Concealed carry in Ohio is possible with a state-issued Concealed Handgun License. The local sheriff’s office is in charge of the Ohio CCW permit application.
Since the state has a shall-issue policy, once you meet all other requirements, the sheriff’s office will accept your application.
With an Ohio CCW permit, you can purchase firearms without having to go through the NICS background check.
Ohio Gun Laws
You Can conceal carry in Ohio with a Concealed Handgun License issued to residents of the state.
Non-residents, on the other hand, can conceal carry with a CCW permit issued by any state that Ohio reciprocates.
Before you apply for the Ohio CCW permit, you must be at least twenty-one years old and meet all other requirements provided by gun laws in the state.
Members of the United States Armed Forces in Ohio do not need a CCW permit. If they have an ID card issued by the military, along with other firearm training recommendations that meet Ohio concealed carry requirements.
Non-residents permits in Ohio are only issued to people that work in the state and live in other states.
Ohio CCW Permit Requirements
Ohio will honor permits that are issued by other states in the USA.
Other aspects of its reciprocity include the following:
- States that Ohio will honor their CCW permit: Ohio honors CCW permits from other states in the country. This is according to the state attorney general’s CCW manual in November two thousand and eighteen. Also, if you are just moving into Ohio with a CCW permit from other states, you have until six months to obtain an Ohio CCW permit with your new residential address. However, you must be at least twenty-one years old before Ohio will allow you to conceal carry on its territory.
- States that will accept Ohio CCW permit: These states will allow you to conceal carry within their jurisdiction, as long as you have a CCW permit issued by Ohio. There are nineteen of them.
- States that have restricted reciprocity with Ohio: You can conceal carry in these states with just a resident-only CCW permit issued by Ohio. Non-resident permits are not allowed. There are five of them.
- States that have a permitless CCW policy: As a resident of Ohio, you do not need a CCW permit to conceal carry in these states. They have a permitless policy, and if you meet the age requirements and other regulations, you will be allowed to conceal carry.
If you have to conceal carry in any other state with an Ohio CCW permit, regardless of if such state has a reciprocity deal with Ohio or not, you must handle your firearm according to their gun laws.
Ohio CCW Location Restriction
Gun laws in Ohio restrict the possession of CCW in some particular areas. These areas are off-limits, and possession of firearms there can lead to a charge.
The only exception to location restrictions is law enforcement officers, peace officers, and in some situations, members of the military.
Places Where You Cannot Conceal Carry In Ohio
- You cannot conceal carry within the premises of a school, and this includes events organized by schools and school vehicles. An exception to this is having a firearm in your car while picking up or dropping off your child. However, in this case, you must still have your Ohio CCW permit with you.
- You cannot conceal carry in buildings used for children care or a daycare home.
- You cannot conceal carry within the premises of any building used by a public or privately owned college, university, or an educational institution. However, universities allow firearms storage in personal vehicles.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in law enforcement offices or any premises under the control of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification in Ohio.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in courthouses or during a court proceeding.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in capitol buildings of the state.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in prisons, jails, or any other correctional institution in the state.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in safety zones of airport terminals.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in institutions used for the treatment of mentally deranged and people with any other mental disability.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in any place that has a license to sell alcoholic beverages. If you are under the influence of alcohol, there is signage prohibiting the possession of firearms on such premises.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in places of worship unless you have a permit from those in charge to do so.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in any private building, property, or vehicle, as long as there is a post that prohibits firearms.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in state government buildings without permission.
- You are not allowed to conceal carry in places that are prohibited by gun laws of the state.
Places Where You Can Conceal Carry In Ohio
There are no state laws that prohibit you from the possession of firearms in these places or situations:
- Restaurants and Bars: You can conceal carry except you are under the influence of alcohol, or there is a post prohibiting it.
- Private vehicle: You can conceal carry, but you must be with your Ohio CCW permit.
- Roadsides: You can conceal carry along roadsides and in rest areas.
- State/National parks and forests: You can conceal carry in state and national forests and parks, as well as Wildlife Management Areas. However, the Buildings in these places might be off-limits.
Conceal Carry For Law Enforcement Officers In Ohio
According to the Law Enforcement Officer Act in the USA, officers of the law, including those out of service in good standing and retired officers, can conceal carry without location restrictions or any other limitation by state and local laws.
The Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission applies the LEOSA standards with the help of an approved instructor in the state.
Various law enforcement agencies conduct this in the state, hence retired officers will qualify from the agency he or she retired from and will be issued a LEOSA identification card.
Note that retired officers can use this qualification to conceal carry only in Ohio.
Outside the state, officers that want to conceal carry in Ohio must qualify for LEOS asper Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission.
Buying And Selling Of Firearms In Ohio
You must be familiar with the requirements and regulations of dealing with firearms in Ohio according to the state’s gun laws.
Purchase Permits And Handgun Registration.
Ohio does not issue purchase permits for buying firearms in the state. However, you can use your concealed handgun license to purchase a gun.
There are also no gun registrations in Ohio.
Criminal Record Background Check In Ohio
You must complete a background check before buying firearms in Ohio, especially if you are buying from a state or federally licensed seller.
Most private firearm sellers do not undergo a background check before selling firearms.
Also, if you have an Ohio CCW permit issued on or after May twenty-fifteen, you do not have to undergo a background check.
You must keep the firearm receipt. Make sure you don’t lose it in case you need it to prove ownership of your gun.
Waiting Period For Buying Firearm In Ohio
There are no waiting periods for completing the sales of firearms in Ohio.
Age Requirements For Possession Of Firearms In Ohio
Ohio does not have any state age requirements for the possession of firearms in the state; therefore, the federal minimum age requirement of eighteen years old applies.
But the minimum age to purchase a firearm and apply for a CCW permit in the state remains twenty-one years old.
The only exception to this age is law enforcement officers and the members of the USA military.
Castle Doctrine In Ohio
Ohio adopts the castle doctrine policy. This means that it is justifiable to use a certain amount of force if you consider it reasonable or necessary to prevent or stop an injury or imminent death.
This law means that you do not have a duty to retreat without using an excessive force in your home of residence or your vehicle.
Castle doctrine in Ohio took effect in March, two-thousand and nineteen with a presumption that a homeowner or vehicle owner acts in self-defense while using deadly force against an intruder.
A charge against the homeowner means the complainant must prove that the homeowner did not use deadly force as a means of self-defense or to defend another person in his/her residence.
Ohio CCW Permit Requirements
You must meet Ohio concealed carry permit requirements before you apply for the concealed license.
You are at risk of a rejected application if you do not meet these requirements.
They include the following:
- You must be at least twenty-one years old.
- You must be a resident of Ohio for a minimum of forty-five days and a resident of the local county where you are applying, for a minimum of thirty days.
- For a non-resident permit, you must be working in Ohio.
- You must be a legal citizen of the United States of America.
- You must complete the Ohio concealed carry permit course for firearm training except you are a member of the military, retired, or honorably discharged, with gun training experience proof.
- You must not be under suspension from using a CCW permit of another state.
- You must not be a fugitive or have an arrest warrant in your name.
- You must not be a convict of any felony case, or under any indictment whatsoever.
- You must not be a convict, or plead guilty to any domestic violence or assault.
- You must not be a convict or charged with drug trafficking or related crimes, misdemeanor violence crimes, or the assault of a law officer.
- You must not be a convict or guilty of any of the above crimes for three years before Ohio concealed carry permit application.
- You must not be under arrest for falsifying a CCW permit.
- You must not have any protection order from a court in Ohio or any other state in the USA.
- You must not be guilty for a multiple delinquent assault charge five years before the CCW permit application.
- You must not be guilty of resisting arrest that has to do with a criminal charge for ten years before Ohio concealed carry permit application.
- You must meet all other federal laws for concealed carry permit applications.
How To Apply For CCW Permit In Ohio
Having met all the requirements to apply for a CCW permit in Ohio, you can then begin the application process.
They include the following:
Complete A Firearm Training Course
Make sure that you enroll for an Ohio concealed carry permit course first.
This could also be an Ohio concealed carry permit online class, as long as a certified instructor in the state conducts it.
Download And Complete Application
Download the application from an online portal and complete it.
Submit The Necessary Documents
Submit the following documents to your local sheriff’s office:
- The completed application form.
- Proof of firearm training certificates.
- Your recently taken passport photograph of not more than thirty days.
- Provide your fingerprint and pay the required fee.
- Receive Notification Mail
You will receive an approval or denial mail after the processing period.
Firearm Training Requirements In Ohio
The firearm training requirement for training in Ohio must be eight hours with at least two hours of training for a live-fire session.
The training must teach the following:
- Naming and explaining the basic rules for safety while handling a firearm, and the standard storage procedure for guns and ammunition.
- Demonstration on how to handle firearms safely and appropriately.
- Demonstration of the necessary knowledge, techniques, and behaviors needed to shoot firearms safely.
- Training on how to handle a gun.
You also have to complete a written examination to test your concealed carry competency where you will answer questions on rules of handgun safety and storage practices.
You will also demonstrate your competency in the handling and storage of firearms physically.
You can complete the written exam online, but you must be available for the demonstration part.
Exceptions to firearm training in Ohio are only for members of the military and law enforcement officers that meet LEOSA.
Ohio Concealed Carry FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about CCW in Ohio.
For How Long Is My Ohio CCW Permit Valid?
The permit is valid for five years.
How Much Is Ohio CCW Application?
The costs for CCW application in Ohio consists of the following:
- Initial permit for residents of Ohio who have lived in the state for more than five years is sixty-seven dollars, with fifty dollars’ renewal.
- Initial permit for residents of Ohio who have lived in the state for less than five years is ninety-one dollars with seventy-four dollars for renewal.
How Long Will It Take Me To Get Ohio CCW Permit?
CCW permit is Ohio has a processing period of forty-five days
