Kentucky to Become the 16th Constitutional Carry State

On Monday, March 11, 2019, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed into law NRA-backed Senate Bill 150 which will turn Kentucky into a Constitutional Carry state. Kentucky is the 16th state to pass Constitutional Carry or Permitless Carry legislation. Other states include Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma (November 1, 2019), South Dakota (July 1, 2019), Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

To view the full bill, click here. The summary of SB 150 states:

Create a new section of Chapter 237 to allow concealed deadly weapons to be carried by persons age 21 and over without a license in same locations where concealed carry license holders may carry them

Anyone 18 years of age or older and legally able to possess a firearm can already open carry without a permit in Kentucky. Once SB 150 goes into effect, it will allow anyone 21 years of age or older to concealed carry without a permit. So if you are 18, 19, or 20 years of age, it seems you will have to open carry until you are 21 if you want to carry a firearm.

We’ve been asked by a few users if this law is in effect or not. The answer is, not yet. Constitutional Carry will go into effect in Kentucky on July 1, 2019. We will also update our Concealed Carry Maps at that time.

Will Kentucky Continue Issuing CCDW Licenses?

I called the Kentucky State Police CCDW division and confirmed that they will still be issuing CCDW licenses after Constitutional Carry goes into effect. For more information on obtaining a Kentucky CCDW license, visit our Kentucky Concealed Carry page.

Although you won’t need one to carry concealed in Kentucky, it is still beneficial for those that want to travel to other states that have reciprocity or honor a Kentucky CCDW license.

And if you decide to start carrying concealed now that you won’t need a permit, we cannot stress enough that you should still seek training. A concealed carry class will still benefit those that don’t plan on applying for a license. Most concealed carry classes don’t teach you how to shoot. What they do teach are the laws in that state, where you can and cannot carry and how to be a responsibly armed citizen.

So stay safe. Train hard and train often.

Photo by Gage Skidmore