Essential things to know about concealed carry in Illinois.
Quickly find out all the latest information you need to safely carry a firearm in Illinois.
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Illinois gun laws require residents to have a valid Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card to possess a firearm or ammunition. There is a waiting period of 72 hours after buying a handgun to take possession of it. Concealed carry licenses are issued by the state police to applicants who have passed a 16 hour training course and are at least 21 years old. Non-resident permits are available for residents of four states, AR, MS, TX, VA and Non-residents are also exempt from having a FOID card if they possess a valid CCW permit from their home state.
Illinois will not honor any other states concealed carry permits. They will however issue non-resident concealed carry licenses to residents of four states;
These states have been assessed as having substantially similar firearms laws to Illinois laws. This list is being continually updated as more states are identified as having similar CCW laws to Illinois.
Resident Permit
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin
Non-Resident Permit
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin
Illinois does not honor any other states permits.
California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
A FOID Card will be required to purchase a firearm or ammunition
APPLICATION
Follow these steps to obtain a permit
RENEWALS
FEE’S
| Application Conditions | Original | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Resident | $150 | |
| Non-Resident | $300 |
Replacement/Name change $75
Accepted forms of payment
Credit card, Electronic check
We have a separate page giving step by step directions on how to obtain a FOID card, appealing decisions, fees, renewals and more.
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in February 2018 that the ban on carry near a public park is unconstitutional.
Illinois passed a law banning concealed carry of firearms in 1949.
The 1949 law is revised and now bans the practice of concealed carry and open carry. Some counties were permitted to pass local laws to allow open carry but concealed carry was still banned in these counties.
A further law was passed in 1968 requiring residents to have a FOID card to purchase or possess firearms or ammunition.
Federal Court of Appeal rules in Moore v. Madigan that the Illinois ban on concealed carry is unconstitutional. The Federal court imposed a deadline of 180 days for the Illinois government to pass new laws reversing the 60 year ban on concealed carry. An extension of 30 days was later granted.
This was then backed up by another case, on September 12, 2013 when the Illinois Supreme Court rules in People v. Aguilar that the state’s law “Aggravated Use Of A Weapon” banning concealed carry is unconstitutional.
February 2018, see's the Illinois Supreme court rule that the ban on concealed carry near public parks is unconstitutional
Illinois has a waiting period after purchasing a firearm before the purchaser can take possession of the weapon. The waiting period is 72 hours for a handgun and 24 hours for a shotgun or rifle. The purchaser must also have a FOID card issued by the State Police to purchase any firearm or ammunition.
Sales made by a Federal Firearms License holder require the seller to verify the FOID card via an automated dial up system (Firearm Transfer Inquiry Program) run by the state police. The same checks will also need to be done for any sales at a gun show.
There is state preemption for all gun laws in Illinois. All prior restrictions made by local authorities relating to handguns are now rescinded. Local authorities cannot pass any new laws for handguns or long guns. However, laws relating to long guns that were in effect before the new gun laws came into effect in 2013 are still legally enforced.
430 ILCS 66 Section 90
“Subject only to the police power, the right of the individual citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”
(Art. I, 22)
For information on other states handgun laws please go back to the state laws page and select the state you are interested in.
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