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No Concealed Weapons Permit Required in Arizona

By Kamika Dunlap on April 21, 2010 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

People 21 and older will no longer need a concealed weapons permit in Arizona.

Arizona has now become the third state, joining Alaska and Vermont, to allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit, the Associated Press reports.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer recently signed a bill into law upholding the constitutional right to bear arms over pressing concerns about gun safety.

The measure will likely take effect sometime in July or August and allows people 21 or older to carry a concealed weapon without a permit.

Under the Arizona legislation people 21 and older would be allowed to forego background checks and classes when buying guns from individuals who aren't dealers. (Federal law still requires anyone buying a gun from a licensed dealer to undergo a background check.)

However an individual carrying a gun would be required to tell a police officer if asked, and the officer can take the weapon temporarily while communicating with the person.

Many opponents arguing that legalizing concealed weapons will lead to more shootings. In addition, there would be increased violence as less people have training carrying weapons.

Arizona's new state laws have rekindled the debate about guns on campus, as previously discussed.

As it stands now, carrying a hidden firearm in Arizona without a permit is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. But the new law would change that and lifts the permit requirement.

The state also recently put a law on the books allowing gun toters to take their guns into Arizona bars and other establishments licensed to sell alcohol, unless the bar has posted adequate signage forbidding guns.

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