Concealed Handgun Permit Unit
Act 4 of the First Extraordinary Session of the 1996 Legislature amended and re-enacted R.S. 40:1379.3 providing for the issuance of
statewide concealed handgun permits by the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Public Safety & Corrections (DPS). The permit
grants statewide authority to a citizen to carry a concealed handgun on his person. A handgun is defined as "a type of firearm
commonly referred to as a pistol or revolver originally designed to be fired by the use of a single hand and which is designed
to fire or is capable of firing fixed cartridge ammunition." It does not include "shotguns or rifles that have been altered
by having their stocks or barrels cut or shortened."
News
The passage of Act 874 of the 2012 Regular Legislative Session and the recently passed amendment to the constitution regarding the "strict scrutiny" standard does not nullify present laws regarding firearms or handguns. Statutes are presumed constitutional. A statute remains in effect unless and until, after being challenged in a court of proper jurisdiction, the law is declared unconstitutional.
The 2010 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature has made changes to LRS 40:1379.3. Most significantly, as of August 15, 2011, Louisiana will no longer allow residents to present a permit issued by another state for carrying in this state. The Laws and Rules Handbook is currently being re-written to reflect these changes.
- If you are interested in becoming an instructor, you must submit a completed instructor application, a detailed course syllabus, and certified true copies of your instructor certifications. Only Louisiana P.O.S.T. Firearm Instructor or National Rifle Association Basic Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home or Personal Protection Outside the home will be accepted. Please do not send cover letters, resumes, or any other material that is not required. This information must be submitted together or your application will not be processed.
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Due to the large volume of applications that the section has received this year, processing time has been increased to 120 business days.
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Please be sure to review your application for accuracy before submission. A discrepancy will delay its timely processing.
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You must list all arrests, regardless of the outcome, on the application and provide certified true copies of the dispositions from the court.
Concealed Handgun Permit New Legislation (Effective August 15, 2008)
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R.S. 40:1379.3(A)(2) – "Any information in any application for a concealed handgun permit or any information
provided in connection with the application... shall be held confidential and shall not be subject to any public records
request nor shall the information be considered as a public record pursuant to R.S. 44:1 et seq."
Laws and Rule Booklet
The electronic version of the Laws and Rule Booklet has been updated to include the changes in the 2008 Regular Legislative
Session. Printing of updated booklets will not be conducted until the Louisiana Administrative Code is amended in accordance
with the changes in statute.
NEW Law and Rule Booklet
Reciprocity (Effective August 15, 2004)
Effective August 15, 2004, the concealed handgun laws were amended concerning reciprocity with other states. The statute
provides as follows:
"...A current and valid concealed handgun permit issued by another state shall be deemed to be valid within this
state if a current and valid concealed handgun permit issued by Louisiana is valid in those states." Louisiana law requires residents of the State of Louisiana to possess a Louisiana permit to carry a concealed weapon in this state. Louisiana law does not prohibit residents from obtaining permits from other states to carry in those states.
Please see the Reciprocity section for updates.
http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/04RS/CVT2/OUT/0000LVEK.PDF
Should you have any questions or need further information, please contact the Concealed Handgun Permit Unit at (225) 925-4867.
How To Apply
Application Process:
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The average processing time is 120 business days for new and renewal concealed handgun permit applications.
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In an effort to allow the most efficient processing of your application, we suggest that you review the following
tips for both new and renewal applications:
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Review your application for completeness. An incomplete application may result in the delay or denial of your
application.
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Make sure all questions are answered correctly, specifically the questions with regard to arrests, medical conditions,
and 18 USC 922 g. (See selected statutes in the Law and Rule Booklet.)
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Read the arrest question carefully, as you must list all arrests, summons, and citations (except speeding citations)
even if listed on a previous application. You must provide a certified true copy of all arrest dispositions with
your application.
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If you listed a medical condition you must have the treating physician complete the medical
summary form before submitting your application.
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If you are currently subject to a protective or restraining order you must provide a certified true copy with
your application.
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For renewals, complete your application and send it in as soon as possible to avoid any lapse in permit privileges.
Original/First-Time Applicants:
In order to apply for a concealed handgun permit, a citizen should follow the steps below:
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Download a Concealed Handgun Permit Application and
complete the instructions found on pages one and two of the application. You may also obtain an
application at the State Police Headquarters (7919 Independence Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70806) between the
hours of 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
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Provide all necessary documentation pertaining to training, arrest dispositions, medical
summary dispositions, and divorcee decrees (if applicable).
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Contact your local police office, local sheriff's department, or State Police Headquarters for fingerprinting.
Fingerprinting at State Police Headquarters requires a $10.00 money order. Bring your photograph with you so the person fingerprinting you can sign and date the back of it. Prints must be
submitted on an FBI Applicant Fingerprint Card. The card should be completed as outlined in the application
instructions. Example
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All completed applications must be submitted to:
Louisiana State Police
Concealed Handgun Permit Unit
PO Box 66375
Baton Rouge, LA 70896
Renewals:
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Permit holders will be notified in writing at their address
of record, approximately 120 days prior to the expiration of their permit to begin the renewal process.
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Upon notification, download and complete the Concealed Handgun Permit Application.
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Submit the renewal application with a new passport photograph, a new training certificate, a photocopy of your driver's
license, and the appropriate fees.
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The completed application should be returned to the Department no less
than 90 days prior to the expiration of the permit to allow sufficient time for processing.
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You must submit your application within 60 days after the expiration date or you will be required to submit a new original
application including fingerprints.
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All completed renewal applications must be submitted to:
Louisiana State Police
Concealed Handgun Permit Unit
PO Box 66375
Baton Rouge, LA 70896
Fees
Notice! All permits are valid for five years:
Original/First-Time Applicants:
Ages 21 - 64
$125
65 Years of Age or Older
$62.50
NOTE: If you have not continuously resided within the State of Louisiana for the 15 years immediately preceding the date on which your application is received, an additional $50 non-refundable fee shall be submitted. This is only for first-time applicants and is not required for any subsequent renewals.
Renewals:
Ages 21 - 64
$125
65 Years of Age or Older
$62.50
NOTE: For renewal applications the additional $50 non-refundable fee and the submission of a fingerprint card is not applicable.
NOTE: ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE, and must be paid by money
order, cashier's check, or certified check.
Training
Original/First-Time Applicants:
In addition to meeting the qualifications in R.S. 40:1379.3(C), an applicant must demonstrate competence with a handgun
by completion of an approved firearms safety or training course taught by an NRA or P.O.S.T. certified instructor that
is registered with State Police, or completion of small arms training while serving in the military (as evidenced by
a DD-214), [active service members, reservist and national guard members must include a clear photocopy of their military
ID (front & back) with a copy of their last qualification record from their 201 file], or possession
of a current valid license to carry a concealed weapon issued by a parish law enforcement officer.
Renewals:
Pursuant to LAC 55:I:1307.D, each permittee applying for a renewal of his permit shall complete additional educational
training within one year prior to submitting a renewal application. To obtain renewal training, please contact one of
the LSP registered instructors.
Instructors
Any training course or class offered for the purpose of certification to obtain a concealed handgun permit must be conducted
by an NRA or P.O.S.T. certified instructor who has registered his name and certification with the Department. The
Department does not regulate the fees charged by these instructors.
Instructor List - These instructors have registered
with the Concealed Handgun Permit Unit in accordance with the administrative rules and have authorized release of their
names and phone numbers to applicants as of 4-30-13.
Instructor Requirements - Click here to view Louisiana Concealed Handgun Permit Intructor Requirements
Forms
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Concealed Handgun Permit Application
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Change of Address
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Instructor Information Form
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Medical Summary and Disposition
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Suspension/Revocation Affidavit DPSSP 4646 (Law Enforcement Use Only)
Firearm Registration/Transfer Forms
Louisiana law does not require the registration of handguns. However, the law requires the registration
and transfer of a firearm. The following is the legal definition of firearm;
"Firearm" means a shotgun having a barrel of less than eighteen inches in length; a rifle having a barrel
of less than sixteen inches in length; any weapon made from either a rifle or a shotgun if said weapon has been modified
to have an overall length of less than twenty-six inches; any other firearm, pistol, revolver, or shotgun from which
the serial number or mark of identification has been obliterated, from which a shot is discharged by an explosive,
if that weapon is capable of being concealed on the person; or a machine gun, grenade launcher, flame thrower, bazooka,
rocket launcher, excluding black powder weapons, or gas grenade; and includes a muffler or silencer for any firearm,
whether or not the firearm is included within this definition. Pistols and revolvers and those rifles and shotguns
which have not previously been defined in this Paragraph as firearms from which serial numbers or marks of identification
have not been obliterated are specifically exempt from this definition.
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Application To Register As Firearms Dealer, Importer, Or Manufacturer
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Application To Register Firearm - LA Revised Statutes, Title 40, Section 1783
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Application To Transfer Firearm - LA Revised Statutes, Title 40, Section 1784 & 1787
Prohibited Locations
R.S. 40:1379.3 (N) states that no concealed handgun may be carried into and no concealed handgun permit issued
pursuant to this Section shall authorize or entitle a permittee to carry a concealed handgun in
any of the following:
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A law enforcement office, station, or building;
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A detention facility, prison, or jail;
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A courthouse or courtroom, provided that a judge may carry such a weapon in his own courtroom;
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A polling place;
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A meeting place of the governing authority of a political subdivision;
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The state capitol building;
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Any portion of an airport facility where the carrying of firearms is prohibited under federal law, except that
no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, if the firearm is encased for
shipment, for the purpose of checking such firearm as lawful baggage;
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Any church, synagogue, mosque or similar place of worship; See RS 40:1379.3 (U)
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A parade or demonstration for which a permit is issued by a governmental entity;
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Any portion of the permitted area of an establishment that has been granted a Class A-General retail permit, as
defined in Part II of Chapter 1 or Part II of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.
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Any school "firearm free zone" as defined in R.S. 14:95.6.
The provisions of R.S. 40:1379.3 (N) shall not limit the right of a property owner, lessee, or other lawful custodian
to prohibit or restrict access of those persons possessing a concealed handgun pursuant to a permit issued under this
Section. No individual to whom a concealed handgun permit is issued may carry such concealed handgun into the private
residence of another without first receiving the consent of that person.
Duties of Permittees
The permit shall be retained by the permittee who shall immediately produce it upon the request of any law enforcement
officer. Anyone who fails to do so shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars. Additionally, when any peace officer
approaches a permittee in an official manner or with an identified purpose, the permittee shall:
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Notify the officer that he has a weapon on his person;
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Submit to a pat down;
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Allow the officer to temporarily disarm him.
A permittee may not carry and conceal a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled dangerous substance
(CDS) as defined in R.S. 40:961 and 964. For purposes of the concealed handgun law, a permittee is considered under
the influence of alcohol when a blood alcohol reading of .05% or greater by weight of alcohol in the blood is obtained,
or a blood or urine test shows any confirmed presence of a CDS.
The permit to carry a concealed handgun shall be revoked by the deputy secretary when the permittee is carrying and
concealing a handgun under any of the following circumstances:
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The blood alcohol reading of the permittee is .05% or greater by weight of alcohol in the blood;
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The permittee's blood test or urine test shows the confirmed presence of a CDS as defined in R.S. 40:961 and 964;
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The permittee refuses to submit to a department certified chemical test when requested to do so by a law enforcement
officer.
R.S. 40:1379.3(L) provides that anyone who carries and conceals a handgun in violation of any provision of this Section,
unless authorized to do so by another provision of the law, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned
for not more than six months, or both.
R.S. 40:1379.3(C)(1) requires the making of a sworn application to the deputy secretary of public safety services of
the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. The providing of false or misleading information on the application
or any documents submitted with the application shall be grounds for the denial or revocation of a concealed handgun
permit. The application shall reflect training in pistols, revolvers, or both. Any permittee under this Section
shall notify the department of any address or name change within thirty days of the change. Failure to timely notify
the department of a name or address change may result in suspension of the permit for up to thirty days.
R.S. 40:1379.3(R)(1) requires each permittee, within fifteen days of a misdemeanor or a felony arrest, other than a minor traffic violation, in this state or any other state, shall notify the deputy secretary of public safety services by certified mail. The deputy secretary may suspend, for up to ninety days, the permit of any permittee who fails to meet the notification requirements of this Section.
R.S. 40:1379.3(F)(1) mandates that the deputy secretary shall revoke the permit if at any time during the permit period
the permittee fails to satisfy any one of the qualification requirements provided for in Subsection C of R.S. 40:1379.3.
Reciprocity
Pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.3(T)(1) a valid permit in another state is valid in Louisiana if the issuing state honors concealed
handgun permits issued by Louisiana.
Permit holders are reminded that while carrying a concealed handgun in another state they are bound by that state's
laws governing concealed carry and permittees from other reciprocal states are bound by Louisiana
concealed carry laws while in Louisiana.
States that honor Louisiana permits AND whose permits are honored in Louisiana
States that DO NOT honor Louisiana permits
| State |
Date Notified |
Contact # |
| California |
08-12-2004 |
(916) 227-0163 |
| Hawaii |
08-19-2004 |
(808) 586-1160 |
| Illinois |
08-23-2004 |
(800) 255-3323 |
| Maryland |
08-17-2004 |
(410) 799-0191 |
| Massachusetts |
08-18-2004 |
(617) 660-4600 |
| New Jersey |
08-26-2004 |
(609) 882-2000 |
| New Mexico |
12-14-2011 |
(505) 841-8053 |
| New York |
08-30-2004 |
(800) 770-0220 |
| Oregon |
10-01-2004 |
(503) 378-3070 ext.418 |
| Rhode Island |
08-23-2004 |
(401) 274-4400 |
Links
Office of the State Register
This is a searchable database of the Louisiana Administrative Code. These are the administrative rules governing the
issuance, and regulation of concealed handgun permits. These rules are contained in the Louisiana Administrative Code,
Title 55, Part I, Chapter 13, Sections 1301 and 1317.
Louisiana State Legislature Search
This is a searchable database of the Louisiana Revised Statutes. The specific laws concerning concealed handgun permits
are located in R.S. 40:1379.3 et seq.
Contact Us
Please direct any written correspondence, or submit applications to:
Louisiana State Police
Concealed Handgun Permit Unit
PO Box 66375
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70896
Concealed Handgun Permit Unit Phone Numbers:
(225) 925-4867
(225) 925-4868
(225) 922-0225 (Fax Number)
Office Personnel:
1. Sergeant Michelle King
2. Wyndie Chifici (Office Manager)
Concealed Handgun Permit Unit E-Mail Address:
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