Constitutional Carry

NAGR’s Position: Support

Constitutional Carry is the basic principle that if you are legally eligible to purchase a firearm, you should be able to carry that weapon, open or concealed, for self-defense without government “permission.”

Constitutional Carry laws recognize the right of every law-abiding citizen to carry a firearm, openly or concealed, on their person, without having to receive government permission in the form of a mandatory state-issued permit.

These laws affirm the nature of our individual God-given right to be armed, as codified in the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which states:

“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Constitutional Carry may also be referred to as Freedom to Carry, Permit-less Carry or Vermont Carry.

Constitutional Carry is not “Unrestricted Carry.” It also does not abolish existing permit systems, or their corresponding reciprocity agreements.

Passing a Constitutional Carry bill is a key goal of the National Association for Gun Rights’ State Legislative program. As of June, 2023, 27 states have adopted some form Constitutional Carry, making it is one of hottest pro-gun fights of the last decade.

For more information, make a selection from the Constitutional Carry topic icons to learn more. For questions that are not addressed in these pages, please contact us.