USA Carry

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Concealed Permit:
Shall Issue to Residents Only

Example Resident Permit:

Issuing Authority:
Louisiana State Police

Concealed Handgun Permit Unit
PO Box 66375
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70896

Concealed Handgun Permit Unit Phone Numbers:

(225) 925-4867
(225) 925-4868
(225) 922-0225 (Fax Number)

Office Personnel:

1. Sergeant Jason Starnes
2. Wyndie Chifici (Office Manager)
3. Shana Johnson

Concealed Handgun Permit Unit E-Mail Address:
concealed_handguns@dps.state.la.us

NICS check: Yes

Fees:
* Original/First-Time Applicants:

Ages 21 - 64
$50 for a two-year permit.
$100 for a four-year permit.

65 Years of Age or Older
$25 for a two-year permit.
$50 for a four-year permit.

NOTE: If you have not continuously resided within the State of Louisiana for the 15 years immediately preceding the date on which your application is received, an additional $50 non-refundable fee shall be submitted. This is only for first-time applicants and is not required for any subsequent renewals.

* Renewals:

Ages 21 - 64
$50 for a two-year permit.
$100 for a four-year permit.

65 Years of Age or Older
$25 for a two-year permit.
$50 for a four-year permit.

NOTE: For renewal applications the additional $50 non-refundable fee and the submission of a fingerprint card is not applicable.

NOTE: ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE, and must be paid by money order, cashier's check, or certified check.

Required Documents:
* Original/First-Time Applicants:

In addition to meeting the qualifications in R.S. 40:1379.3(C), an applicant must demonstrate competence with a handgun by completion of an approved firearms safety or training course taught by an NRA or P.O.S.T. certified instructor that is registered with State Police, or completion of small arms training while serving in the military (as evidenced by a DD-214), [active service members, reservist and national guard members must include a clear photocopy of their military ID (front & back) with a copy of their last qualification record from their 201 file], or possession of a current valid license to carry a concealed weapon issued by a parish law enforcement officer.

* Renewals:

Pursuant to LAC 55:I:1307.D, each permittee applying for a renewal of his permit shall complete additional educational training within one year prior to submitting a renewal application. To obtain renewal training, please contact one of the LSP registered instructors.

Informing Law Enforcement of Carry:
The permit shall be retained by the permittee who shall immediately produce it upon the request of any law enforcement officer. Anyone who fails to do so shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars. Additionally, when any peace officer approaches a permittee in an official manner or with an identified purpose, the permittee shall:

1. Notify the officer that he has a weapon on his person;
2. Submit to a pat down;
3. Allow the officer to temporarily disarm him.

Automobile carry:
Louisiana law does not expressly prohibit the carrying of handguns in vehicles. This is a complicated issue. We suggest that you refer to Louisiana Revised Statutes (L.R.S.) Title 14 Sections 95; 95.1; 95.2; 95.6; 95.7; 95.8. Information on these statutes can be obtained at www.legis.state.la.us/tsrs/search.html or in the “Laws and Rules” section of our web page.

Places off-limits when carrying:
R.S. 40:1379.3 (N) states that no concealed handgun may be carried into and no concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to this Section shall authorize or entitle a permittee to carry a concealed handgun in any of the following:

* A law enforcement office, station, or building;
* A detention facility, prison, or jail;
* A courthouse or courtroom, provided that a judge may carry such a weapon in his own courtroom;
* A polling place;
* A meeting place of the governing authority of a political subdivision;
* The state capitol building;
* Any portion of an airport facility where the carrying of firearms is prohibited under federal law, except that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, if the firearm is encased for shipment, for the purpose of checking such firearm as lawful baggage;
* Any church, synagogue, mosque or similar place of worship;
* A parade or demonstration for which a permit is issued by a governmental entity;
* Any portion of the permitted area of an establishment that has been granted a Class A-General retail permit, as defined in Part II of Chapter 1 or Part II of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.
* Any school "firearm free zone" as defined in R.S. 14:95.6.

The provisions of R.S. 40:1379.3 (N) shall not limit the right of a property owner, lessee, or other lawful custodian to prohibit or restrict access of those persons possessing a concealed handgun pursuant to a permit issued under this Section. No individual to whom a concealed handgun permit is issued may carry such concealed handgun into the private residence of another without first receiving the consent of that person.

Deadly Force / Castle Doctrine:
On June 30,Governor Kathleen Blanco (D) signed HB 1097 by Representative Eric LaFleur (D-38), NRA-backed legislation granting civil immunity to crime victims who lawfully use force up to and including deadly force to protect themselves against a violent attack.

HB 1097 is the companion bill to HB 89 (also by Representative LaFleur), the NRA-supported “Castle Doctrine” bill which created presumptions in law for the use of force against intruders in your home, car or place of business and explicitly states in law that you have no “duty to retreat” from criminal attack if you are in a place where you have a legal right to be.

HB 89 was signed by the Governor on June 2 and both bills take effect on August 15.

Open Carry:
Unrestricted in most public areas and generally accepted.

Localities with Varying Laws:
Pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.3(T)(1) a valid permit in another state is valid in Louisiana if the issuing state honors concealed handgun permits issued by Louisiana.

Permit holders are reminded that while carrying a concealed handgun in another state they are bound by that state's laws governing concealed carry and permittees from other reciprocal states are bound by Louisiana concealed carry laws while in Louisiana.

Forms:
1. Concealed Handgun Permit Application
2. Change of Address
3. Instructor Information Form
4. Medical Summary and Disposition
5. Suspension/Revocation Affidavit DPSSP 4646 (Law Enforcement Use Only)

Firearm Registration/Transfer Forms
Louisiana law does not require the registration of handguns. However, the law requires the registration and transfer of a firearm. The following is the legal definition of firearm;

"Firearm" means a shotgun having a barrel of less than eighteen inches in length; a rifle having a barrel of less than sixteen inches in length; any weapon made from either a rifle or a shotgun if said weapon has been modified to have an overall length of less than twenty-six inches; any other firearm, pistol, revolver, or shotgun from which the serial number or mark of identification has been obliterated, from which a shot is discharged by an explosive, if that weapon is capable of being concealed on the person; or a machine gun, grenade launcher, flame thrower, bazooka, rocket launcher, excluding black powder weapons, or gas grenade; and includes a muffler or silencer for any firearm, whether or not the firearm is included within this definition. Pistols and revolvers and those rifles and shotguns which have not previously been defined in this Paragraph as firearms from which serial numbers or marks of identification have not been obliterated are specifically exempt from this definition.

1. Application To Register As Firearms Dealer, Importer, Or Manufacturer
2. Application To Register Firearm - LA Revised Statutes, Title 40, Section 1783
3. Application To Transfer Firearm - LA Revised Statutes, Title 40, Section 1784 & 1787

Links:
Office of the State Register
This is a searchable database of the Louisiana Administrative Code. These are the administrative rules governing the issuance, and regulation of concealed handgun permits. These rules are contained in the Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 55, Part I, Chapter 13, Sections 1301 and 1317.

Louisiana State Legislature Search
This is a searchable database of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The specific laws concerning concealed handgun permits are located in R.S. 40:1379.3 et seq.

Misc:
A permittee may not carry and conceal a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) as defined in R.S. 40:961 and 964. For purposes of the concealed handgun law, a permittee is considered under the influence of alcohol when a blood alcohol reading of .05% or greater by weight of alcohol in the blood is obtained, or a blood or urine test shows any confirmed presence of a CDS.

The permit to carry a concealed handgun shall be revoked by the deputy secretary when the permittee is carrying and concealing a handgun under any of the following circumstances:

1. The blood alcohol reading of the permittee is .05% or greater by weight of alcohol in the blood;
2. The permittee's blood test or urine test shows the confirmed presence of a CDS as defined in R.S. 40:961 and 964;
3. The permittee refuses to submit to a department certified chemical test when requested to do so by a law enforcement officer.

R.S. 40:1379.3(L) provides that anyone who carries and conceals a handgun in violation of any provision of this Section, unless authorized to do so by another provision of the law, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

R.S. 40:1379.3(C)(1) requires the making of a sworn application to the deputy secretary of public safety services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. The providing of false or misleading information on the application or any documents submitted with the application shall be grounds for the denial or revocation of a concealed handgun permit. The application shall reflect training in pistols, revolvers, or both. Any permittee under this Section shall notify the department of any address or name change within thirty days of the change. Failure to timely notify the department of a name or address change may result in suspension of the permit for up to thirty days.

R.S. 40:1379.3(R)(1) requires each permittee, within fifteen days of a misdemeanor or a felony arrest, other than a minor traffic violation, in this state or any other state, to notify the deputy secretary of public safety services by certified mail. The deputy secretary may suspend, for up to ninety days, the permit of any permittee who fails to meet the notification requirements of this Section.

R.S. 40:1379.3(F)(1) mandates that the deputy secretary shall revoke the permit if at any time during the permit period the permittee fails to satisfy any one of the qualification requirements provided for in Subsection C of R.S. 40:1379.3.