Concealed carry licenses rise as Ohio regulation relaxes
A look at the numbers, laws and process
In the past 10 years Ohio experienced a dramatic growth of licenses issued for carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), or concealed handgun licenses (CHL).
In 2017 so far 62,004 CHLs have been issued and 40,215 have been renewed as of the Ohio Attorney General’s first three quarterly statistics reports.
According to the Ohio Attorney General’s 2016 annual report, the total number of issued licenses in 2016 totaled at 117,953. This is an increase of about 844 percent last year alone compared to the total issued in 2006.
In 2015, Ohio issued 71,589 licenses. On March 23 of that year a new Ohio law went into effect that reduced the amount of training from 12 hours to eight, which could have caused the spike of licenses in 2016.
Executive Director, Dean Reick, of the Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) said more people tend to apply for concealed handgun licenses the less “burdensome” the process.
“You had to basically [do] a two-day course,” Reick said about the initial 12-hour training requirement. “It was reduced to eight hours which can be done in one day and we did see a little spike … because it was just a little easier.”
Republican Gov. Bob Taft signed the bill that allowed private Ohio citizens to apply for concealed carry licenses in January 2004.
The law went into effect in April and the Ohio Attorney General’s annual reports show that Ohio issued 45,497 CHLs that year.
Since the laws initial implementation, bills have passed gradually easing the regulations of concealed carrying.
“[T]here have been incremental changes over the years,” Reick said. “There were some real problems with the way the rules were written originally.”
Reick explained the issue of concealing a firearm when in a vehicle.
“The way it used to work is once I got in my car the firearm needed to be visible,” he said.
The law was changed in 2006 and allowed licensed carriers to conceal their firearms both out of their vehicle and in their vehicle.
“It reduced the amount of handling. You don’t want people handling their gun anymore than they have to,” Reick said.
In June 2011, Gov. John Kasich signed a bill that allowed licensed carriers to carry firearms in all class D licensed liquor establishments in Ohio. This includes bars, restaurants, shopping malls and nightclubs.
Most recently, Ohio Senate Bill 199 became effective on March 21, 2017. The relaxed regulation of this bill prohibits a business entity from having a policy that prohibits licensed individuals from keeping their firearms in their vehicle in otherwise gun-free places.
When asked about his views on current regulations, Reick said they were “fairly burdensome.”
“It’s not difficult, it’s just a fairly lengthy process,” Reick said. “Applying for a driver’s license is significantly easier because there aren’t as many steps.”
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence (OCAGV) could not be reached for comment on their views of current Ohio concealed carry regulations.
Brady Campaign’s website, however, states that they have a goal to campaign for background checks for all gun sales. Currently, background checks are not required for private sales and gun shows.
The OCAGV’s website lists its own solutions for stricter gun sales including a “one-gun-a-month law” and to “regulate the unpopular ‘concealed carry’ law that allows Ohioans to carry loaded, hidden guns.”
The Ohio Attorney General’s website provides a manual for CCW laws that includes the application process. The Ohio Revised Codes give detailed explanations of the laws pertaining to CCW licenses.
In order for a person to acquire a CCW license they must go through a series of steps that could take up to a few days depending on what an applicant already has done before applying.
Before applying for a license to carry, the manual states that an individual must prove his or her training and competency through certification. This is done through a minimum of eight hours of training which includes two hours of in-person range time and live-firing.
The manual states certified training is required by law to include:
- “The ability to name, explain, and demonstrate the rules for safe handling of a handgun and proper storage practices for handguns and ammunition;
- The ability to demonstrate and explain how to handle ammunition in a safe manner;
- The ability to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to shoot a handgun in a safe manner;
- Gun-handling training.”
After acquiring certification of training, an Ohio citizen can then apply for a CCW license, provided he or she is at least 21 years of age.
The steps for applying for a CCW license are:
- Read the Attorney General’s pamphlet
- Have necessary documentation:
- Government issued photo identification
- Original or photocopy of a training certificate no older than three years
- Colored photo taken within 30 days prior to applying
- Call the local sheriff’s office to determine times to apply
- Apply to the sheriff of the county in which you live, or a neighboring county
- Pass a criminal background check and mental competency check
- Pay a non-refundable fee for application with a minimum of $67
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The Ohio Revised Code, as well as the Attorney General’s Concealed Carry Manual, lists plenty of restrictions when it comes to applying for a CCW permit, including conviction of violent crimes, substance abuse, mental incapacity and conviction of any federal crimes. These cases would prevent an applicant from receiving a license to carry.
