’re ready to obtain or renew a permit.

Secondary to the above, it’ll be interesting to compare and contrast the differences in permitting from state to state.

Let’s caveat this thread with the following:

  1. This is not to be construed in any way as legal advice, just people helping each other -nothing more;
  2. Laws change. Make note of the date of any post and know that the information provided is only as good as the day it was posted;
  3. Lastly, please… No Derails.
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#2

OHIO

CCW permits here in Ohio are only good for 5 years. I went to renew mine the other day and was pleasantly surprised the passing of Ohio Senate Bill 81 in 2018 waived the initial ($67) and renewal ($50) fees entirely for veterans. Along that same vein, it also removed the need to pay for and take any state mandated training classes (8-hour course that runs about $75) based on the equivalency of military weapons training -because -per the Bill- military training “never expires”.

So for veterans in Ohio, obtaining a permit is as simple as filling out the application and taking a copy of your DD-214 to the local Sheriff’s office.

I mention the above the way I do because I have a friend who is a Navy vet seeking his initial permit that was unaware he didn’t have to take the training course (they are jam packed these days of pandemic fueled hysteria as you can imagine). He could have saved some money and bypassed that part altogether. In fact, he could have gotten his permit a couple of years ago when the Bill passed by just following the bolded instructions above.

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#3

OHIO

You can obtain a permit from the County you live in or any neighboring County. My permit that’s expiring was issued by a neighboring County. Five years ago they had walk-in applications and a two week turnaround, my County did not. Fast-forward to today and that neighboring County is only taking appointments on select days with the earliest I could get in being late March of 2021! My permit expires next month in November. Calling the County I live in, they are still appointment only, but got me in the same week.

Notable from the experience above…

  1. You can use your County or any neighboring County -it pays to call around as the process differs considerably.
  2. Renewing in a different County than the one you are currently issued is allowable.
  3. Gov DeWine extended the grace period of an expired license to 90-days due to Covid. Meaning if your permit expires between now and the end of the year it’s still good for 90-days after the expiration date.
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#4

MICHIGAN

It’s been a few years since I renewed my license, so I don’t remember all of the details. In a nutshell, CPL permits (Concealed Pistol License) are good for 5 years. It requires a certified 8-hour training class and fingerprints. Renewal is easy and doesn’t require additional training. They use your drivers license photo from the DMV, so they don’t need a separate photo for the CPL.

Initially, I was not a fan of the required training, but it turned out to be a great class. It was taught by LEO’s and they reviewed the self-defense laws which was very valuable. The class also had a live range exercise to demonstrate safe handling and proficiency. In my opinion, that was the most valuable part. There was an older lady in my class who was obviously a new gun owner. She had a small striker-fired semi-auto and she was having trouble hitting a man-sized silhouette target at 5 yards. She was clearly scared of her gun. The LEO’s took her aside and spent extra time with her and she was more comfortable at the end. I was glad to see her receive extra help, because she would have been unsafe with that firearm in my opinion.

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#5

Florida

Five year

I lapsed renewal but reissue as new is easy, I had an old NRA certificate and was all that was needed aside from a photo you need to supply, I believe I did Walgreens or similar passport service, prints which can be done electronic and speeds up the process but
being old school I did paper each time.

In an open carry state now and no plans to obtain CC

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#6

Oregon has a completely seperate required permit not accepted in other states.

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#7

Idaho

Constitutional carry. Nuff said!

However, if you get a permit, you can get either an Idaho only or an enhanced permit that covers you in Washington and Montana. Idaho only is no different from Constitutional carry except you can avoid a background check whenever you buy a gun. It’s 5 years, and all you need is proof of an NRA class or valid out of state permit. The enhanced requires a class within the last year and is also 5 years. Both require a background check, obviously.

You have to have lived here for at least 6 months for either one. For myself, my California permit will not work because it became invalid as soon as I moved. :roll_eyes:

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#8

Also you need a permit to carry in Boise , unless thats changed. They pretty much shit on the state law and will cite people. Ive heard LE taking it even further than that but have not looked into itenough to verify that.

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#9

They’re not allowed to do that. It’s against both the US and Idaho Constitutions. But who wants the go to Boise?

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#10

They do though, its a weird city anyhow. Lots of gun owners but not many that support gun rights outside of NRA supporters. The types to own a snub nose and 12ga but vote democrat and want to ban “military grade” weapons… Not Portland or Seattle bad but still pretty weird.

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#11

Illinois, depending by the county, cook being the worst!!
Must have a FOID card to purchase ammunition, firearms, including high-powered PCP airguns.

To get a carry permit! you must subject yourself to everything but a proctoscope screening :grin:and pay them a lot of cash.
For your CCP renewal, it’s more money and we have to shoot at the line again to re-qualify.
I may be off a little bit here or there but that’s the gist of it.

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#12

In Florida now several county tax collectors have locations where you can fill out an electronic application and get your picture and fingerprints done at the same time. The application is submitted electronically to the department of agriculture and the fingerprints are electronically submitted to Florida Department of law enforcement while you are still in the office . At our office the fee is $119. If you are current Florida law-enforcement or corrections officer or retired Florida law enforcement or corrections officer within the past year the fee is $42 less because you don’t need to get fingerprints. It is by appointment only at this time and we have averaged about nine a day ,mostly new applications but we do also do renewals there for about half the cost of a new one. Any NRA certified course or law-enforcement certified course or DD 214 with honorable discharge or current military or Florida hunter safety course will qualify you. The book time says up to 90 days but we have been hearing that people are getting them slightly faster than that.

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#13

Wow @Festus, very interesting.

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#14

Louisiana:

Open carry.
Louisiana operates their gun laws with a “Shall Issue” policy.
Residents of Louisiana are the only individuals who can receive a conceal carry license, while non-resident permits are not available.
Applicants must be at least a resident, 21 years or older, and have completed a firearms training course. Permit applications are processed at the state level by the Department of Public Safety.
There are two types of permits, a five year and lifetime permit. Honorably discharged veterans of the military can obtain a permit for free if they meet the criteria.

The standard cost is $125 for a five year permit. You can also pay $500 for a lifetime permit that will not require renewal every five years. Anyone ages 65+ gets a 50% discount on the application fee. Veterans also get 50% discounts (must include copy of DD-214 for proof). To clarify, someone with a lifetime permit must still take a course every five years regardless.

$120 online/ $110 in person classes. (I don’t get that. I thought it had to be in person?)

EDIT: louisiana concealed reciprocity
funny the states i have no interest in seeing don’t want my gun present. :joy:

LA

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#15

Texas
It’s been a while for me but it was a 10 hour class (now 6 or 8) on gun safety, conflict resolution and carry laws. That was followed by a shooting qualification at 3, 5 and 7 yards. You have to get fingerprinted have a passport style picture. You cannot use DL photo. There was/is a background check as well. The license is valid for 5 years.

Renewing the license originally involved a 4 hour refresher course and requalification of shooting. Now it only involves giving them more money and making sure you don’t have any criminal disqualifications that may have been missed.

As @Chuparosa said, constitutional carry almost passed last legislative session until some whacko protested in front of the speaker of the house’s home (supposedly for constitutional carry). He then stopped all advancement of the bill.

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#16

Missouri
Constitutional carry
Open carry
You can still get a permit . You take a 8 hour class and go pay your county sheriff $35 to$150 And they do a state and federal back ground check finger prints and shall issue. Having the permit let’s you carry places that you can’t without one. As in property that is posted as no concealed carry if you have one all they can do is as you to leave. Without one they can charge you with a felony.

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#17

i don’t want to veer off topic, but once i had a nice argument with NOPD in the Fr. Qtr.
He kept stating i could be arrested for open carry because the barrel was concealed in the holster.
After the usual arguing over it, i demanded to be arrested if i went to retrieve it.
Other cops tried to diffuse the situation, but i wasn’t having any of it. I like a good argument. At the time i could quote the LA SC ruling on the subject from the early 70s who ruled that was BS.
The wife just had enough and made me leave, but not before saying “I almost WANT him to do it so i can call Uncle Bruno (OOOOOLD NOLA $$$$$ 4th generation lawyer- bigly elbows rubbed with that guy) and let him have the DA, mayor and Police chief tear you a new one, but i have places to go.” She doesn’t know him at all, but she knows my aunt knows them very well.
Sorry for the ramble, but WTF?

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#19

His mistake was he showed them his hooter.

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#20

Reminder this member ask for no derail!

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#21

Should we talk about California? Cuz that’s a long story and not really worth it. Okay, well since you asked.

You can only apply in the county you live in and you have to have proof in multiple forms (ID isn’t good enough). The permit ‘may’ be issued, depending on your county sheriff after you:
This is Orange County.

  1. Take an 8 hour class that is 4 hours of legal instruction in where you can carry and when you can use the gun and 4 hours of shooting, followed by qualification for each and every gun on your permit. The guns on the permit will be inspected to assure matching serial number. Classes run about $250 - $400, probably more these days. The training facility has to be approved by the sheriff’s department.
  2. Get a certified live scan fingerprinting, about $95
  3. You have to have a ‘good cause’ statement and ‘personal defense’ isn’t good enough. With this, you must provide proof, and lots of it.
  4. Once you get through the background check, you get an appointment for an in person interview with a deputy.
  5. Pay the fee - $169

They can issue the license on the spot.

Renewals are basically the same except the class is only 4 hours of legal, then qualify with every gun. And the fee is $81. (Same livescan, and probably $125 for the class).

If you want to add a gun during the 2 years, you just have to have it inspected and qualify with it, not sure the cost of that. And pay a change fee of $12.

See, not so bad :roll_eyes:

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