The issues of covert carrying firearms in the United States are regulated at the level of the state legislatures that make up its composition.
At the beginning of 2017, each of the 50 US states (as well as the District of Columbia) allowed the concealed carrying of weapons in public places (with the exception of specially designated areas - school grounds, courthouses, and the like). Illinois became the last state to repeal this ban in 2013 (the District of Columbia did this in 2014 ). In Vermont, the right to both concealed and open arms is established on the basis of a decision of the Supreme Court, without special legislative acts.
Content
Background
For the first time, a ban on the hidden carrying of weapons was established in the states of Kentucky and Louisiana in 1813 - it was believed that this method of wearing was used by persons associated with crime (while the open carrying of weapons was allowed). By 1859, the states of Indiana , Tennessee , Virginia , Alabama, and Ohio followed suit. By the end of the 19th century, similar laws were passed by Texas , Florida, and Oklahoma . As a result, by the middle of the 20th century, this ban was introduced in most southern US states , while arms trafficking itself remained legal. Covert carrying of weapons was not officially prohibited on the West and East coasts, but obtaining an appropriate license was fraught with a lot of difficulties.
The situation began to change in 1987 , when the hidden carrying of weapons was allowed first in Florida , and then in some states of the North-West of the USA . At the beginning of 2017, a license for the hidden carrying of weapons is freely issued in 29 states of the USA, and in 13 it is not required at all.
Permissive Policy
As a rule, the US states in matters of concealed carrying weapons can adhere to one of four principles:
- No restrictions ( Eng. Unrestricted ): a license for the hidden carrying of weapons is not required;
- Mandatory issuance ( English Shall-issue ): a license is needed, but actually nominally. The applicant must not justify his desire;
- Possible issue ( Eng. May-issue ): a license is needed, and it is provided at the discretion of local authorities;
- Forbidden ( Eng. No-issue ): the hidden carrying of weapons in public places is prohibited (for individuals), with rare exceptions.
Concealed Weapon License
Documents that give the right to carry arms hidden, do not have a common name in the United States and are called differently in different states:
- CHL / CHP ( Eng. Concealed Handgun License / Permit ) - license / permit for concealed hand weapons
- CCW ( Eng. Concealed Carry Weapons ) - hidden weapons
- CDWL / CWP / CWL ( Eng. Concealed (Defensive / Deadly) Weapon Permit / License ) - license / permission for concealed (defensive / deadly) weapons
- CCP / CCL ( eng. Concealed Carry Permit / License ) - license / permission for hidden wearing
- LTC / LTCF ( eng. License To Carry (Firearms) ) - license to carry (firearms)
- CCDW ( eng.Carry of Concealed Deadly Weapon license ) - license to carry hidden deadly weapons
- CPL ( Eng. Concealed Pistol License ) - Hidden pistol license
Thirteen US states use a single permit to regulate both the latent and open methods of carrying weapons.
See also
- Second Amendment to the US Constitution