Laws Concerning the Carrying of Concealed Firearms in Utah

Do Utah residents need a permit to carry concealed firearms in public?
Yes. Utah has a “shall-issue” permitting system for residents who want to carry concealed firearms in public. This means that law enforcement officials must issue a permit to any resident who meets a basic set of requirements (see below). The permit is good for five years, after which time it must be renewed.

How much training is required to obtain the permit?
A one-time, four-hour, sit-down class in gun safety. Applicants are not required to do any range training or live-fire exercises.

Does Utah allow permit holders from other states to carry firearms inside their borders?
Yes. Utah has formal reciprocity agreements with the following states and allows their residents with concealed handgun permits to carry firearms inside Utah: AL, AK, CO, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, ND, NH, OH, SD, TX, VA, WA, and WV.

Can permit holders openly carry firearms on a college campus?
Yes. In Utah, firearms can be carried openly on the campuses of public colleges and universities, but only by concealed handgun permit holders.

Who’s not allowed to carry concealed firearms in public in Utah?
The following categories of individuals are prohibited under law from obtaining a concealed carry permit in Utah: Those under the age of 21; convicted felons; those convicted of any crime of violence (e.g., interference with a police officer, fleeing, resisting arrest, failure to obey a police officer, and obstruction of justice); those convicted of any offense involving the use of alcohol; those convicted of the unlawful use of narcotics or other controlled substances; those convicted of any offense involving moral turpitude (e.g., theft, fraud, tax evasion, issuing bad checks, robbery, bribery, perjury, extortion, arson, criminal mischief, falsifying government records, forgery, receiving stolen property, firearms violations, burglary, vandalism, kidnapping, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, bigamy, incest, adultery, fornication, prostitution, indecent exposure, public urination, and violations of the pornographic and harmful materials and performances act); those convicted of any offense involving domestic violence, and; those adjudicated as “mentally incompetent.”

How do Utah officials determine who falls into these prohibited categories?
According to the Utah Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Identification, the following databases are searched during the screening on an applicant for a concealed handgun permit: National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS); the Interstate Identification Index (III); National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrants; local and statewide warrants; Utah criminal records; local and state juvenile records; and a database of the mentally adjudicated.

What potentially dangerous individuals would be able to qualify for a Utah concealed carry permit?
Those charged with a Class C misdemeanor more than 3 years ago; those charged with a Class B misdemeanor more than four years ago; and those charged with a Class A Misdemeanor more than 5 years ago; those with a violent juvenile felony 10 years ago; those with non-violent felonies 7 or more years ago; and those who received a DUI more than four years ago. Those who have previously been under, but are no longer under an active restraining or protective orders. Those who are mentally ill and a threat to themselves and/or others, but who have not been adjudicated as a “mental defective” or involuntarily committed.