Oregon carry status overview
Oregon requires a Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to carry a concealed handgun. The permit is issued by County sheriff of applicant's residence on a shall-issue basis — meaning the issuing authority must grant the permit if the applicant meets all statutory requirements.
| Concealed carry | Concealed Handgun License (CHL) required |
| Governing law | Oregon Revised Statutes § 166.291 |
| Minimum age | 21 years old |
| Vehicle carry | CHL required for concealed carry in a vehicle. |
| Issuing authority | County sheriff of applicant's residence |
| Process | Shall-issue — must be granted if requirements are met |
Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL) — permit details
| Issuing authority | County sheriff of applicant's residence |
| Minimum age | 21 |
| Training required | Yes — handgun safety course |
| Background check | Yes — state and FBI NICS |
| Application | https://www.oregon.gov/osp/Pages/index.aspx ↗ |
Key prohibited locations
- K–12 school buildings and grounds
- Courthouses and court facilities
- Law enforcement and correctional facilities
- Secure areas of airports
- Any location prohibited by federal law
- Private property with posted prohibition
Always verify the complete prohibited locations list at the official statute source.
Measure 114 — passed in 2022, still not in effect
Oregon has spent four years in an unusual position: a gun law that voters approved, that appellate courts have upheld, and that has still never actually applied to anyone.
Ballot Measure 114 — the Reduction of Gun Violence Act — passed in November 2022 by 50.65% to 49.35%. It would require a permit to purchase a firearm (application to a police chief or county sheriff, safety course, fingerprinting, background check, fee) and ban magazines holding more than 10 rounds.
It has been litigated on two independent tracks, which is why coverage of it is so often confused:
- Federal (US Constitution). Judge Karin Immergut denied an injunction in December 2022 and later upheld the measure in a 122-page opinion, finding the magazine limit and permit-to-purchase requirement consistent with historical tradition and with Bruen's express approval of shall-issue licensing regimes.
- State (Oregon Constitution). Harney County Circuit Judge Robert Raschio blocked the measure before it took effect in late 2022 and held it unconstitutional in November 2023 after a six-day trial. On March 12, 2025, a unanimous Oregon Court of Appeals panel reversed him. The plaintiffs appealed, and the Oregon Supreme Court heard argument on November 6, 2025.
The one thing that has been consistently true since 2022 is the practical bottom line: no permit is currently required to purchase a firearm in Oregon, and the magazine limit is not being enforced. That could change on the day the Supreme Court rules.
Open carry changes at city limits, not the state line
Oregon is one of the few states that does not fully preempt local firearm regulation, and the gap matters for anyone who open carries.
Statewide, open carry is lawful at 18 or older for anyone who may lawfully possess a firearm. But ORS 166.173 permits cities and counties to regulate the possession of loaded firearms in public places — and several of the largest have done so. Portland, Salem, Beaverton and Tigard each prohibit openly carrying a loaded firearm in public unless you hold a valid Oregon CHL.
The result is a genuine patchwork: the same conduct is lawful in one jurisdiction and a municipal offence a few blocks later, with nothing at the boundary to tell you. Because these ordinances almost uniformly exempt CHL holders, the licence functions in Oregon as protection against local rules as much as authorisation to conceal — which is a real reason to hold one even if you only ever intend to carry openly.
Oregon CHLs are issued by the county sheriff on a shall-issue basis to residents 21 and older. Some sheriffs will also issue to residents of contiguous states with a demonstrated connection to the county, but Oregon does not otherwise recognise out-of-state permits broadly — do not assume your home-state permit works here.
Frequently asked questions — Oregon
How do I get a Oregon carry permit?
Apply through County sheriff of applicant's residence. You will need to complete the application, meet the minimum age of 21, complete required training (Yes — handgun safety course), pass a background check, and pay the applicable fee. Oregon is shall-issue, meaning the permit must be granted if you meet all requirements.
Can I carry in my car without a permit in Oregon?
CHL required for concealed carry in a vehicle. Without a permit, additional restrictions may apply — verify specific vehicle carry rules with the official statute.
Does Oregon honor out-of-state carry permits?
Oregon's recognition of out-of-state permits is narrow — it does not maintain a broad reciprocity list the way most western states do. Some sheriffs issue Oregon CHLs to residents of contiguous states (Washington, Idaho, California, Nevada) who have a compelling business or other connection to the county. If you are visiting Oregon and want to carry concealed, assume your home-state permit does not work and check with the county sheriff before you travel.
Is Measure 114 in effect?
No — and it never has been. Oregon voters narrowly approved Measure 114 in November 2022 (50.65% to 49.35%), creating a permit-to-purchase requirement and a 10-round magazine limit. A Harney County judge blocked it before it could take effect and later held it unconstitutional under the Oregon Constitution. The Oregon Court of Appeals unanimously reversed that in March 2025, and the case went to the Oregon Supreme Court, which heard argument on November 6, 2025. See the section above for the current status and why this page cannot give you a settled answer.
Can I open carry in Oregon?
Statewide, yes — open carry is lawful at 18+ for anyone who may lawfully possess a firearm. But Oregon is one of the few states that lets cities and counties regulate loaded carry in public, and several major ones do: Portland, Salem, Beaverton and Tigard all prohibit openly carrying a loaded firearm unless you hold a valid Oregon CHL. Because the rules change at municipal boundaries rather than the state line, a CHL is genuinely useful in Oregon even for someone who only intends to open carry.
What did Senate Bill 243 actually do?
Less than early reporting suggested. SB 243 (2025) created two new crimes around rapid-fire activators — knowingly transporting, manufacturing, selling or transferring one is a Class B felony — and it reset Measure 114's effective date. It did not put Measure 114 into force. The measure only takes effect if the courts allow it, and subsequent legislation has pushed the implementation date further out again.