Guide Rankings Law Updated June 20, 2026

Concealed Carry Laws by State 2026

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Concealed Carry Laws by State 2026

Ranking - Law

Concealed carry law is mostly a state-level question, and the map remains sharply divided in 2026. Twenty-nine states allow permitless carry, while a small group of coastal states still keeps stricter permit systems and limited reciprocity.

Quick Answer

Concealed Carry Laws by State 2026

  1. 1

    29 states allow concealed carry without a permit in 2026. Louisiana became the 29th on July 4, 2024. Vermont has never required a permit, predating all state systems since statehood in 1791.

  2. 2

    Arizona, Texas, and Utah permits are each honored in 38 states, the highest reciprocity of any state. Hawaii's permit is recognized in only 4 states, the lowest count in the country.

  3. 3

    Illinois is the only shall-issue state whose permit no other state recognizes. Vermont issues no permit at all; residents obtain non-resident licenses from states like Utah or Florida for interstate carry.

Map

Concealed Carry Laws by State Map 2026

Carry Status
Permitless
Shall Issue
May Issue
29 states are green for permitless carry. 15 yellow states require a permit but issue it to any qualified applicant. California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — shown in red — retain significant permit restrictions.
Concealed Carry Laws by State Map 2026
Rank State Carry Status
1 Alabama Permitless
1 Alaska Permitless
1 Arizona Permitless
1 Arkansas Permitless
1 Florida Permitless
1 Georgia Permitless
1 Idaho Permitless
1 Indiana Permitless
1 Iowa Permitless
1 Kansas Permitless
1 Kentucky Permitless
1 Louisiana Permitless
1 Maine Permitless
1 Mississippi Permitless
1 Missouri Permitless
1 Montana Permitless
1 Nebraska Permitless
1 New Hampshire Permitless
1 North Dakota Permitless
1 Ohio Permitless
1 Oklahoma Permitless
1 South Carolina Permitless
1 South Dakota Permitless
1 Tennessee Permitless
1 Texas Permitless
1 Utah Permitless
1 Vermont Permitless
1 West Virginia Permitless
1 Wyoming Permitless
2 Colorado Shall Issue
2 Connecticut Shall Issue
2 Delaware Shall Issue
2 Illinois Shall Issue
2 Michigan Shall Issue
2 Minnesota Shall Issue
2 Nevada Shall Issue
2 New Mexico Shall Issue
2 North Carolina Shall Issue
2 Oregon Shall Issue
2 Pennsylvania Shall Issue
2 Rhode Island Shall Issue
2 Virginia Shall Issue
2 Washington Shall Issue
2 Wisconsin Shall Issue
3 California May Issue
3 Hawaii May Issue
3 Maryland May Issue
3 Massachusetts May Issue
3 New Jersey May Issue
3 New York May Issue

29 states are green for permitless carry. 15 yellow states require a permit but issue it to any qualified applicant. California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York — shown in red — retain significant permit restrictions.

Concealed Carry Laws by State 2026 Table

Carry Status

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States with Permitless Carry in 2026

Arizona desert landscape with a road sign showing the state border
Arizona adopted permitless carry in 2010. Its optional CCW permit is recognized in 38 states, tied for the most of any state.

29 states allow concealed carry without a permit as of 2026. Louisiana was the most recent addition, with permitless carry taking effect July 4, 2024 under HB 1. Ten of the 29 states joined between 2021 and 2024 alone.

Vermont has never required a carry permit, predating any state permit system since statehood in 1791. Alaska restored permitless carry in 2003, Wyoming in 2011, and Arizona in 2010. The pace accelerated after 2019, with 16 states enacting or expanding constitutional carry between 2019 and 2024.

All 29 permitless carry states still issue optional permits for residents who want to carry across state lines. Vermont is the one exception: it issues no permit, leaving residents to obtain non-resident licenses from states like Utah or Florida.

Concealed Carry Reciprocity by State

View through a car windshield on an open American highway
Reciprocity matters most once a carrier crosses state lines. Optional permits from states like Arizona, Texas, and Utah are popular because they unlock lawful carry in far more jurisdictions than a home-state permit alone.

Arizona, Texas, and Utah permits are each honored in 38 states, the highest reciprocity count in the nation. A carrier with any of those three licenses can legally carry concealed in 38 states, covering nearly all of the continental United States.

Michigan and North Carolina are the two shall-issue states with the highest reciprocity, at 36 states each. Their permits match the interstate reach of most permitless carry state licenses. Oregon's CHL, by contrast, is recognized in only 11 states.

Illinois issues a CCL that no other state recognizes, and Illinois itself honors no other state's permit. Vermont issues no permit at all. Travelers from either state who need out-of-state carry rights must obtain non-resident permits from other jurisdictions.

May Issue States: Strictest Carry Laws

United States Supreme Court building in Washington D.C.
The Supreme Court's June 2022 Bruen decision struck down subjective permit requirements, reshaping concealed carry laws in New York, California, New Jersey, and several other states.

Six states retain May Issue classification in 2026: California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. All six were affected by the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2022 Bruen decision, which struck down the 'proper cause' requirement for permit issuance.

Hawaii has the most restrictive system in practice. Its permit is recognized in only 4 states, the lowest of any issuing state. New York and California each honor zero other states' permits; neither state's license is recognized in more than 10 states.

New York's response to Bruen, the Concealed Carry Improvement Act (2022), created restrictions on dozens of categories of sensitive locations. The law has been subject to ongoing federal litigation, with courts issuing conflicting rulings on specific provisions through 2025.

Quick Answers

Which states allow concealed carry without a permit in 2026
29 states allow permitless concealed carry in 2026: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Louisiana was the most recent addition, effective July 4, 2024.
What state has the most concealed carry reciprocity
Arizona, Texas, and Utah each lead with permits honored in 38 states. All three are permitless carry states that still issue optional permits for interstate travel. A Utah CFP or Arizona CCW provides carry rights in more states than any other single permit.
Does California honor concealed carry permits from other states
No. California does not recognize any other state's permit. Carrying concealed in California requires a California-issued CCW. California's permit is recognized in approximately 10 states.
What state has the strictest concealed carry laws
Hawaii has the most restrictive system in practice. Its permit is recognized in only 4 states, the fewest of any issuing state in the country. Hawaii honors no out-of-state permits. New York and California each recognize zero other states' permits and have permits honored in 10 states or fewer.
Can I carry in New York with a Texas License to Carry
No. New York does not recognize Texas or any other state's carry license. A Texas LTC is honored in 38 states, but New York is not among them. Carrying concealed in New York without a New York pistol license is a felony.
What is the difference between shall issue and may issue concealed carry
Shall Issue requires the licensing authority to issue a permit to any applicant who meets objective criteria such as a background check and training. May Issue gives the issuing authority discretion to deny qualified applicants based on subjective judgment. The U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 Bruen decision ruled that states cannot require applicants to demonstrate a specific need, but May Issue states like New York and Massachusetts have since added significant training, location, and administrative requirements.

Methodology

Carry status reflects effective state law as of June 2026. Reciprocity counts represent the number of states that formally recognize the issuing state's concealed carry permit for out-of-state carry, based on state attorney general reciprocity lists and USCCA data. Counts exclude the issuing state and change as states update agreements. Vermont issues no permit; its reciprocity count is listed as 0.

Sources

Information is cross-referenced with official state archives.
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