First State Times

Delaware is among 24 states that bar residents from carrying concealed weapons without a permit, a new tally of weapons permit laws by the U.S. Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) concludes.

Vermont is often considered the pioneer of permitless concealed carry in the United States. The state's laws have allowed residents to carry concealed firearms without a permit since its inception. This practice is often referred to as "constitutional carry" or "Vermont carry."

A total of 26,000 weapons permits have been issued in Delaware, representing 2.6% of the state’s total population, according to the association.

The terms “constitutional carry,” “permitless carry” and “unrestricted carry” have distinct definitions in this debate, USCCA says. Constitutional carry refers to states where the law doesn’t bar citizens from carrying arms they can legally possess – sometimes in a concealed way or sometimes in an open manner. Under constitutional carry, however, states may require a permit for carrying certain concealed weapons.

Permitless-carry states include states where constitutional carry is allowed as well as those states that allow only certain individuals to carry weapons, such as those who have not been pulled over for driving under the influence for 10 years. In some cases, a permit may be needed to carry a concealed firearm in permitless-carry states.

In permitless concealed carry states, individuals can carry firearms if they are legally able to possess such weapons by meeting the requirements of federal and state laws.

Florida was one of the most recent states to pass a concealed-carry bill, House Bill 543, which was signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 3. The law allows Floridians to carry concealed, lawfully owned guns without a permit beginning on July 1 of this year.

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Does Your State Allow Concealed Carry With No Permit?

State	Is Concealed Carry Without Permit Allowed?
Alabama	Yes
Alaska	Yes
Arizona	Yes
Arkansas	Yes
California	No
Colorado	No
Connecticut	No
Delaware	No
Florida	Yes
Georgia	Yes
Hawaii	No
Idaho	Yes
Illinois	No
Indiana	Yes
Iowa	Yes
Kansas	Yes
Kentucky	Yes
Louisiana	No
Maine	Yes
Maryland	No
Massachusetts	No
Michigan	No
Minnesota	No
Mississippi	Yes
Missouri	Yes
Montana	Yes
Nebraska	No
Nevada	No
New Hampshire	Yes
New Jersey	No
New Mexico	No
New York	No
North Carolina	No
North Dakota	Yes*
Ohio	Yes
Oklahoma	Yes
Oregon	No
Pennsylvania	No
Rhode Island	No
South Carolina	No
South Dakota	Yes
Tennessee	Yes
Texas	Yes
Utah	Yes
Vermont	Yes
Virginia	No
Washington	No
West Virginia	Yes
Wisconsin	No
Wyoming	Yes

* for North Dakota residents only

U.S. Concealed Carry Association