Open Carry States

Last updated September 18, 2024

Open Carry Laws
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Open Carry Laws
AlabamaAlabamaAllowed
AlaskaAlaskaAllowed
ArizonaArizonaAllowed
ArkansasArkansasAllowed
CaliforniaCaliforniaProhibited
ColoradoColoradoAllowed
ConnecticutConnecticutPermit Required
DelawareDelawareAllowed
FloridaFloridaProhibited
GeorgiaGeorgiaAllowed
HawaiiHawaiiPermit Required
IdahoIdahoAllowed
IllinoisIllinoisProhibited
IndianaIndianaAllowed
IowaIowaAllowed
KansasKansasAllowed
KentuckyKentuckyAllowed
LouisianaLouisianaAllowed
MaineMaineAllowed
MarylandMarylandPermit Required
MassachusettsMassachusettsPermit Required
MichiganMichiganAllowed
MinnesotaMinnesotaPermit Required
MississippiMississippiAllowed
MissouriMissouriAllowed
MontanaMontanaAllowed
NebraskaNebraskaAllowed
NevadaNevadaAllowed
New HampshireNew HampshireAllowed
New JerseyNew JerseyProhibited
New MexicoNew MexicoAllowed
New YorkNew YorkProhibited
North CarolinaNorth CarolinaAllowed
North DakotaNorth DakotaAllowed
OhioOhioAllowed
OklahomaOklahomaAllowed
OregonOregonAllowed
PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaAllowed
Rhode IslandRhode IslandPermit Required
South CarolinaSouth CarolinaPermit Required
South DakotaSouth DakotaAllowed
TennesseeTennesseeAllowed
TexasTexasAllowed
UtahUtahAllowed
VermontVermontAllowed
VirginiaVirginiaAllowed
WashingtonWashingtonAllowed
West VirginiaWest VirginiaAllowed
WisconsinWisconsinAllowed
WyomingWyomingAllowed

Open Carry Across the States

The right to bear arms, as established in the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, has been at the heart of numerous national debates. One area of particular focus is open carry - the practice of openly carrying a firearm in public. While gun enthusiasts argue that open carry deters crime and upholds a constitutional right, proponents of gun control often caution that this practice can propagate fear and increase the risk of violent confrontations. Amid these ongoing discourses, varying state laws further complicate the landscape of firearms in America.

  • 36 States allow open carry of firearms without any special permit. This clear majority reflects the widespread acceptance of open carry policies across the country.
  • Only a handful of states, namely Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Hawaii, South Carolina, and Minnesota require a permit to openly carry firearms. This permission generally comes in the form of a concealed carry or handgun permit.
  • Conversely, prohibitions against open carry exist in states including New York, Florida, New Jersey, and Illinois, demonstrating the polarizing nature of this issue.

By Region

Alabama

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Alaska

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Arizona

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Arkansas

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California

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Prohibited

Colorado

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Connecticut

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Permit Required

Delaware

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Florida

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Prohibited

Georgia

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Hawaii

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Permit Required

Idaho

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Illinois

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Prohibited

Indiana

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Iowa

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Kansas

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Kentucky

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Louisiana

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Maine

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Maryland

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Permit Required

Massachusetts

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Permit Required

Michigan

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Minnesota

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Permit Required

Mississippi

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Missouri

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Montana

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Nebraska

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Nevada

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New Hampshire

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New Jersey

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Prohibited

New Mexico

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New York

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Prohibited

North Carolina

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North Dakota

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Ohio

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Oklahoma

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Oregon

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Pennsylvania

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Rhode Island

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Permit Required

South Carolina

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Permit Required

South Dakota

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Tennessee

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Texas

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Utah

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Vermont

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Virginia

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Washington

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West Virginia

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Wisconsin

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Wyoming

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Table

Region ↕Open Carry Laws↕
Alabama iconAlabamaAllowed
Alaska iconAlaskaAllowed
Arizona iconArizonaAllowed
Arkansas iconArkansasAllowed
California iconCaliforniaProhibited
Colorado iconColoradoAllowed
Connecticut iconConnecticutPermit Required
Delaware iconDelawareAllowed
Florida iconFloridaProhibited
Georgia iconGeorgiaAllowed
Hawaii iconHawaiiPermit Required
Idaho iconIdahoAllowed
Illinois iconIllinoisProhibited
Indiana iconIndianaAllowed
Iowa iconIowaAllowed
Kansas iconKansasAllowed
Kentucky iconKentuckyAllowed
Louisiana iconLouisianaAllowed
Maine iconMaineAllowed
Maryland iconMarylandPermit Required
Massachusetts iconMassachusettsPermit Required
Michigan iconMichiganAllowed
Minnesota iconMinnesotaPermit Required
Mississippi iconMississippiAllowed
Missouri iconMissouriAllowed
Montana iconMontanaAllowed
Nebraska iconNebraskaAllowed
Nevada iconNevadaAllowed
New Hampshire iconNew HampshireAllowed
New Jersey iconNew JerseyProhibited
New Mexico iconNew MexicoAllowed
New York iconNew YorkProhibited
North Carolina iconNorth CarolinaAllowed
North Dakota iconNorth DakotaAllowed
Ohio iconOhioAllowed
Oklahoma iconOklahomaAllowed
Oregon iconOregonAllowed
Pennsylvania iconPennsylvaniaAllowed
Rhode Island iconRhode IslandPermit Required
South Carolina iconSouth CarolinaPermit Required
South Dakota iconSouth DakotaAllowed
Tennessee iconTennesseeAllowed
Texas iconTexasAllowed
Utah iconUtahAllowed
Vermont iconVermontAllowed
Virginia iconVirginiaAllowed
Washington iconWashingtonAllowed
West Virginia iconWest VirginiaAllowed
Wisconsin iconWisconsinAllowed
Wyoming iconWyomingAllowed
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