The headline numbers
More than half the country — 29 of 50 states — now allows concealed carry without any government-issued permit, a figure that has nearly tripled since 2010.
The permitless carry timeline
When each state adopted permitless ("constitutional") carry, in order:
What changed most recently
The most recent wave of adoptions came in 2023–2024: Nebraska (September 2023), Florida (July 2023), Alabama (January 2023), South Carolina (August 2024), and Louisiana (July 2024) all moved to permitless carry within roughly an 18-month window — the most concentrated burst of adoptions since the mid-2010s.
On the restrictive side, the period since 2022's Bruen decision has been defined less by new permit requirements than by expanded "sensitive places" lists in states like New York, New Jersey, and California — see our Supreme Court cases explainer for the legal background driving that pattern.
The current landscape at a glance
29 states require no permit at all to carry concealed. 13 states require a permit but issue it on a shall-issue basis — meaning the issuing authority must grant it to any applicant who meets objective criteria. 9 states plus the District of Columbia maintain significantly more restrictive frameworks, generally requiring a permit and imposing extensive location-based restrictions, particularly following the post-Bruen legislative responses in New York, New Jersey, and elsewhere.
Two states — Indiana and Vermont — are notable outliers: Indiana eliminated its handgun license program entirely when it adopted permitless carry, while Vermont has never issued one at all, dating back over a century. Residents of both states who want a permit for reciprocity purposes when traveling must obtain a non-resident permit elsewhere — see our Non-Resident Carry Guide.
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Methodology
All figures in this report are drawn directly from CarryMaps' state-by-state database, sourced exclusively from official state statutes and government agencies. See our full Methodology page for sourcing standards and verification process. This report reflects the data as published in August 2026; for the always-current figures, see our interactive map rather than this static snapshot.