The Carry Permit
La. R.S. 40:1379.3 — a permit for those 21 or older, for 5 years at $25 a year, after a handgun course
The deputy secretary of public safety services issues a concealed handgun permit to anyone who qualifies. A person who may carry without one under R.S. 14:95(M) is not required to have it to carry a concealed handgun in Louisiana.
- The applicant is 21 years of age or older and makes a sworn application reflecting training in pistols, revolvers or both.
- Competence is shown by one of the listed courses, most of them completed within the preceding 12 months, or by small arms training in the armed forces within the preceding 60 months.
- No felony conviction, no crime of violence at the misdemeanor level within 5 years of the sentence ending, and no controlled substance misdemeanor within the 5 years before the application.
- No permit denied within 1 year, and none revoked within 4 years, before the application.
The permit is issued for a term of 5 years at a cost of $25 per year and is valid in every parish. A lifetime permit prepays the yearly fee for 20 years, or 10 years at 65 or older, and its holder proves educational training every 5 years. An honorably discharged veteran is exempt from all fees for either permit.
A permit issued by another state to a person 21 or older is honored in Louisiana if a Louisiana permit is valid in that state. A Louisiana resident cannot rely on another state's permit here.
Sources for this section (1)
- La. R.S. 40:1379.3 — Statewide permits for concealed handguns; application procedures; definitions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Louisiana attorney.