Pennsylvania carry status overview
Pennsylvania requires a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) for concealed carry and for carrying a loaded, accessible handgun in a vehicle. The LTCF is issued by the county sheriff on a shall-issue basis. No firearms training is required to obtain an LTCF — this distinguishes Pennsylvania from most other permit-required states.
Pennsylvania has a strong open carry tradition. Outside of Philadelphia, most Pennsylvanians may openly carry a loaded handgun in public without any license. In Philadelphia, an LTCF is required even for open carry.
| Concealed carry | LTCF required statewide — 18 Pa. C.S. § 6109 |
| Minimum age | 21 years old |
| Open carry | Permitted without LTCF statewidePhiladelphia exception: LTCF required for open carry in Philadelphia |
| Vehicle carry | LTCF required for loaded, accessible handgun in a vehicleWithout LTCF: must be unloaded, or openly visible in non-Philadelphia |
| Training required | No — Pennsylvania does not require training to obtain an LTCF |
| Issuing authority | County sheriff (Philadelphia residents apply through Philadelphia PD) |
Philadelphia’s carry rule was held unconstitutional in 2025 — and is still printed in the code
18 Pa.C.S. § 6108 makes it unlawful to carry a firearm on the public streets or public property in a “city of the first class” without a licence. Philadelphia is the only city of the first class, so the section applies to it alone. On 23 June 2025 the Pennsylvania Superior Court held § 6108 unconstitutional as applied to unlicensed open carry, in Commonwealth v. Sumpter, on equal-protection grounds — open carry without a licence is lawful for adults everywhere else in the Commonwealth. The General Assembly prints that holding as an annotation directly beneath the unchanged statutory text.
Read the limits carefully before relying on it. “As applied” is narrower than a facial strike-down. The Superior Court is an intermediate appellate court, not the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. And it touched open carry only — concealed carry and carrying in a vehicle still require an LTCF everywhere in Pennsylvania under § 6106. This is the same shape as Florida, Texas and Tennessee: a ruling changed what is enforceable while the statute stayed exactly where it was.
In Pennsylvania the licence is about concealment and vehicles, not about being loaded
Our own page previously said an LTCF was needed for a “loaded, accessible” firearm in a vehicle. § 6106(a) is not written that way. It makes it a third-degree felony to carry a firearm in any vehicle without a valid licence — loaded or not, accessible or not. The § 6106(b) exemptions are narrow, covering things like transport between your home and a range with the firearm unloaded and in a locked container.
The flip side is that open carry outside a vehicle needs no licence anywhere in Pennsylvania. So the act of putting a lawfully open-carried firearm into your car is the moment the licence starts to matter.
One more for 18-to-20-year-olds. During a declared state of emergency § 6107 requires an LTCF to carry — and § 6109 sets the licence age at 21, so that age group could not comply at all. The Third Circuit enjoined enforcement against them in Lara v. Commissioner. That case has been through a Supreme Court remand and remains live; it does not lower the licence age or permit concealed or vehicle carry by under-21s.
Pennsylvania LTCF — permit details
| Issuing authority | County sheriff (Philadelphia: Philadelphia Police Dept.) |
| Minimum age | 21 |
| Fee | $20 (capped by law) |
| Validity | 5 years |
| Training required | No — Pennsylvania does not require a training course |
| Background check | Yes — PSP and FBI NICS |
| Processing time | 45 days maximum by law; most sheriffs process within a few days to 2 weeks |
| Application | psp.pa.gov — License to Carry ↗ |
At just $20, Pennsylvania's LTCF is one of the lowest-cost permits in the country. Apply in person at your county sheriff's office with a completed SP4-113 form, valid ID, and payment. Many sheriffs process same-day or within a few days.
Philadelphia exception
Philadelphia has a unique position under Pennsylvania law. An LTCF is required to openly carry a firearm in Philadelphia — even though open carry without an LTCF is permitted in the rest of the state. This is because Philadelphia is a "city of the first class" with special statutory provisions.
Philadelphia residents apply for their LTCF through the Philadelphia Police Licensing Unit rather than through a county sheriff (there is no county sheriff for the City of Philadelphia). The process and fee are the same as elsewhere in the state, but processing times may be longer.
Prohibited locations in Pennsylvania
- K–12 school buildings and grounds
- School buses
- Courthouses
- Courts and court offices
- Any location prohibited by federal law
- Private property with posted prohibition
Pennsylvania has a relatively short list of prohibited locations compared to many states. However, federal law (GFSZA) applies in school zones statewide, and private property owners may prohibit carry. Always comply with posted notices.
Frequently asked questions — Pennsylvania
Do I need training to get a Pennsylvania LTCF?
No. Pennsylvania does not require any firearms training or safety course to apply for an LTCF. You simply need to be 21+, legally eligible to possess a firearm, complete the application form (SP4-113), pass a background check, and pay the $20 fee. This makes Pennsylvania one of the most accessible permit states for law-abiding residents.
Can I open carry in Pennsylvania without a license?
Yes — outside of Philadelphia. Pennsylvania permits open carry of a handgun statewide without a license, with the notable exception of Philadelphia, where an LTCF is required for any carry (open or concealed). In the rest of the state, you can open carry a loaded handgun in most public places without any license.
Can I carry in my car without an LTCF in Pennsylvania?
Not if the handgun is loaded and accessible. Without an LTCF, a handgun in a vehicle in Pennsylvania must generally be unloaded and in a container, or openly visible in the non-Philadelphia part of the state. With an LTCF, you may have a loaded, concealed handgun accessible in a vehicle. This is one of the primary reasons many Pennsylvanians obtain the LTCF even though they may prefer open carry.
Does Pennsylvania honor out-of-state carry permits?
Yes, for states that have a reciprocity agreement with Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's reciprocity list is managed by the Office of Attorney General. Verify the current list at the Pennsylvania AG website before relying on your out-of-state permit in Pennsylvania, as the list changes periodically.