What states can you carry a gun without a permit?

Posted by Ghost Inc. on Aug 6th 2019

Despite all the arguments for and against gun reform, a growing number of states are allowing residents to carry a gun without a permit. And, residents are not hesitating to take advantage of this opportunity. With the rise in the number of high-profile shootings in recent years, some owners feel the need to carry a gun for protection - whether it's for self-defense such as the popular Glock pistol or rifle.

Which U.S. States Require No Permit to Carry Guns

Let’s face it, people no longer feel safe going to a concert—or even to church on Sunday morning—without protection.

No matter what the reason for wanting a weapon, residents living in the following states do not need a permit to carry a gun:

Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
Oklahoma
North Dakota
South Dakota
Vermont
West Virginia
Wyoming

While states may not require a permit to carry, gun owners can still apply for permits if they want to travel to other states that require a permit to carry a gun.

Restrictions in order to carry a gun without permit include:

The individual must be of lawful possession of the handgun according to federal laws (not a felon or individual with a conviction of domestic abuse).
Also, the individual must be in a place where they have a legal right to be.

The above maps shows which state do or do not require a permit to carry:

Yellow: States requiring permits to carry guns
Green: Permitless carry
Orange: Permitless carry for residents only

Permitless States Have Restrictions to Carry Guns

Permitless carry eligible U.S. states include constitutional carry states, along with states where you need to meet certain qualifications to carry. Some of the green states are fully unrestricted, which no permit is required for open or concealed carry. While others do require a permit to conceal, not to carry.

Gun owners should be aware that permitless states have some restrictions in place when it comes to carrying a weapon. For instance:
Alaska, one of the most liberal states for gun owners, prohibits carrying a weapon in certain places like a courthouse, a child care facility or in someone’s home without that person’s knowledge or permission.
Arizona bans firearms, with a few exceptions, on property of K-12 schools.
A number of states require gun owners to immediately notify a police officer at a traffic stop (or other official reason for contact with an officer) that they are carrying a concealed gun without a permit. However, in other states like South Dakota, you do not have to immediately give this information to an officer.

So, a gun owner’s knowledge of the rules goes a long way in helping them handle their weapon in a permitless carry state. But, this begs the question: If you do not need to have a gun permit, does that also mean that you do not need to have training on how to use a gun?

Why Training & Practice is Crucial to Carry Guns

Whether or not you live in a state with liberal gun laws, it’s worth your while to get properly trained on how to use your gun. Why? Because training not only teaches you about shooting techniques but how to safely handle and care for your weapon. With training, you can learn lessons on:

Basic gun safety
How to load and reload a gun
Where to point and not to point a gun
How to conceal a weapon
How to draw a concealed weapon in a holster or purse
Self-defense techniques
How to shoot at moving targets
How to clean a weapon
How to avoid conflict

While there may be general safety rules for handling guns, training will show that all guns do not operate the same. For instance, using a long-range rifle is different from handling a semi-automatic pistol. With training, you will understand the differences and learn how to properly use each one of them.

Along with training, comes practice. Although you may consider yourself a “good shot,” practice can make you even better. Instead of shooting all over the place and missing the target, practice helps you develop the skill you need to hit the target.

Permit to Carry or Not to Carry Guns

The truth is that owning a gun gives you a sense of freedom and safety. So, why not boost your confidence even further by getting training, even in a state that doesn’t require a permit? The bottom line is gun owners have a right to enjoy their freedom no matter where they live. But, they also owe it to themselves and to those around them to enjoy their freedom responsibly. If you're like us, you take gun responsibility just as serious as gun upkeep. That's why we only sell the best Glock parts and Glock accessories on the market today at Ghost Inc.