Concealed Carry Laws 2026: Federal Rules and State Basics

Quick answer: In 2026, 29 states let eligible adults carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The other 21 don’t allow permitless carry, and since the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, states can’t make you prove a special need to get a permit. Federal law still bars certain people from having guns and bans guns in some places nationwide, such as federal buildings and post offices. There is still no national reciprocity law, so check the law of each state you’ll be in.

Permitless vs. permit states in 2026

Twenty-nine states now allow permitless (often called “constitutional”) carry for adults who can legally have a gun. That count comes from Handgunlaw.us’s list (last updated September 5, 2026). No new state has been added since Louisiana and South Carolina in 2024. See the full list, with dates, on our constitutional carry states 2026 page.

North Carolina is the one to watch. Its permitless carry bill, Senate Bill 50, was vetoed by the governor on June 20, 2025. The state Senate voted to override the veto on July 29, 2025. The House has not held its override vote. It has been put on and taken off the House calendar many times, most recently on April 6, 2026, per the North Carolina General Assembly.

Permitless carry doesn’t erase every rule: each state sets its own minimum age and banned places. Handgunlaw.us also notes that some permitless states still require a permit to carry in certain places. Check your state’s own law for the details.

What Bruen changed for permit states

In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (decided June 23, 2022), the Supreme Court held that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.

New York had made applicants show “proper cause,” a special need for self-protection beyond that of the general public. The Court struck that rule down, noting that other constitutional rights don’t require people to prove “some special need” to the government. At the time, the Court counted New York plus California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and the District of Columbia as having this kind of rule.

Bruen did not end permits. The Court said nothing in its ruling should suggest that “shall-issue” permit systems are unconstitutional. Those systems use objective criteria and often require a background check or a safety course. The Court also said it could assume carry bans in some “sensitive places” are settled, naming legislative assemblies, polling places and courthouses.

In June 2026 the Court applied Bruen again in Wolford v. Lopez. It struck down a Hawaii law that barred permit holders from carrying on private property open to the public unless the owner expressly said yes.

Who can’t have a gun under federal law

Federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), makes it a crime for these people to ship, transport, possess or receive a firearm or ammunition:

• Anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Some offenses are excluded, including a state misdemeanor punishable by two years or less (§ 921(a)(20)).
• Fugitives from justice.
• Unlawful users of, or people addicted to, a controlled substance.
• Anyone adjudicated as a “mental defective” or committed to a mental institution.
• People in the U.S. illegally, and most people admitted on a nonimmigrant visa (the statute lists exceptions).
• Anyone dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces.
• Anyone who has renounced U.S. citizenship.
• Anyone subject to certain domestic-violence restraining orders issued after a hearing.
• Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Two recent rulings matter. In 2024 the Court rejected a facial challenge to the restraining-order ban (United States v. Rahimi). On June 18, 2026, in United States v. Hemani, it held that prosecuting one marijuana user under the drug-user ban violated the Second Amendment. The Court said its decision “is narrow” and left other questions about the law open.

Minimum age to buy a handgun from a dealer

Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(1), a licensed dealer may not sell or deliver any firearm or ammunition to someone it knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under 18. For firearms other than rifles and shotguns, such as handguns, and their ammunition, the limit is 21. This rule has been challenged in court. In January 2025, the Fifth Circuit held the under-21 handgun sales ban unconstitutional in Reese v. ATF. On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court declined to hear two other challenges to that ban (dockets 25-24 and 25-132). If you are 18 to 20, check the current rule before you buy.

Reciprocity: there is no national carry law

No federal law makes every state honor every other state’s carry permit. The bill that would do so in this Congress is H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025. It was introduced January 3, 2025. The House Judiciary Committee approved it 18-9 on March 25, 2025. Its latest action, on October 3, 2025, was being reported to the House (H. Rept. 119-337) and placed on the Union Calendar, No. 289. It has not had a House floor vote.

Until that changes, whether your permit works in another state depends on that state’s law. See our concealed carry reciprocity maps to start, then confirm with the other state’s official sources.

Driving through other states: federal “safe passage”

18 U.S.C. § 926A lets a person who is not barred from having guns transport a firearm from any place where they may lawfully have and carry it to any other such place. The conditions are strict:

• The firearm must be unloaded.
• Neither the firearm nor any ammunition can be readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment.
• In a vehicle without a separate trunk, the firearm or ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

This protects transporting a gun, not carrying it loaded on your person.

Places federal law restricts guns

The school-zone license exception is narrow. It applies only if you are licensed by the state the school zone is in, and only if that state’s law makes officials check that you are qualified before issuing the license. By its wording, it doesn’t cover a permit from another state, and permitless carry isn’t a license.

Air travel: TSA treats a gun as “loaded” for civil penalties if you can reach both the gun and its ammunition.

Private property and posted signs

As a rule, property owners decide who comes onto their property. In Wolford, the Supreme Court said owners of businesses open to the public can admit or exclude people carrying guns. What the Court struck down was Hawaii’s attempt to flip the default, so that carry was banned unless the owner gave express consent.

Whether a “no guns” sign has the force of law depends on your state. For example, North Carolina’s permit law says a permit doesn’t allow concealed carry “on any private premises” where the person in control has posted a conspicuous notice banning it (G.S. 14-415.11(c)(8)). Read your own state’s statute. If an owner or employee asks you to leave, leaving is the safe choice.

Checklist: how to check your state’s law

• Go to official sources. Read the statute on your state legislature’s website. Also check the state attorney general’s or state police’s carry page.
• Check the date. Carry laws change. Note when the page you’re reading was last updated and when any new law takes effect.
• Know the banned places. Each state keeps its own list, on top of the federal places above.
• Know whether you must tell police. Some states require it. North Carolina, for example, says permit holders must tell an officer they have a permit and are carrying when the officer approaches or addresses them, and must show the permit and ID if asked (G.S. 14-415.11(a)).
• Carry your permit and ID. North Carolina’s statute requires permit holders to carry both while carrying a concealed handgun.

Quick Answers

How many states have permitless carry in 2026?
29, per Handgunlaw.us (September 5, 2026). None added since 2024; North Carolina’s bill awaits a House override vote.

Is there national concealed carry reciprocity?
No. H.R. 38 would create it, but it has sat on the House calendar since October 3, 2025.

Can I carry in a post office?
No. 39 CFR 232.1(l) bans firearms on postal property except for official purposes.

Can I carry in a national park?
Generally yes, under the law of the state the park is in, but not inside park buildings like visitor centers.

Did Bruen get rid of carry permits?
No. It struck down “proper cause” or special-need requirements. Objective “shall-issue” permit systems remain.

Can I drive through a strict state with my gun?
Only under 18 U.S.C. § 926A’s conditions: unloaded, with the gun and ammunition out of reach of the passenger area (or locked up, outside the glove box or console, if there’s no trunk).

Whatever your state allows, comfort matters if you carry all day. Our Cloudster Pillow holster wedge is built for everyday carry comfort.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Laws and court rulings change. For your situation, read your state’s current statutes or ask a licensed attorney. Sources: the U.S. Code, 39 CFR 232.1, Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit opinions, Congress.gov, NPS, TSA and the North Carolina General Assembly (all linked above), plus Handgunlaw.us for the state count. Checked October 2026.