Constitutional Carry Now Law in 29 States — Up from Just 1 in 2003

As of 2026, 29 states have enacted constitutional carry (permitless carry) laws, allowing law-abiding adults to carry concealed firearms without a government-issued permit. Vermont was the only constitutional carry state for decades until Alaska joined in 2003, followed by Arizona in 2010.

The 29 states are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

This means that over half of U.S. states now recognize that the right to carry a firearm should not require government permission — a position that would have seemed radical just 20 years ago.