National CC licenses/permits over 5 million

[AlanM]

Total for 30 of 50 states = 5,072,558.

A person that posts on the Gungeon has spent a considerable amount of time to TRY to get a reasonable estimate of the number of concealed carry licenses/permits that are currently in use in the country.
He's been able to get statewide data on 30 states. Some by information on the internet and others by emails requesting the stats.
Below is his list. His number for Ohio is low by about 5,600 since the new state stats just came out.

I don't know if data are available for the other states or not.
Note: I was able to follow some of his links and I found that some of the state totals are several years old.

Code: Select all

CC permit totals for 30 States
Arizona            162,508
Arkansas           104,615
California          40,296
Colorado            66,038
Florida            749,741
Idaho               77,679
Iowa                73,399
Kansas              33,769
Kentucky           153,119
Louisiana           37,782
Michigan           275,978
Minnesota           79,180
Missouri           136,528
Montana             26,539
Nebraska            12,217
New Mexico           3,767
North Carolina     195,553
North Dakota        12,111
Ohio               236,481
Oklahoma           107,264
Pennsylvania       737,014
South Carolina     119,340
South Dakota        55,770
Tennessee          317,001
Texas              461,724
Utah               141,588
Virginia           238,395
Washington         329,154
West Virginia       65,065
Wyoming             22,943
TOTAL            5,072,558

[Jakeiscrazy]

I'm surprised to see Florida with such high numbers I wouldn't have guessed that.

[wpoppert]

I'm surprised to see Florida with such high numbers I wouldn't have guessed that.

I'm even more surprised by PA! Must be those folks in the western part still clinging to their guns and Bibles!

[mk4]

i wonder what kind of percentage that # is of all generally chp-eligible folks. anyone have a rough guess?

[Chasbo00]

I'm even more surprised by PA! Must be those folks in the western part still clinging to their guns and Bibles!

I suspect it has to do with PA's low permit fee and their previously offering non-resident permits by mail. Although PA no longer offers non-resident permits by mail, the fee for a five-year permit is only $20 and there are no training requirements.

[tursiops]

There is surely some double-counting in these numbers. For example, I hold permits from four states. So 5 million permits isn't likely to mean 5 million different people.

[rod]

Non-resident Florida permits are popular. I'm surprised Utah doesn't have a high number. Their non resident permits are popular too.

[AlanM]

I've done some research on the Gungeon post.
The OP seems to have done his best to ONLY report resident licenses of states that issue to non-residents.

I've verified this to be true for Virginia, Utah, and Florida.

The Ohio total is low.
I've just updated my Excel workbook of Ohio CHL stats with 2011 2nd quarter numbers. As of June 30, 2011 Ohio had 242,086 licenses in effect. (My best guess.)

[wpoppert]

There is surely some double-counting in these numbers. For example, I hold permits from four states. So 5 million permits isn't likely to mean 5 million different people.

Good point! But that raises a question for me: Is there any advantage to getting a non-resident permit in a state that already has reciprocity with VA?

[tursiops]

There is surely some double-counting in these numbers. For example, I hold permits from four states. So 5 million permits isn't likely to mean 5 million different people.

Good point! But that raises a question for me: Is there any advantage to getting a non-resident permit in a state that already has reciprocity with VA?

Yes, because that state may have reciprocity with states that VA does not.

[wpoppert]

There is surely some double-counting in these numbers. For example, I hold permits from four states. So 5 million permits isn't likely to mean 5 million different people.

Good point! But that raises a question for me: Is there any advantage to getting a non-resident permit in a state that already has reciprocity with VA?

Yes, because that state may have reciprocity with states that VA does not.

Thanks!!