Carrying a Handgun
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-35 — a permit to carry outside home, land or business, and the permit carried with the gun
No person may carry a pistol or revolver on their person without a permit to carry, except within their own dwelling house, on land they lease or own, or in their own place of business.
Who handles this in Connecticut: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Connecticut directory.
- A permit holder carries the permit while carrying the gun, and presents it when a law enforcement officer who has reasonable suspicion of a crime and sees the gun asks for it.
- No person may knowingly carry any firearm intending to display it, outside the same places and some others the section lists. Reasonable steps to conceal it, a fleeting glimpse, an imprint through clothing, and a display while lawfully defending oneself are not that.
- A permit does not allow carrying where the law forbids it, or where the person who owns or controls the premises forbids it.
| What happened | What it is |
|---|---|
| What happenedCarrying a pistol or revolver without a permit | What it isA class D felony, one year of it not suspended or reduced without mitigating circumstances, and the gun forfeited |
| What happenedCarrying a firearm intending to display it | What it isA class B misdemeanor the first time, class A after that |
| What happenedA permit holder not carrying the permit | What it isAn infraction, fined $35 |
A temporary state permit comes from the local permitting authority where the applicant has a bona fide permanent residence, usually the chief of police, after a state and national criminal history check, on a finding that the applicant intends only lawful use and is a suitable person. A course in the safe use of firearms, taken not earlier than two years before the application, comes first.
Sources for this section (3)
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-35 — Carrying of pistol or revolver without permit prohibited. Knowingly carrying any firearm with intent to display such firearm prohibited. Exceptions
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-28 — Permit for sale at retail of firearms. Permit to carry pistol or revolver. Confidentiality of name and address of permit holder. Permits for out-of-state residents
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-37 — Penalties
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Connecticut attorney.