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Kentucky Concealed Carry Laws (2026)
Permitted: No permit is needed to carry a concealed handgun in Kentucky at 21 or older if you can lawfully possess a firearm.
No permit is needed to carry a concealed handgun in Kentucky at 21 or older if you can lawfully possess a firearm. Residency does not matter, so visitors are covered. Under 21 you may not carry concealed without a license. A law effective July 15, 2026 lets Kentucky residents 18 to 20 apply for a provisional license, but the State Police website says the online application portal is still being updated and gives no launch date. Check with State Police before relying on it.
Official source: apps.legislature.ky.gov →
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Concealed Carry in states bordering Kentucky
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- IllinoisRestricted
A Concealed Carry License (CCL) is required to carry a handgun on your person in Illinois. You must be 21 or older. To get a CCL, residents need a Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card and 16 hours of approved training. There is no permitless carry. Visitors from outside Illinois cannot carry on their person without an Illinois non-resident CCL.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: isp.illinois.gov · Full Illinois rule →
- IndianaPermitted
Indiana has had permitless carry since July 1, 2022, and the minimum age is 18. No License to Carry is required for a "proper person", and an optional License is still available.
Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Source: in.gov · Full Indiana rule →
- MissouriPermitted
No permit is needed to carry a concealed handgun in Missouri, and the law has no residency condition, so visitors are covered. The statute states no age for carrying without a permit; 19 (18 for military members or honorably discharged veterans) is the permit age and the vehicle-carry age in the statute, so treat that as the minimum. Some places stay off limits, including hospitals, courthouses, schools and posted private property.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: revisor.mo.gov · Full Missouri rule →
- OhioPermitted
No license is needed in Ohio at 21 or older. A qualifying adult, meaning someone 21 or older who is not legally barred from having a firearm and meets Ohio's license background criteria, may carry a concealed handgun without a license. The statute has no residency requirement. Nonimmigrant-visa holders do not qualify. Ohio also issues an optional concealed handgun license.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: ohioattorneygeneral.gov · Full Ohio rule →
- TennesseePermitted
Tennessee has permitless carry: no permit is required, and anyone 18 and older who lawfully possesses and is lawfully present may carry openly or concealed (a 2025 law formalized ages 18 to 20). Optional permits are available.
Verified Jul 6, 2026 · Source: tn.gov · Full Tennessee rule →
- VirginiaConditional
A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on your person, and you must be 21 or older. Virginia residents get a Concealed Handgun Permit from the circuit court, which must issue it within 45 days unless the applicant is disqualified. Applicants must show handgun competence in person, by a course or other listed proof. Out-of-state permits are honored for visitors for now; that is under review.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: vsp.virginia.gov · Full Virginia rule →
- West VirginiaPermitted
No permit is needed to carry a concealed handgun in West Virginia if you are 18 or older, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and not barred from having a gun. This covers visitors as well as residents. A West Virginia license is optional. Cities may restrict guns in city-owned buildings and may bar people without a license from other city-owned property.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: ago.wv.gov · Full West Virginia rule →
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