Concealed Carry Q&A Digest – Mar. 5, 2018

We get asked a lot of questions, and it’s only fair that we attempt to answer them. Questions with longer answers often become articles and sometimes we even get some USA Carry Readers to submit their answers. This article is for all the questions that didn’t need their own article. Click here to view all of our Concealed Carry Q&A Digest articles.

I have obtained a California CCW in the last week. I work and travel into and through Nevada and would like to apply for a Nevada CCW. I am not a Nevada resident but rather California. what can I do to get this process going

Nevada does issue Concealed Firearm Permits to non-residents. A good place to start would be our Nevada Concealed Carry Permit Information page.

I try to be very concealed, however, we wear less baggy clothes in the summer and it makes concealment tougher. How much printing thru clothes is allowed by law?

This all really depends on your state’s laws on printing. We always recommend not printing no matter what since the point of carrying concealed is so that no one knows you are carrying. While this can be harder during hot weather, you may need to adjust how you carry or your clothing. I recommend reading our article “Concealed Carry Modifications for Hot and Humid Weather Carry.”

I will be traveling from Minnesota and be going through Illinois on my way to Florida. I have a current Minnesota and Florida concealed carry permit. I am trying to find out if I can carry the pistol loaded and in the glove box as I go through Illinois. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Assuming that your home state is Minnesota which you have a resident permit from, you are allowed to transport a concealed handgun within your vehicle in Illinois. If you leave your vehicle, you must lock it and the handgun must be stored in a closed compartment. The law is listed below.

430 ILCS 66 Firearm Concealed Carry Act – Section 40

Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a non-resident from transporting a concealed firearm within his or her vehicle in Illinois if the concealed firearm remains within his or her vehicle and the non-resident:

(1) is not prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm under federal law;

(2) is eligible to carry a firearm in public under the laws of his or her state or territory of residence, as evidenced by the possession of a concealed carry license or permit issued by his or her state of residence, if applicable; and

(3) is not in possession of a license under this Act.

If the non-resident leaves his or her vehicle unattended, he or she shall store the firearm within a locked vehicle or locked container within the vehicle in accordance with subsection (b) of Section 65 of this Act.

Does having a Texas concealed carry permit exempt me from the background check when purchasing a gun in Texas?

Yes, having a Texas License to Carry Handgun (LCH) does allow you to bypass the background check when purchasing one from an FFL. You can view which states allow permit holders to bypass the background check during a firearm purchase in our article, “Does A Concealed Carry Permit Allow You to Bypass a Background Check When Purchasing a Firearm?.”

I live in West Virginia where we have Constitutional Carry. When I looked at your concealed carry reciprocity map, it showed a large number of states have reciprocity with West Virginia. My question is what, if any, proof would I need if carrying in another state? Since West Virginia has constitutional carry and therefore doesn’t have any kind of card or permit or anything you carry with you, is my state driver’s license enough?

Like some other states, West Virginia has Constitutional Carry but also still issues concealed carry permits or licenses. You will need to go through the process of obtaining a West Virginia Concealed Handgun Licenses to carry concealed in states that accept West Virginia. The West Virginia Attorney General lists this as a benefit to obtaining a CHL even though you are not required to.

Are you aware of any changes made to reciprocity of concealed carry permits in New Mexico? I have a concealed carry permit from Arizona but now reside in New Mexico. I was told my Arizona permit was valid but that it might have recently changed. Are you aware of any recent changes to the laws in New Mexico?

We researched this and wound up calling the NMDPS to get the answer since we couldn’t find it online. New Mexico does honor Arizona Non-Resident permits but if you are a resident of New Mexico, they require that you get a New Mexico Concealed Handgun License.