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The state of Arkansas has a shall-issue policy for concealed carry. The Department of Public Security (DPS) is in charge of issuing CCW in the state.

Arkansas is also very liberal (classically liberal) in dealing with the purchase of guns and firearms. You do not need a permit or history check before purchasing a gun from a retailer.

Arkansas Gun Laws

Arkansas gun laws state that permit-less concealed carry is legal as long as the holder is above the legal age of 18. In this case, a license is not even required.

A concealed carry permit would be given to residents of the state if they choose to obtain one. 

Another important aspect of concealed carry Arkansas is the Enhanced concealed carry permit (E-CHCL). This is a special permit that allows a holder to carry weapons in some restricted places.

Arkansas also does not issue a permit to people that are not a resident of the state. 

So if you want a CCW permit in Arkansas, you know what to do.

Arkansas CCW Reciprocity

Arkansas CCW reciprocity terms and conditions allow people from other states to conceal carry within Arkansas as long as they are within the legal age. 

This implies that no concealed carry permit from Arkansas is required.

How Does Arkansas CCW Reciprocity Work?

Arkansas CCW reciprocity deals with other states which cover four important parts.

  • Concealed carry reciprocity with other states: This refers to states whose CCW permits would be regarded in Arkansas
  • Reciprocity of other states with Arkansas: This refers to states that respect Arkansas concealed carry permit within their territory. As a resident of Arkansas, you are allowed to own your weapon in these states.
  • Restricted reciprocity of other states with Arkansas: This refers to states that would honor only a CCW permit from residents of Arkansas.
  • States without a permit: These states do not demand any form of permit before possessing a concealed weapon within their territory. Therefore, anyone from Arkansas that isn’t below the age limit can possess a concealed carry.

It is important to note that even though an Arkansas permit is allowed in these reciprocity states, you have to handle the weapon according to the law guiding the state. 

Arkansas CCW Reciprocity Agreements

In conclusion, Arkansas will honor a CCW permit from 37 states, and 57 states will honor an Arkansas CCW permit.

What Are the Requirements for Arkansas CCW Permit?

So how do you go about obtaining your CCW permit in Arkansas? 

First of all, you need to meet concealed carry requirements in Arkansas, before you start thinking of getting a permit. 

Here are some of the requirements you must meet prior to obtaining a CCW permit in Arkansas:

  • You must be a legal resident and a citizen of the united states of America
  • You must be 21 years old or more. People below 21 years old must be a member of the armed forces and at least 18 years old.
  • You must be a resident of the state for at least a period of 90 days, a member of the United States Armed Force, or have a legal partner who is active in the military.
  • You must not suffer from any physical or mental stability that will hinder your ability to handle a gun. Also, you must not have been a victim of a suicide attempt previously. 
  • You must not have been previously convicted of a felony without getting a pardon and/or having the record expunged by a court of law
  • You must not be a victim of restriction of a firearm and/or other weapons by the state law.
  • You must not be a victim of drug or alcohol abuse such that your mental abilities have been affected 
  • You must be conversant and must have read Arkansas concealed carry laws 
  • You must not have been declared mentally incapable of handling a weapon
  • You must not have previously been associated with any mental institution, either voluntarily or involuntarily
  • You must not be a fugitive or someone who has an arrest warrant to his name. 
  • You must have undergone a CCW training from a recognized concealed carry class Arkansas
  • You must not have been convicted of any crime relating to the use of a CCW in 5 years
  • You must meet all federal CCW requirements 

Location Restrictions for Arkansas Concealed Carry?

When we talk about CCW restriction in Arkansas, there are two major permit licenses. They are:

  • Concealed Handgun Carry License Holders
  • Enhanced Concealed Handgun Carry License Holders 

Where you can carry Guns in Arkansas 

Bars and Restaurants

Except stated by the restaurant manager, you can conceal carry within the vicinity of a restaurant if you have your permit. 

For restaurants with bars, concealed carry is prohibited in the bar area and this applies to ordinary bars too.

Conceal Carry in Vehicles

You can conceal carry in your vehicle, as long as you have concealed carry permit Arkansas, and the vehicle is not in a restricted area.

If you do not have a permit from the state, then you must have one from any of the states that have a reciprocity deal with Arkansas

Roadside Areas

You can conceal carry on the roadside.

Parks and Forests

You can conceal carry in national parks and forests as long as you have your permit.

If you possess an E-CHCL permit, you can conceal carry in the following places:

  • Universities and Colleges, as long as you are above the age of 21. However, if there is a restricted area within the building, you must respect that.
  • Buildings that are meant for public use
  • Government buildings and facilities
  • Any area used by the state government for meeting purposes.
  • Any area used for a general assembly meeting
  • State government offices 
  • Grounds use for sports and athletic purposes
  • Some regions of alcohol-producing companies 
  • Airport terminals and train stations
  • Religious grounds e.g. churches and mosques
  • A public gathering or parade ground where the license holder is a legal participant.

Where you can’t carry Guns in Arkansas

CHCL concealed carry Arkansas is restricted to these places:

  • Except it is permitted by the school authority, concealed weapons should be kept away from the school premises 
  • Arkansas state highway buildings and transport departments. Exemptions to this include rest areas, parking garages, and stations
  • Prison or any other detention facility
  • A courtroom and its premises 
  • Any meeting venue for the gathering of a legislative body or government committees 
  • CCW is prohibited from sports grounds in Arkansas universities
  • CCW is prohibited in the offices of Arkansas police and sheriffs
  • Any state facility or office
  • A sporting event that does not have to do with the use of guns or firearms. If it is a firearm event, then the holder must be a participant 
  • Areas strictly restricted for the consumption of alcohol, and this includes beers and white wines
  • Airport terminal, except the weapon is being transported legally. In this case, it must be unloaded and considered safe 
  • Religious grounds, except it has been ordered by the person in charge 
  • Buildings that have banned the possession of guns or firearms within their vicinity
  • Public gatherings and parade exercises that have been approved by the government 
  • Places where the federal law prohibits the use of CCW.
  • Most of these places will have areas where you can keep your firearm until you are done with your mission in the building.

As a concealed carry permit holder in Arkansas, you are obligated to respect this at all times.

Training Requirements for Concealed Carry in Arkansas

There are very few things in life that aren’t better with prior preparation. Hence, preparing ahead of time allows us to make better decisions.

Now, talking about getting ready for your concealed carry class Arkansas, prior preparation can be even more important. 

Your concealed carry class is an important step toward you being ready to deal with the worst-case scenario that you hope never happens. 

The more prepared you are for your training, the more prepared you can be to deal with the situation when violence comes your way. 

Defensive Training can be a very enjoyable experience. Many people find training for self-defense to be a great hobby. 

Oftentimes the first experience someone has with defensive training is their concealed carry class. As in many other things in life our first experience can be a make-it or break-it deal. 

So, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your training, regardless of it being concealed carry online Arkansas.

What Does Arkansas Concealed Carry Class Entail?

Below is a list of what you should know:

Know your Arkansas Concealed Carry Requirements.

Each state has an educational requirement for concealed carry training. So Arkansas has its own set of requirements that need to be met for you to legally apply for a concealed carry permit. 

It is your instructor’s job to provide you with opportunities to meet the requirements. But ultimately it is your job to demonstrate the competence that is required. 

Find out what it is you need to do to qualify for your concealed carry permit and ask yourself the following questions:

  • How many hours are you required to spend in the classroom or online? 
  • What topics are required to be covered in the classroom? 
  • What are the requirements that need to be met on the range? 
  • How many rounds need to be fired? 
  • Is there a qualification? 

Finding the answer to these types of questions helps you make sure that you are up for the type of training. It will also help you find a quality instructor. 

Finding a Quality Instructor 

There has been a huge influx in the number of people interested in concealed carry training in the past decade. Naturally, this has resulted in a lot of people offering concealed carry training. 

The quality of those instructors varies greatly. While the majority provide adequate levels of training. There certainly are instructors on both ends of the spectrum.

It is important to remember that carrying a concealed handgun is a high stakes endeavor. The decisions you make are quite literally life or death decisions.

Take the time to find an instructor that provides outstanding training opportunities. 

There are several indicators you can use to try and determine the quality of instruction you receive from a trainer. 

Although you can’t judge a book by its cover, the price of the training you are seeking can be indicative of its quality. 

It is often true that you get what you pay for. More expensive courses will likely include higher quality training. 

Price alone, however, doesn’t give us the whole picture. If the concealed carry trainer has a website. Take a look at the course description. Does the course meet or exceed the state requirements? 

Oftentimes you won’t know if course content is quality until after you have been through the course.

But there are a couple of things that you should know for sure. Every concealed carry course should include live-fire training from the holster. 

Also, take a look at the instructors’ website and other firearms websites for after-action reports published by students.

Previous customers can give you valuable information in reviews. This will help you decide if you have encountered a quality instructor.

Other things you should know

After you find a quality instructor you need to make sure that you understand the course particulars in terms of:

  • Where will the class take place? 
  • Is the range indoor or outdoor? 
  • What equipment will be supplied? 
  • What do you need to make sure you bring? 
  • What about food and hydration? 

It is important to be comfortable as possible when you train because comfort will help you learn better.

Arkansas Concealed Carry Class Online

The most important thing is to find an approved concealed carry online class Arkansas.

If your online class fails to meet the educational requirements set forth for your concealed carry class and you apply for a permit, you may be committing a crime. 

Therefore, make sure you know the educational requirements set by the state and that the course you take meets or exceeds those requirements

Arkansas Concealed Carry FAQs

Here are some other information you should know about concealed carry applications in Arkansas.

What is the cost of the CWC permit in Arkansas? 

The price of concealed carry Arkansas costs varies based on age.

For the age range of 21-64, Online application is $91.1 while paper application is $88.25

For the age of 64 and above, Online application is $66.15 while paper application is $63.25

Additional costs may also be included for fingerprints.

How long does Arkansas permit last?

Concealed carry permit Arkansas is only valid for a period of 5 years after which you will have to undergo the renewal process. 

The online application for the renewal process is $52.50 while the paper application is $50.00. Both of these renewals contain fees, background checks, and applications.

There is a late renewal fee of $15 dollars for a period of less than 6 months. 

If you do not renew your permit for more than 6 months, then you have to undergo a conceal carry application all over again. 

So make hay while the sun shines!

Additional Resources

Arkansas Gun Laws
Arkansas Open Carry Laws
Arkansas Gun Permit Laws

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