Americans love guns. In fact, 32% of Americans own guns, and 44% say they live in a home with at least one gun. About 81% of gun owners say they feel safer owning their weapon of choice. However, we can all agree that guns are extremely dangerous, capable of killing in close to an instant. Semi-automatic firearms are even more deadly, since they can fire multiple rounds in a short timeframe. Though many U.S. citizens value their right to bear arms, roughly three in 10 Americans feel that guns pose a substantial risk to safety.
Each state has its own laws when it comes to carrying guns. The citizens most likely to be gun owners are Republicans, rural residents, and southerners. Indeed, some southern states are pro-gun, with relatively lax policies. These include Mississippi, Georgia, and Arkansas. Other states, such as California and Illinois, have much stricter laws regarding gun possession and transport, attracting residents who are weary of such powerful weapons being wielded in plain sight. In about half of all states, concealed carry of a firearm in public is permitted for legal gun owners. In the remaining states, concealed carry generally requires a special permit.
Colorado recently announced a new gun-control measure signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis. Though the regulation does not go into effect until August of 2026, it has many gun-loving, Colorado residents worried about their Second Amendment rights. The upcoming laws will force purchasers of semi-automatic rifles to undergo safety training, complete and pass a written test, and obtain proper permits from the sheriff’s office.
24/7 Wall St. determined the laws for carrying firearms in public in every state by using historical data on state-level legislation. We reviewed laws for both the open carry and concealed carry of firearms. Most states allow open carry of firearms in public without a permit, which is a practice generally defined as carrying a gun that is either partially or fully visible. Rules around open carry can vary by firearm type and local laws, however.
This post was updated on May 5, 2025 to include Colorado’s upcoming 2026 gun-control regulations.
Why We’re Writing About Gun Laws
If you want to own and carry a gun, knowing and understanding the gun laws in your home state is vital. It is also necessary to be familiar with gun policies in any state you choose to visit. If you fail to observe these laws, you can get into serious legal trouble and even end up in jail. State gun laws vary drastically, and remaining aware of these differences will ensure your safety and your right to bear arms responsibly. Additionally, because state gun regulations can influence property values and insurance rates in certain areas, these laws may directly affect your decision to move to a particular state.
Here is every state’s law for carrying firearms in public:
Alabama
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 3rd highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 25.6 deaths per 100,000 people
Alaska
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 5th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 23.5 deaths per 100,000 people
Arizona
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 14th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 18.5 deaths per 100,000 people
Arkansas
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 7th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 21.9 deaths per 100,000 people
California
- Open carry: Prohibited for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 7th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 8.0 deaths per 100,000 people
Colorado
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 20th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 16.6 deaths per 100,000 people
Connecticut
- Open carry: Prohibited for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 6th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 6.2 deaths per 100,000 people
Delaware
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 16th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 12.0 deaths per 100,000 people
Florida
- Open carry: Prohibited for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 21st lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 13.7 deaths per 100,000 people
Georgia
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 13th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 18.6 deaths per 100,000 people
Hawaii
- Open carry: Permits required for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 5th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 4.9 deaths per 100,000 people
Idaho
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 18th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 17.9 deaths per 100,000 people
Illinois
- Open carry: Prohibited for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 19th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 13.5 deaths per 100,000 people
Indiana
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 17th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 18.3 deaths per 100,000 people
Iowa
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 10th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 10.5 deaths per 100,000 people
Kansas
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 22nd highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 16.3 deaths per 100,000 people
Kentucky
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: Tie 15th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 18.4 deaths per 100,000 people
Louisiana
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Concealed carry: Only legal for residents with military service
- Rate of gun deaths: 2nd highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 28.3 deaths per 100,000 people
Maine
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 24th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 14.0 deaths per 100,000 people
Maryland
- Open carry: Legal for long guns; permit required for handguns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 15thlowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 12.3 deaths per 100,000 people
Massachusetts
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 3.7 deaths per 100,000 people
Michigan
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 23rd lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 13.9 deaths per 100,000 people
Minnesota
- Open carry: Permit required for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 9th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 8.9 deaths per 100,000 people
Mississippi
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: Highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 29.4 deaths per 100,000 people
Missouri
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 10th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 21.4 deaths per 100,000 people
Montana
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: Tie 8th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 21.5 deaths per 100,000 people
Nebraska
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 11th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 10.6 deaths per 100,000 people
Nevada
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: Tie 15th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 18,4 deaths per 100,000 people
New Hampshire
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 9th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 9.6 deaths per 100,000 people
New Jersey
- Open carry: Permit required for long guns; handguns are prohibited
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 2nd lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 4.6 deaths per 100,000 people
New Mexico
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 4th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 25.3 deaths per 100,000 people
New York
- Open carry: Permit required for long guns; handguns are prohibited
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 3rd lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 4.7 deaths per 100,000 people
North Carolina
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 21st highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 16.4 deaths per 100,000 people
North Dakota
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 17th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 12.8 deaths per 100,000 people
Ohio
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 23rd highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 15.0 deaths per 100,000 people
Oklahoma
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 11th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 19.9 deaths per 100,000 people
Oregon
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 25th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 14.2 deaths per 100,000 people
Pennsylvania
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 20th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 13.6 deaths per 100,000 people
Rhode Island
- Open carry: Legal for long guns; permit required for handguns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 4th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 4.8 deaths per 100,000 people
South Carolina
- Open carry: Legal for long guns; permit required for handguns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 12th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 19.1 deaths per 100,000 people
South Dakota
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: Tie 15th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 12.3 deaths per 100,000 people
Tennessee
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 6th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 22.0 deaths per 100,000 people
Texas
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 24th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 14.9 deaths per 100,000 people
Utah
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 25th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 14.8 deaths per 100,000 people
Vermont
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: Tie 13th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 12.0 deaths per 100,000 people
Virginia
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 22nd lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 13.8 deaths per 100,000 people
Washington
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 18th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 13.0 deaths per 100,000 people
West Virginia
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: 19th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 16.8 deaths per 100,000 people
Wisconsin
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: Yes
- Rate of gun deaths: 16th lowest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 12.7 deaths per 100,000 people
Wyoming
- Open carry: Legal for both handguns and long guns
- Permit needed for concealed carry: No
- Rate of gun deaths: Tie 8th highest in the U.S.
- Number of gun deaths in 2023: 21.5 deaths per 100,000 people
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