Arizona gun laws operate at the state level and are very permissive. They allow any person who is at least 18 years old to open carry, and 21 years old or over to conceal carry a firearm without a permit. Arizona was the second state after Alaska to enact “Constitutional Carry” laws. They still maintain a “Shall Issue” policy for reciprocity reasons. Permits are issued to residents and non-residents with one of the requirements being that a firearms safety course must be passed.
Arizona will honor all other states concealed carry permits. There is one exception with the Idaho permit as stated in the notes below. A person must be at least 21 years old to carry a concealed firearm in Arizona.
Arizona currently has signed reciprocity agreements with eight other states. These states are; Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia. A full list of reciprocity agreements can be viewed on the state website.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
ARS 13.3101(7) -State prohibitors
APPLICATION
Follow these steps to obtain a permit
RENEWALS
The renewal application with fee will need to be mailed to;
AZ DPS-CWPURenewal applications can also be dropped off at the following office between 8am – 5pm.
DPS Public Service Center buildingNote
You are required to inform the CWPU of any address or phone number change within 10 days. Use the change of address form located in the forms section on this page.
FEES
Application Type | Original | Renewal |
---|---|---|
New Permit | $60 | $43 |
Replacement Permit | $10 | |
LEOSA Certification | $20 | |
LEOSA Instructor Certification | No Charge |
Accepted forms of payment
Money order, Cashier’s Check or Certified Check – payable to the AZ DPS to the CWPU
MINIMUM
NEW PERMIT
COST OF
CCW PERMIT
YEARS PERMIT
IS VALID
Arizona state flag
Off-Limits statutes
As long as you meet all the requirements to possess a firearm open carry is legal in Arizona. A person must be at least 18 years old to open carry but there are some exemptions as listed below. Furthermore, any person under the age of 21 may only openly carry a loaded or unloaded firearm in a vehicle if the firearm is in plain view of a person standing outside the vehicle.
Arizona does not have full preemption on gun laws, only partial. Local authorities gun regulations have mostly been preempted by the state but there are still a few areas where local authorities such as counties and cities can regulate firearms. These regulations do not affect persons with concealed carry permits unless they work for the county or city.
What local authorities can regulate;
Arizona does not have full preemption on gun laws, only partial. Local authorities gun regulations have mostly been preempted by the state but there are still a few areas where local authorities such as counties and cities can regulate firearms. These regulations do not affect persons with concealed carry permits unless they work for the county or city.
What local authorities can regulate;
YES – Without a Permit/License If you are 21 or older and legally allowed to own a firearm you can carry a fully loaded and concealed handgun in a vehicle. If you are under the age of 21 the handgun must be in plain view to a person outside looking into the vehicle.
You are legally entitled to open carry in Arizona with the minimum age being 18. Only persons that have a permit/license can carry in a place that serves alcohol for consumption on the premises.
Nothing in Arizona gun laws state that you must inform Law Enforcement you have a firearm if stopped by them. The law does say that if an officer asks you if you have a firearm then you must give him an answer. The Law ARS 13.3102 – Misconduct with Weapons ARS 13.3112 – Carrying Permit
Arizona is a permit-less carry or Constitutional Carry state. No permit is required to carry a concealed firearm if a person is 21 years of age or over. To open carry a person must be at least 18 years old. Arizona still maintains a “Shall Issue” policy for reciprocity purposes.
It is legal to carry in the following areas; State Parks: YES State/National Forests: YES State Wildlife Management Areas: YES Road Side Rest Areas: YES The Law ARS 17.305 – Wildlife Management Areas
Only if you have a CCW permit, the permit can be from Arizona or any other state. Without a permit, it is illegal to conceal or open carry in any place that serves alcohol.
The Law
ARS 4.244 – Unlawful Acts
Arizona gun laws give “No Weapons” signs the force of law. There are legal penalties for entering a private property or business that has posted these signs. GunsToCarry recommends that you do not enter a property displaying a “No Weapons” sign whether the law is for or against signage. If asked to leave a property and you refuse to do so then you are breaking the law and put yourself at risk of being charged. The Law 4.229 – Posting Notices
“The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the state shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain, or employ an armed body of men.”
Art. 2 § 26
Interference with or disruption of an educational institution; violation; classification; definitions
I. Not withstanding section 15-341 and subsection D of this section, the governing board of an educational institution may not adopt or enforce any policy or rule that prohibits the lawful possession or carrying of a deadly weapon on a public right-of-way by a person or on or within a person’s means of transportation.
J. Interference with or disruption of an educational institution pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 1 of this section is a class 6 felony. Interference with or disruption of an educational institution pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 or 3 of this section is a class 1 misdemeanor.
K. For the purposes of this section:
4. “School” means a public or nonpublic kindergarten program, common school or high school.
5. “School grounds” means in, or on the grounds of, a school.
Storage of Deadly Weapons; Definitions
A. If an operator of a public establishment or a sponsor of a public event requests that a person carrying a deadly weapon remove the weapon, the operator or sponsor shall provide temporary and secure storage. The storage shall be readily accessible on entry into the establishment or event and allow for the immediate retrieval of the weapon on exit from the establishment or event.
B. This section does not apply to the licensed premises of any public establishment or public event with a license issued pursuant to title 4.
C. The operator of the establishment or the sponsor of the event or the employee of the operator or sponsor or the agent of the sponsor, including a public entity or public employee, is not liable for acts or omissions pursuant to this section unless the operator, sponsor, employee or agent intended to cause injury or was grossly negligent.
D. For the purposes of this section, “public establishment” and “public event” have the same meanings prescribed in section 13-3102.
Misconduct Involving Weapons; Defenses; Classification; Definitions
2. “Public establishment” means a structure, vehicle or craft that is owned, leased or operated by this state or a political subdivision of this state.
3. “Public event” means a specifically named or sponsored event of limited duration that is either conducted by a public entity or conducted by a private entity with a permit or license granted by a public entity. Public event does not include an unsponsored gathering of people in a public place.
A. The defensive display of a firearm by a person against another is justified when and to the extent a reasonable person would believe that physical force is immediately necessary to protect himself against the use or attempted use of unlawful physical force or deadly physical force.
B. This section does not apply to a person who:
C. This section does not require the defensive display of a firearm before the use of physical force or the threat of physical force by a person who is otherwise justified in the use or threatened use of physical force.
D. For the purposes of this section, “defensive display of a firearm” includes:
Q. This state and any political subdivision of this state shall recognize a concealed weapon, firearm or handgun permit or license that is issued by another state or a political subdivision of another state if both:
R. For the purpose of establishing mutual permit or license recognition with other states, the department of public safety shall enter into a written agreement if another state requires a written agreement.
S. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a person with a concealed weapons permit from another state may not carry a concealed weapon in this state if the person is under twenty-one years of age or is under indictment for, or has been convicted of, a felony offense in any jurisdiction, unless that conviction is expunged, set aside or vacated or the person’s rights have been restored and the person is currently not a prohibited possessor under state or federal law.
A. A person may carry a concealed handgun on the premises of a licensee who is an on-sale retailer unless the licensee posts a sign that clearly prohibits the possession of weapons on the licensed premises. The sign shall conform to the following requirements:
B. A person shall not carry a firearm on the licensed premises of an on-sale retailer if the licensee has posted the notice prescribed in subsection A of this section.
C. It is an affirmative defense to a violation of subsection B of this section if:
D. The department of liquor licenses and control shall prepare the signs required by this section and make them available at no cost to licensees.
Concealed Weapons; Qualification; Application; Permit to Carry; Civil Penalty; Report; Applicability
N. An applicant shall demonstrate competence with a firearm through any of the following:
Misconduct Involving Weapons; Defenses; Classification; Definitions
A. 1. Carrying a deadly weapon except a pocket knife concealed on his person or within his immediate control in or on a means of transportation:
(b) When contacted by a law enforcement officer and failing to accurately answer the officer if the officer asks whether the person is carrying a concealed deadly weapon; or…
N. For the Purposes of This Section:
1. “Contacted by a law enforcement officer” means a lawful traffic or criminal investigation, arrest or detention or an investigatory stop by a law enforcement officer that is based on reasonable suspicion that an offense has been or is about to be committed.
Concealed weapons; qualification; application; permit to carry; civil penalty; report; applicability
A. The department of public safety shall issue a permit to carry a concealed weapon to a person who is qualified under this section. The person shall carry the permit at all times when the person is in actual possession of the concealed weapon and is required by section 4-229 or 4-244 to carry the permit. If the person is in actual possession of the concealed weapon and is required by section 4-229 or 4-244 to carry the permit, the person shall present the permit for inspection to any law enforcement officer on request.
A. The possession of legal weapons, devices, ammunition or magazines, which are not authorized to take wildlife, is not prohibited while hunting if the weapon or device is not used to take wildlife.
B. Taking wildlife by using a weapon, device, ammunition or magazine that is not authorized to take wildlife is a class 1 misdemeanor.
Firearms regulated by state; state preemption; injunction; civil penalty; cause of action; violation; classification; definition
A. Except as provided in subsection G of this section, a political subdivision of this state shall not enact any ordinance, rule or tax relating to the transportation, possession, carrying, sale, transfer, purchase, acquisition, gift, devise, storage, licensing, registration, discharge or use of firearms or ammunition or any firearm or ammunition components or related accessories in this state.
B. A political subdivision of this state shall not require the licensing or registration of firearms or ammunition or any firearm or ammunition components or related accessories or prohibit the ownership, purchase, sale or transfer of firearms or ammunition or any firearm or ammunition components, or related accessories.
C. A political subdivision of this state shall not require or maintain a record in any form, whether permanent or temporary, including a list, log or database, of any of the following:
D. A political subdivision of this state shall not enact any rule or ordinance that relates to firearms and is more prohibitive than or that has a penalty that is greater than any state law penalty. A political subdivision’s rule or ordinance that relates to firearms and that is inconsistent with or more restrictive than state law, whether enacted before or after July 29, 2010, is null and void.
E. A political subdivision of this state shall not enact any ordinance, rule or regulation limiting the lawful taking of wildlife during an open season established by the Arizona game and fish commission unless the ordinance, rule or regulation is consistent with title 17 and rules and orders adopted by the Arizona game and fish commission. This subsection does not prevent a political subdivision from adopting an ordinance or rule restricting the discharge of a firearm within one-fourth mile of an occupied structure without the consent of the owner or occupant of the structure. For the purposes of this subsection:
F. This state, any agency or political subdivision of this state and any law enforcement agency in this state shall not facilitate the destruction of a firearm or purchase or otherwise acquire a firearm for the purpose of destroying the firearm except as authorized by section 13-3105 or 17-240.
G. This section does not prohibit a political subdivision of this state from enacting and enforcing any ordinance or rule pursuant to state law or relating to any of the following:
1. Imposing any privilege or use tax on the retail sale, lease or rental of, or the gross proceeds or gross income from the sale, lease or rental of, firearms or ammunition or any firearm or ammunition components at a rate that applies generally to other items of tangible personal property.
2. Prohibiting a minor who is unaccompanied by a parent, grandparent or guardian or a certified hunter safety instructor or certified firearms safety instructor acting with the consent of the minor’s parent, grandparent or guardian from knowingly possessing or carrying on the minor’s person, within the minor’s immediate control or in or on a means of transportation a firearm in any place that is open to the public or on any street or highway or on any private property except private property that is owned or leased by the minor or the minor’s parent, grandparent or guardian. Any ordinance or rule that is adopted pursuant to this paragraph shall not apply to a minor who is fourteen, fifteen, sixteen or seventeen years of age and who is engaged in any of the following:
3. The regulation of commercial land and structures, including a business relating to firearms or ammunition or their components or a commercial shooting range in the same manner as other commercial businesses. Notwithstanding any other law, this paragraph does not:
4. Regulating employees or independent contractors of the political subdivision who are acting within the course and scope of their employment or contract For the purposes of this paragraph, acting within the course and scope of their employment or contract does not include the lawful possession, carrying, transporting or storing of a firearm or other Weapon:
5. Limiting or prohibiting the discharge of firearms in parks and preserves except:
H. Any ordinance, regulation, tax or rule that is enacted by a political subdivision in violation of this section is invalid and subject to a permanent injunction against the political subdivision from enforcing the ordinance, regulation, tax or rule. It is not a defense that the political subdivision was acting in good faith or on the advice of counsel.
I. If a court determines that a political subdivision has knowingly and wilfully violated this section, the court may assess a civil penalty of up to fifty thousand dollars against the political subdivision.
J. If a court determines that a person has knowingly and wilfully violated this section while acting in the person’s official capacity through enactment of any ordinance, regulation, tax, measure, directive, rule, enactment, order or policy, the person may be subject to termination from employment to the extent allowable under state law.
K. A person or an organization whose membership is adversely affected by any ordinance, regulation, tax, measure, directive, rule, enactment, order or policy that is in violation of this section may file a civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief and actual damages against the political subdivision in any court of this state having jurisdiction over any defendant in the action. If the plaintiff prevails in the action, the court shall award both:
L. A violation of any ordinance established pursuant to subsection G, paragraph 5 of this section is a class 2 misdemeanor unless the political subdivision designates a lesser classification by ordinance.
M. For the purposes of this section, “political subdivision” includes a political subdivision acting in any capacity, including under police power, in a proprietary capacity or otherwise.
Emergency Powers of Governor; Termination; Authorization for Adjutant General; Limitation
A. During a state of war emergency, the governor may:
1. Suspend the provisions of any statute prescribing the procedure for conduct of state business, or the orders or rules of any state agency, if the governor determines and declares that strict compliance with the provisions of any such statute, order or rule would in any way prevent, hinder or delay mitigation of the effects of the emergency.
B. During a state of war emergency, the governor shall have complete authority over all agencies of the state government and shall exercise all police power vested in this state by the constitution and laws of this state in order to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.
D. The governor may proclaim a state of emergency which shall take effect immediately in an area affected or likely to be affected if the governor finds that circumstances described in section 26-301, paragraph 15 exist.
E. During a state of emergency:
1. The governor shall have complete authority over all agencies of the state government and the right to exercise, within the area designated, all police power vested in the state by the constitution and laws of this state in order to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.
I. The powers exercised by the adjutant general pursuant to subsection H of this section expire seventy-two hours after the adjutant general makes a determination under subsection H of this section.
J. Pursuant to the second amendment of the United States Constitution and article II, section 26, Constitution of Arizona, and notwithstanding any other law, the emergency powers of the governor, the adjutant general or any other official or person shall not be construed to allow the imposition of additional restrictions on the lawful possession, transfer, sale, transportation, carrying, storage, display or use of firearms or ammunition or firearms or ammunition components.
K. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the governor, the adjutant general or other officials responding to an emergency from ordering the reasonable movement of stores of ammunition out of the way of dangerous conditions.
Concealed carry permits/licenses are issued by the Department of Public Safety. Applications are mailed to; Concealed Weapon Permit Unit PO Box 6488 Phoenix AZ 85005
75 Days Once the application is received it will take about 75 days to complete all the necessary checks.
No, you will need to contact the permit unit via email and request an application packet. There is an application form, two fingerprint cards, instructions and return envelope included in the packet.
No, there is no way to tell before your application and training course if you will be approved for a permit. If you meet all the requirements as listed then you should have no problem obtaining a CCW permit.
No, these online courses will not be accepted for training requirements.
No, we already have your fingerprints so no need to send them again.
The DPS does not have a fingerprint service. You will need to contact a private vendor or your local law enforcement.
No training is needed to renew a CCW permit.
If you are moving to Arizona permits from other states cannot be transferred into an Arizona permit. However, a permit from another state may be enough proof that you have sufficient training and are exempt from a firearms course.
Yes, within 10 days of changing your address. Just fill out the address change form and mail it to us.
Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Address 2222 W. Encanto Blvd.
City Phoenix, AZ 85009
Phone (602) 256-6280
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