Why Arizona Residents Still Need a Concealed Carry Permit

Spencer Rands
Jul 28, 2020

Why Arizona Residents Need a Concealed Carry Permit

Under the Constitutional Carry laws in Arizona, any person who is 21 years or older can legally concealed carry a handgun without a concealed carry permit. The state of Arizona also permits any person who is 18 years or older, and qualified to own a firearm, to open carry. Although Arizona does not require you to have a concealed carry permit in order to carry, it is highly recommended you still obtain one and here's why. 

Reciprocity 

Arizona concealed carry permit is honored by the following 37 statesAlabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. This means that by obtaining an Arizona CCW permit, you can legally carry a concealed firearm in each of these states. Not only will it allow you to carry in 37 other states, but also in areas that are normally off-limits under open carry and/or Constitutional Carry, such as in restaurants that serve alcohol and school zones.

Restaurants Serving Alcohol 

Arizona Revised Statutes 4-244(29)(c) and (30)(c) state that you must obtain an Arizona CCW permit to legally carry in restaurants that serve alcohol. In other words, with an Arizona CCW permit, you may carry a concealed weapon in restaurants that serve alcohol. Please note: while you can have your concealed firearms, you are not allowed to consume any amount of alcohol in these establishments.

School Zones 

The Gun-Free School Zones Act (GFSZA) of 1990 states that a person cannot legally carry a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone, however, persons with a state-issued concealed-carry permit are an exception. Any person convicted of illegally carrying a concealed firearm in a school zone can result in a $5,000 fine and up to 5 years in prison. 

Buying A Gun in Arizona

According to federal law, all federally licensed firearm dealers are required to run a background check on any person purchasing a firearm. However, if you have an Arizona CCW permit, the background check is not required as long as the CCW permit was issued within five years of the purchase date (27 C.F.R. § 478.102(d)). For this reason, many concealed carry permit holders enjoy a faster gun purchasing process.

Getting Your Arizona Concealed Carry Permit in 3 Easy Steps!

 

1. To start, you will need to attend and a qualifying concealed carry class. Click here to see ASDI's upcoming classes in Arizona! You will need to register beforehand to ensure you have a seat. We would love to see you there! 

2. Arizona requires you to have two completed fingerprint cards. These fingerprint cards can be completed at no extra cost at any ASDI class! 

3. The last step is submitting your application. After completing all the steps on the Arizona CCW permit application instructions, you will send your completed application along with a check to the amount required for the background check ($60.00), to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, all background checks are performed within 60 days of receiving the application. The permit will be issued within fifteen business days after the qualification checks.

 

With any further questions or inquiries about classes, do not hesitate contact us! You can send us a message or give us a call at (801) 613-2734. We look forward to meeting you!


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