Constitutional Carry States 2026

Constitutional carry — also called permitless carry — means a person can legally carry a concealed firearm without obtaining a government-issued permit. As of 2026, 29 states allow some form of permitless carry, making it the majority position in the United States. Age requirements, prohibited locations, and firearm restrictions still apply in every state.

Key Rule: Constitutional carry rights do not cross state lines. A permitless carry state gives you the right to carry in that state without a permit — it does not give you rights in other states. You need an actual permit for reciprocity.

Constitutional Carry States

Permit-Required States

CC States with Red Flag Law

CC States Allowing Age 18

All 29 Constitutional Carry States

What Constitutional Carry Does — and Doesn't — Mean

No Permit Required to Carry

Eligible persons may carry a concealed handgun without first obtaining a government-issued permit. You still must be legally allowed to possess a firearm — prohibited persons (felons, domestic violence misdemeanants, etc.) cannot carry regardless of state law.

Age Requirements Still Apply

Every constitutional carry state sets a minimum carry age. 13 of the 29 states require age 21. 14 states allow carry at 18. Federal law prohibits licensed dealers from selling handguns to anyone under 21, though private transfers may differ by state.

Prohibited Locations Still Apply

Constitutional carry does not grant access to prohibited locations. Government buildings, schools, courthouses, and other designated locations remain off-limits in every state. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) applies nationwide and imposes 1,000-foot school zone restrictions.

Voluntary Permits Still Have Value

In constitutional carry states, a voluntary permit is still worth obtaining for interstate travel. Other states may honor your home state's permit through reciprocity agreements — even though your home state doesn't require you to have one. Vermont, which issues no permits, is the notable exception.

GFSZA School Zone Exposure

Under the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, only a person licensed by the state they are physically in qualifies for the carry exception. Constitutional carry does not satisfy this federal exception — even in your home constitutional carry state, carrying within 1,000 feet of a school without a permit creates federal exposure.

Other State Laws Still Apply

Some constitutional carry states have enacted other firearms restrictions. 3 constitutional carry states have red flag (ERPO) laws. 1 have magazine capacity limits. Open carry rules vary — Florida, for example, is constitutional carry for concealed but prohibits open carry.

History of Constitutional Carry

Vermont has allowed permitless carry since statehood — it has never required a permit, making it the original constitutional carry state. For most of the 20th century, Vermont stood alone.

Alaska became the second constitutional carry state in 2003. The movement accelerated significantly after the Supreme Court's District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald v. Chicago (2010) decisions affirmed an individual right to keep and bear arms.

By 2010, only 2 states had permitless carry. By 2015, that number had grown to 9. The pace accelerated dramatically in the 2020s — 2021 and 2022 saw a wave of states adopt constitutional carry, including Texas (2021), Indiana (2022), Georgia (2022), and Ohio (2022).

Florida joined in 2023, and as of 2026, 29 states allow some form of permitless carry — a majority of US states.

Constitutional Carry vs. Shall-Issue

Feature	Constitutional Carry	Shall-Issue
Permit required?	No	Yes
Training required?	No	Usually yes
Background check to carry?	Must pass to purchase	Yes, for permit
Interstate reciprocity?	Only with a voluntary permit	Yes, with permit
Cost to carry legally?	None	Permit fees + training
GFSZA school zone exception?	No (needs state license)	Yes (permit qualifies)

States Still Requiring a Permit (21)

California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Hawaii Illinois Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Nevada New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island Virginia Washington Wisconsin

Disclaimer: Laws are subject to change without notice. Always verify current law with official sources or a licensed attorney before carrying a firearm. This is not legal advice.