Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground in Kansas

Kansas recognizes a strong castle doctrine and stand-your-ground rule. You have no duty to retreat anywhere you are lawfully present, and the law presumes a reasonable belief in deadly-force necessity when you defend your dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle from an unlawful intruder. Those rules do not authorize unlimited force; the use of force still has to be reasonably necessary, the force has to be proportional to the threat, and the protections do not apply if you are the aggressor or are committing a crime when you use force.

Kansas spreads its self-defense law across several distinct statutes in Article 52 of the Crimes and Punishments code. Each statute does a separate job. Mixing them up is a common student mistake and a common litigation mistake. The sections below walk through them one at a time.

How the Kansas statutes fit together

Five statutes do most of the work for self-defense and defense of habitation:

• K.S.A. 21-5222 authorizes the use of force in defense of a person (you or a third party).
• K.S.A. 21-5223 authorizes the use of force in defense of a dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. This is the operative castle-doctrine statute.
• K.S.A. 21-5224 establishes the presumption that an occupant reasonably believed deadly force was necessary against someone unlawfully entering or already inside a dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. This is what most people mean when they say "the castle-doctrine presumption."
• K.S.A. 21-5225 addresses the use of force in defense of property other than a dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle.
• K.S.A. 21-5230 is the stand-your-ground statute. It states that a person not engaged in unlawful activity, who is in a place they have a right to be, has no duty to retreat before using justified force.
• K.S.A. 21-5231 grants immunity from criminal prosecution and civil liability for justified uses of force, and directs how the investigation of those uses of force proceeds.

A separate statute, K.S.A. 21-5226, limits how an aggressor can claim self-defense. If you started the fight or were the initial physical aggressor, your defenses under 21-5222 and 21-5223 are restricted unless you withdraw and communicate that withdrawal.

You should think of these statutes as layers. The defense-of-person and defense-of-dwelling statutes give you the underlying right to use force. The presumption statute makes it easier to prove you acted reasonably in the home or vehicle context. The stand-your-ground statute removes a duty to retreat that might otherwise apply at common law. The immunity statute keeps you out of court entirely if your use of force was justified.

Defense of dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle (K.S.A. 21-5223)

This is the core castle-doctrine statute. Read it in three parts.

Subsection (a), non-deadly force. You are justified in using force against another person when you reasonably believe such force is necessary to prevent or terminate the other person's unlawful entry into, or attack upon, your dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. The standard is a reasonable belief, judged from your perspective with the information you had at the time.

Subsection (b), deadly force. You are justified in using deadly force to prevent or terminate unlawful entry into, or attack upon, any dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle if you reasonably believe deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to yourself or another. Note the structural change: deadly force is tied to a specific threat (imminent death or great bodily harm), not just to the fact that someone is trying to come in.

Subsection (c), no duty to retreat. Nothing in the statute requires you to retreat when you are using force to protect your dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. This is a focused no-retreat rule for the castle-doctrine context. The broader stand-your-ground rule in 21-5230 covers other locations.

The statute applies to three discrete locations:

• Dwelling: a structure where you live, including a temporary dwelling.
• Place of work: where you carry on your employment or business.
• Occupied vehicle: a vehicle with a person inside it.

A vehicle has to be occupied for 21-5223 to apply. An empty parked car is not covered by the castle-doctrine statute, although it may be covered by the more limited defense-of-property rules in K.S.A. 21-5225.

The castle-doctrine presumption (K.S.A. 21-5224)

Kansas law lifts a meaningful evidentiary burden off the defender in a home, workplace, or occupied-vehicle scenario. Under K.S.A. 21-5224(a), a person is presumed to have a reasonable belief that deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another if both of the following are true:

1. The person against whom force is used, at the time the force is used,
   • (A) is unlawfully or forcefully entering, or has unlawfully or forcefully entered and is present within, the defender's dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle, or
   • (B) has removed or is attempting to remove another person against that other person's will from the defender's dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle; and
2. The person using force knows or has reason to believe that one of those conditions is occurring or has occurred.

When the presumption applies, the burden practically shifts. The defender does not have to prove from scratch that they reasonably believed they faced imminent death or great bodily harm. The law assumes that belief was reasonable. The State can still try to rebut the presumption with evidence, but the starting point favors the defender.

The presumption does not apply in four situations, set out in K.S.A. 21-5224(b):

1. Co-tenants and lawful residents. The person against whom force is used has a right to be in, or is a lawful resident of, the dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle, and is not subject to a protective order under K.S.A. 21-5924 (or its prior-law equivalent K.S.A. 21-3843) that would prohibit their presence. A spouse or roommate who has a right to be in the home is not someone you can shoot under the presumption simply because they walked in.
2. Lawful custody of a child or grandchild. The person being removed is a child, grandchild, or someone otherwise in the lawful custody or under the lawful guardianship of the person against whom force is used. The presumption is not a tool for one parent to use deadly force against another parent in a custody dispute.
3. Defender engaged in a crime. The person using force is engaged in the commission of a crime, attempting to escape from a location where a crime has been committed, or is using the dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle to further the commission of a crime. If you are running a meth lab in your house, the castle-doctrine presumption is not available to you.
4. Law enforcement performing duty. The person against whom force is used is a law enforcement officer who has entered or is attempting to enter in the lawful performance of official duties, and the defender knows, or reasonably should know, that the person is a law enforcement officer. Officers serving valid warrants are not "intruders" within the presumption.

The fourth exception is worth a second look. It does not require an announced entry or any particular procedural posture. It requires only that the entry be lawful and that the defender know or reasonably should know that the person entering is law enforcement. If officers serve a no-knock warrant and announce as they enter, the defender's knowledge analysis is fact-specific and depends on what was visible and audible at the moment force was used. The Kansas case law in this area is thin, so caution is warranted.

The presumption is a powerful tool, but it is narrower than students sometimes assume. It speaks only to the deadly-force-necessity question. It does not, by itself, answer whether you were the initial aggressor, whether you were committing a crime, or whether the entry was actually unlawful. Those issues remain in play.

Defense of a person (K.S.A. 21-5222)

Castle doctrine is the rule for protecting habitation. Defense-of-person under K.S.A. 21-5222 is the rule for protecting yourself or someone else, anywhere.

Subsection (a), non-deadly force. You are justified in using force when you reasonably believe such force is necessary to defend yourself or a third person against another's imminent use of unlawful force.

Subsection (b), deadly force. You may use deadly force in those circumstances if you reasonably believe deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to yourself or a third person.

Subsection (c), no duty to retreat. Nothing in the statute requires you to retreat when you are using force to protect yourself or a third person.

In practice, 21-5222 covers everything outside the home, workplace, or occupied vehicle. A confrontation in a parking lot, a fight in a restaurant, or a third-party rescue at a gas station are all governed by 21-5222 (with 21-5230's stand-your-ground rule reinforcing the no-retreat principle). 21-5222 does not include the 21-5224 presumption. In a 21-5222 case, the defender carries the practical burden of explaining what made the threat appear imminent and what made the level of force reasonable.

The Kansas Supreme Court has confirmed that defense of dwelling and self-defense are not mutually exclusive. An individual may respond with reasonable force in self-defense to a lawful use of force in defense of a dwelling if the individual believes the force is unlawful (State v. Andrew, 301 Kan. 36, 340 P.3d 476 (2014)). The two doctrines run on parallel tracks; they are not picked off a menu.

Stand your ground (K.S.A. 21-5230)

K.S.A. 21-5230 is the broad stand-your-ground rule. It states:

A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in a place where such person has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand such person's ground and use any force which such person would be justified in using under [K.S.A. 21-5202 through 21-5208, 21-5210 through 21-5212, and 21-5220 through 21-5231].

The statute has two cumulative conditions:

1. You are not engaged in unlawful activity. Carrying a firearm without a permit is permitless under Kansas law for adults 21 and older, so lawful concealed carry by itself does not make you "engaged in unlawful activity." A person committing a crime at the moment of the confrontation, however, loses stand-your-ground protection.
2. You have a right to be in the location. Public sidewalks, your own property, businesses open to the public, and a friend's home where you are welcome all qualify. A trespasser does not satisfy this condition.

When both conditions are met, no duty to retreat applies. You may stand your ground and use whatever force the underlying defense statutes (chiefly 21-5222 and 21-5223) authorize. Stand-your-ground does not authorize new force; it removes a procedural condition (retreat) that might otherwise apply.

The two no-retreat provisions overlap. K.S.A. 21-5223(c) says you have no duty to retreat in your dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. K.S.A. 21-5230 says you have no duty to retreat anywhere you are lawfully present and not engaged in unlawful activity. The two work together, and the broader rule in 21-5230 covers situations the castle statute does not.

Immunity from prosecution and civil liability (K.S.A. 21-5231)

K.S.A. 21-5231 grants immunity from criminal prosecution and civil liability when a use of force is justified under the chapter's defense statutes. This is one of the most consequential pieces of Kansas self-defense law, and it is also one of the least understood by students.

What immunity actually means in Kansas:

• It is not the same as a self-defense verdict at trial. Self-defense is a defense raised at trial, where a jury weighs the evidence. Immunity is a pretrial determination. The defendant asks the court to dismiss the charges before trial because the use of force was justified.
• The court must decide it before trial. The Kansas Court of Appeals has held that district courts perform a procedural gatekeeping function. They must prevent cases where defendants qualify for immunity from going to trial in the first place (State v. Betts, 60 Kan. App. 2d 269, 489 P.3d 866 (2021)). The distinction between self-defense and immunity, as the court put it, is effectively lost if a case is erroneously permitted to go to trial.
• It also blocks civil suits. Civil immunity is built into the same statute. A justified user of force in Kansas is shielded from civil claims by the alleged aggressor or the aggressor's estate.
• It has limits. The Kansas Supreme Court has held that statutory immunity is confined to use of force against a person or thing reasonably believed to be an aggressor and does not extend to reckless acts while engaged in self-defense that result in unintended injury to innocent bystanders (State v. Betts, 316 Kan. 191, 514 P.3d 341 (2022)). If a stray round hits a bystander, immunity does not insulate the defender from liability for that injury.

A practical sequence for a justified use of force in Kansas looks like this:

1. Force is used. Law enforcement responds and investigates.
2. The prosecutor reviews the case and decides whether to charge.
3. If charged, the defendant files a motion seeking immunity under K.S.A. 21-5231 before trial.
4. The district court holds an evidentiary hearing and rules.
5. If immunity is granted, the case is dismissed and civil immunity follows. If denied, the defendant may still raise self-defense at trial under 21-5222 or 21-5223.

The immunity hearing is not automatic. The defendant has to ask for it. Counsel familiar with Kansas self-defense practice is essential.

Defense of property other than dwelling, work, or vehicle (K.S.A. 21-5225)

K.S.A. 21-5225 governs the use of force to protect property that does not qualify as a dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. The most common examples are an unoccupied parked car, a detached garage with no one inside, a field, or personal items left in a public place. The protections under 21-5225 are narrower than those under 21-5223. As a working rule, do not use deadly force solely to protect property in Kansas. Deadly force in defense of property without a parallel threat to a person is not justified under Kansas law and exposes the user to homicide charges.

Aggressor limits (K.S.A. 21-5226)

K.S.A. 21-5226 takes self-defense and castle-doctrine protections away from initial aggressors. If you provoked the use of force or were the first to use unlawful force, the defenses under 21-5222 and 21-5223 are not available unless you have withdrawn from the encounter and effectively communicated your withdrawal to the other party, and the other party then continues or threatens to continue the use of unlawful force. A "I changed my mind" thought is not enough. The withdrawal has to be visible, and the other party has to be on notice.

Practical scenarios

These scenarios are presented to translate the statutes into operational thinking. They are not legal advice. Kansas case law on each fact pattern is fact-specific, and outcomes turn on details a paragraph cannot capture.

Scenario 1: Late-night home invasion. You wake up to the sound of glass breaking. Someone climbs through your living-room window. You retrieve your handgun and confront the intruder, who is now inside your dwelling. Under K.S.A. 21-5223(a), you may use force to prevent the unlawful entry or attack. Under 21-5223(b), if you reasonably believe deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm, you may use deadly force. Under 21-5224(a), you are presumed to have that reasonable belief because the intruder unlawfully entered and is present within your dwelling and you know it. You have no duty to retreat. If charged, you can seek immunity under 21-5231 before trial.

Scenario 2: Mistaken identity in your home. You hear a noise. You assume an intruder. You shoot the silhouette. It is your adult son who came home unexpectedly. The son had a right to be in the dwelling. The 21-5224(b)(1) exception removes the presumption: the person against whom force was used had a right to be there. You are not categorically barred from self-defense, but the case becomes a fact-specific reasonableness inquiry under 21-5222, with no presumption of reasonableness in your favor. This is why target identification matters before the trigger comes back.

Scenario 3: Carjacking. Two men attempt to pull you out of your occupied vehicle in a parking lot. You draw a concealed handgun. K.S.A. 21-5223 applies because the vehicle is occupied. The 21-5224(a)(1)(B) presumption applies because someone is attempting to remove you from the occupied vehicle against your will and you know it. The same deadly-force, no-retreat, and immunity rules apply.

Scenario 4: Argument escalates outside a bar. You and a stranger exchange words in a parking lot. The stranger throws the first punch. You draw and fire. K.S.A. 21-5223 does not apply because you are not in a dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle. K.S.A. 21-5222 applies, with the 21-5230 stand-your-ground rule reinforcing the no-retreat principle. The 21-5224 presumption does not apply. You will have to show that you reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. A single thrown punch, without more, is rarely enough to establish that. The aggressor analysis under 21-5226 will also be examined.

Scenario 5: Officer entry. Police kick in your door at 5 a.m. executing a search warrant. You hear shouting that you cannot understand and grab a firearm. The 21-5224(b)(4) exception applies if officers were lawfully entering and you knew, or reasonably should have known, they were officers. Whether you "reasonably should have known" depends on what officers said, what was visible, and what time it was. This is a fact-intensive area, and the safer rule is to assume the presumption does not apply when entry is by uniformed police, even at unusual hours.

Scenario 6: Empty parked car. A thief tries to break into your unoccupied car parked in your driveway. K.S.A. 21-5223 does not apply because the vehicle is unoccupied. K.S.A. 21-5225 governs. Deadly force solely to protect the unoccupied vehicle is not justified. If the thief turns and threatens you with a weapon, the analysis shifts back to 21-5222 (defense of person), with stand-your-ground under 21-5230.

Cross-references

What to tell students

A clean, instructor-friendly summary of Kansas castle-doctrine and stand-your-ground rules:

• Inside your dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle, the law is on your side. The presumption of reasonable belief in deadly-force necessity applies if an intruder is unlawfully entering, has unlawfully entered and is still present, or is forcibly removing someone.
• The presumption is not unlimited. It does not apply against co-tenants, against people with custody of a child you are trying to take from them, when you are committing a crime, or against identifiable law enforcement on lawful business.
• Outside the home, workplace, and occupied vehicle, you still have no duty to retreat under 21-5230 if you are not engaged in unlawful activity and have a right to be there. But the use of deadly force still has to be reasonably necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to a person.
• Deadly force solely to protect property is not justified in Kansas.
• If you started the fight, you have to withdraw and communicate that withdrawal before self-defense becomes available again.
• A justified use of force gets immunity from both criminal prosecution and civil liability, but immunity has to be raised by motion before trial under K.S.A. 21-5231, and it does not cover reckless injury to bystanders.

Kansas case law in this area continues to develop. Students should treat the points above as the framework, not as a substitute for current legal advice in any specific incident.

Open Carry Laws in Kansas

General Legality

Open carry is legal in Kansas for any non-prohibited person 18 years of age or older. No license is required. Kansas is a permissive open-carry state and a constitutional (permitless) concealed-carry state, so most adults have two lawful options for carrying a handgun in public.

Open carry is legal not because a Kansas statute affirmatively authorizes it, but because no Kansas statute prohibits it. The U.S. LawShield Kansas guide states the rule plainly:

"Kansas law does not specifically address the issue of open carry. Therefore, open carry is legal with or without a license."

In practice this means:

1. You may openly carry a holstered handgun (or a long gun) in public without a permit.
2. You must be old enough and otherwise legally eligible to possess the firearm.
3. Federal prohibitions, posted buildings, schools, courthouses, and other location restrictions still apply.

The rest of this section operationalizes those rules.

Who May Open Carry

Kansas does not require a license to open carry. The eligibility test is whether you can lawfully possess the firearm and whether you meet the minimum age. There is no provisional or standard license tier for open carry, and no state-issued open-carry permit.

Minimum Age

The minimum age for open carry is 18. This differs from concealed carry, where unlicensed carry requires age 21 and an 18 to 20 year old must hold a provisional Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) under K.S.A. 75-7c03.

The age divergence comes from K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4), which criminalizes carrying:

"(4) any pistol, revolver or other firearm concealed on one's person if such person is under 21 years of age, except when on such person's land or in such person's abode or fixed place of business..."

That subsection restricts concealed carry under 21. It does not restrict open carry. The Kansas Attorney General confirmed this allocation in AG Opinion 2017-18.

So an 18, 19, or 20 year old who can otherwise legally possess a handgun may openly carry that handgun in Kansas. They may not carry it concealed without a provisional CCHL. Federal law sets the floor for handgun possession (a licensed dealer may not transfer a handgun to a person under 21, but possession of a handgun received from a private party or family member is generally lawful at 18, subject to state law). Kansas does not raise that floor for open-carry purposes.

Prohibited Persons

Federal and state firearm prohibitions apply with full force. You may not lawfully possess a firearm if you are a convicted felon (Kansas addresses felon-in-possession through K.S.A. 21-6304 generally, alongside the federal bar at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)), subject to a qualifying domestic violence misdemeanor conviction or restraining order (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8) and (9)), an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance, adjudicated mentally defective or involuntarily committed, dishonorably discharged from the armed forces, an illegal alien, a fugitive from justice, or a person who has renounced U.S. citizenship.

Kansas has no residency requirement for open carry. A non-resident who is at least 18, can legally possess a firearm under federal law, and is not subject to a Kansas firearm disability may openly carry under the same rules as a resident.

The Line Between Open and Concealed

Kansas does not statutorily define "concealed." The practical test most law enforcement officers apply is whether the firearm is observable to a casual observer in the ordinary course of public interaction. A handgun in a holster outside your clothing is open carry. A handgun in an inside-the-waistband holster covered by a shirt or jacket is concealed. A handgun in a closed bag, backpack, purse, or briefcase carried on your person is concealed. A holster covered by a coat blowing in the wind is a gray area; some prosecutors will treat momentary covering as still openly carried, others will treat any non-trivial covering as concealed.

If you are 18 to 20 and rely on open carry, holster and clothing choice both matter. An external belt holster with a contrasting cover garment is the safest combination. Avoid inside-the-waistband holsters and tucked shirts. If you are 21 or older the line is less critical for criminal liability under K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4), but it still matters for posted-building purposes because the AG's signage scheme distinguishes "concealed prohibited" from "open prohibited" buildings.

State Preemption: Local Governments Cannot Ban Open Carry

Kansas has one of the strongest firearm preemption statutes in the country. Under K.S.A. 12-16,124(a):

"No city or county shall adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution or regulation, and no agent of any city or county shall take any administrative action, governing the requirement of fees, licenses or permits for, the commerce in or the sale, purchase, transfer, ownership, storage, carrying, transporting or taxation of firearms or ammunition, or any component or combination thereof."

K.S.A. 12-16,124(b) goes further: any pre-existing local ordinance regulating open carry that was on the books before July 1, 2015, is "null and void." The Attorney General has applied this preemption directly to local open-carry bans (AG Opinion 2013-13: "City ordinance banning the open carry of firearms by all persons except those in possession of a valid state-issued concealed carry license would be pre-empted by state law").

The narrow exceptions K.S.A. 12-16,124 preserves are personnel policies covering city or county employees, ordinances under K.S.A. 75-7c20, law enforcement officer activity within the scope of duty, and sales-tax collection. None of those allows a general municipal ban on open carry. The bottom line: a Kansas city or county cannot ban open carry, and any pre-2015 local ordinance to the contrary is no longer enforceable.

Where Open Carry Is Prohibited

You may not openly carry where state or federal law prohibits firearms entirely, or where a building has been posted in compliance with the Attorney General's signage rules.

Federal Prohibitions

Federal law prohibits firearm possession (open or concealed) in:

• Federal buildings (18 U.S.C. § 930)
• Post offices, including the parking lot
• VA medical facilities
• Military installations
• Secure areas of airports, including TSA-screened terminal areas
• Schools, under the Gun-Free School Zones Act (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)), unless you hold a state-issued CCHL or qualify for another federal exception

K.S.A. 75-7c10(i) reinforces federal preemption: "Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize the carrying or possession of a handgun where prohibited by federal law."

Posted Buildings: The "Open Carry Prohibited" Sign

Kansas treats open-carry restrictions in private and government buildings as a posting matter, not a criminal one. The 2014 amendments (HB 2578) authorized building owners to post signs prohibiting open carry independently of concealed carry. The operative posting language is set out in K.S.A. 12-16,124, which is in the corpus and supplies the rules quoted below. K.S.A. 75-7c24 (per the chapter-75 index, titled "Restrictions on carrying unconcealed firearms; exceptions; penalties; sign requirements") also addresses unconcealed-firearm signage; the operative posting language quoted in this guide is sourced from K.S.A. 12-16,124. Per the U.S. LawShield Kansas guide:

"The building is conspicuously posted in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the attorney general as a building where carrying an unconcealed firearm is prohibited; it shall be unlawful to carry an unconcealed firearm into such building."

"Any person who violates this section shall not be subject to a criminal penalty but may be subject to denial to such premises or removal from such premises."

Two things to operationalize: a properly posted "open carry prohibited" sign creates a legal duty to leave (or, if you are a CCHL holder, to conceal); violation is not itself a criminal offense (the remedy is denial of entry or removal), but refusing to leave after being asked supports a separate criminal trespass charge under Kansas criminal trespass laws.

The Kansas Attorney General publishes four standard signs for private buildings covering every combination of open and concealed restrictions:

A separate set of signs applies to "exempt" state or municipal buildings (those without adequate security measures, where concealed carry by lawful carriers cannot be restricted). When you walk up to a Kansas business, read the entrance signs carefully. A "concealed prohibited" sign does not prohibit open carry. An "open prohibited" sign does not prohibit concealed carry by a CCHL holder. A combined sign prohibits both. If no sign is posted, both methods are allowed.

State and Municipal Buildings

Government buildings follow the K.S.A. 75-7c20 framework. Restrictions apply only when the building has (1) adequate security measures at every public entrance (metal detectors plus armed personnel sufficient to detect and restrict firearms) and (2) conspicuous signage at the public entrances. A government building lacking adequate security cannot prohibit lawful carry on its premises.

Three categories deserve specific attention:

• K-12 public schools. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act prohibits firearm possession within 1,000 feet of K-12 school property by anyone who is not a state-licensed permit holder. Open carry without a CCHL is prohibited within a school zone under federal law. K-12 school district buildings themselves may also prohibit any carry by posting signage at entrances.
• Universities and community colleges. Postsecondary institutions may restrict carry on campus only if adequate security and signage are in place at public entrances. Outdoor grounds remain open to lawful carry regardless of building posting.
• Courthouses. A judicial district may restrict carry in a courtroom under K.S.A. 75-7c20(h) if adequate security and signage are in place. Most Kansas courthouses post and screen, so plan to leave your firearm secured outside.

State Capitol Building

The state capitol has its own rule. Under K.S.A. 75-7c21, concealed carry is allowed in the state capitol if you are 21 or older (or 18 to 20 with a valid CCHL or recognized out-of-state license). K.S.A. 75-7c21 authorizes only concealed carry in the capitol. Open carry of a handgun is not allowed in the state capitol building. If you carry inside the capitol, conceal it. Enforcement flows from the affirmative concealed-only authorization in K.S.A. 75-7c21 itself, plus the general public-buildings framework at K.S.A. 75-7c20 and Capitol-security authority over the building. (Note: K.S.A. 21-6309 governs criminal discharge of a firearm; it is NOT the operative government-property carry statute.)

Correctional and Law Enforcement Facilities

Under K.S.A. 75-7c20(g), correctional facilities, jail facilities, and law enforcement agencies may prohibit any handgun (concealed or unconcealed) in any secure area of a building on such premises. Adequate security measures and signage are not required for these facilities to enforce the prohibition. Treat any law-enforcement or jail building as off-limits unless you are an officer acting within the scope of duty.

State or Municipal-Owned Medical Facilities

State or municipal-owned medical care facilities, adult care homes, and mental health centers may prohibit concealed or open carry without the requirement for adequate security measures (K.S.A. 75-7c20). The governing body of such an institution may also choose to permit specific employees to carry under a written policy (K.S.A. 75-7c10(d)).

Liquor Establishments and Private Property

Kansas does not have a general statute prohibiting open carry in establishments that serve alcohol. A bar or restaurant may, however, post an "open carry prohibited" or combined sign under the AG's signage scheme.

A private property owner (or the owner's agent) may prohibit open carry on the premises, with or without signage. If asked to leave, you must leave. Refusing supports a charge under Kansas criminal trespass laws even if no sign is posted.

Open Carry in Vehicles

Kansas law does not prohibit open carry in a vehicle. A handgun in a holster on your person, or visibly placed on the seat or dash, is legal for any non-prohibited adult 18 or older. Practical points:

• If stopped while openly carrying, keep your hands visible, tell the officer what you have and where it is, and do not move toward the firearm without instruction.
• Based on a review of the available corpus, Kansas has no general statutory duty to inform a peace officer that you are armed. You are not legally required to volunteer the information, but most instructors recommend doing so anyway in calm, direct terms.
• A long gun in plain view in a vehicle is legal. Sliding a long gun into a soft case in the backseat does not create a concealed-carry problem because K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) addresses firearms concealed on one's person, not firearms covered or cased in a vehicle.
• Federal vehicle rules (the Firearm Owners' Protection Act peaceable-journey rule) apply when transiting between states.

If you are 18 to 20 and traveling with a handgun in a vehicle, keep it openly visible (holster on your hip, on the seat, or on the dash). A handgun in the glove compartment, center console, or under a jacket on the passenger seat could be charged as concealed under K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4).

Penalties

There is no general criminal penalty for open carry in Kansas because open carry is not a prohibited act. Penalties arise only when open carry combines with one of the underlying violations:

Open carry inside a posted building is not by itself a crime under Kansas law. Criminal exposure starts when you are asked to leave and refuse, when the firearm is independently illegal (NFA, prohibited person), or when a federal prohibition applies.

Practical Tradeoffs: Open vs. Concealed

Both options are legal in Kansas for a non-prohibited adult who meets the age requirement. Open carry is available at 18, requires no license or training, and supports a faster draw from an external holster. Concealed carry creates lower social friction with businesses and private hosts, preserves tactical surprise, and (with a CCHL) provides reciprocity in many other states, exempts you from the federal Gun-Free School Zone Act for travel through K-12 zones, and may serve as an alternative to NICS background checks for firearm purchases from licensed dealers.

Most Kansas instructors recommend concealed carry as the default for everyday carry, with open carry reserved for specific contexts (hunting, ranch work, range trips). For an 18 to 20 year old, open carry is the only no-license option. The other path for that age group is a provisional CCHL under K.S.A. 75-7c03, which permits both methods.

Common Questions

Can a private store ban open carry without a sign? Yes. The owner or agent can ask you to leave. Refusal supports criminal trespass.

Can I open carry a long gun? Yes. The age threshold is 18.

Is there a duty to inform a peace officer? No. Kansas has no statutory duty to volunteer that you are armed.

Can a city require a permit just for open carry in city parks? No. K.S.A. 12-16,124 preempts local permit requirements for the carrying of firearms.

Key Statutes Reference

Ambiguities and Notes

• Kansas does not statutorily define "concealed." The line between open and concealed carry is fact-specific. Train and dress to keep your method unambiguous.
• The Kansas posting framework (operative language at K.S.A. 12-16,124, with K.S.A. 75-7c24 also addressing unconcealed-firearm signage per the chapter-75 index) treats violations as civil (denial or removal) rather than criminal. A separate charge under Kansas criminal trespass laws is available if the carrier refuses to leave.
• AG Opinion 2011-6 predates the 2013 and 2014 expansions of K.S.A. 12-16,124 and should be read against the current preemption text. The conservative reading is that no general municipal open-carry ban survives preemption.
• The "adequate security measures" requirement in K.S.A. 75-7c20 has been the subject of multiple AG opinions clarifying that "adequate security measures" and "adequate security" are not synonymous and that the requirement applies to all public entrances of the building.

Source Information

• Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (ksrevisor.gov): K.S.A. 21-6302, K.S.A. 75-7c10, K.S.A. 75-7c20, K.S.A. 75-7c21, K.S.A. 12-16,124. Last scraped 2026-03-28 to 2026-04-10.
• Kansas Attorney General's Office (ag.ks.gov): Approved Signage page (concealed and unconcealed firearm signage scheme). Last scraped 2026-03-28.
• Kansas Attorney General Opinions Op. Att'y Gen. Kan. 2011-6, 2013-13, 2017-18 (sourced through K.S.A. 21-6302 and K.S.A. 12-16,124 statutory annotations).
• U.S. LawShield. Kansas Gun Laws guide (Methods of Carry - Open Carry Laws). Last scraped 2026-03-28.
• Giffords Law Center. Concealed Carry Laws in Kansas. Last scraped 2026-04-10.

Kansas Firearm Storage Requirements

The Bottom Line

Kansas does not have a general safe-storage law for firearms. The state defers to federal law and individual responsibility. There is no Kansas statute requiring firearms to be locked, stored in a safe, secured with a trigger lock, or kept inaccessible to minors in the home. There is no child-access prevention (CAP) statute, no negligent-storage offense, and no licensing condition tied to how a firearm is kept when not being carried.

If you are a Kansas resident or a CCHL holder, your storage practices are not regulated by Kansas statute. You may store a firearm loaded, unloaded, in a safe, on a nightstand, in a glove box, or anywhere else on property you own or control, subject only to general criminal laws (you cannot, for example, leave a firearm in a way that constitutes a separate criminal act such as endangering a child or aiding a prohibited person to access it).

What the Kansas Statutes Actually Say About Storage

The Kansas Personal and Family Protection Act (K.S.A. 75-7c01 through 75-7c24) and the Kansas criminal code (K.S.A. Chapter 21) contain no provision titled "safe storage," "secure storage," or "child access prevention." A search of the Kansas Statutes Annotated for storage-mandate language returns nothing applicable to private possession of firearms by lawful owners.

The only place "safe storage" appears in Kansas firearms law is in the CCHL training curriculum requirement at K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(1)(A), which directs the Attorney General to require that the eight-hour handgun safety and training course include:

"A requirement that trainees receive training in the safe storage of handguns, actual firing of handguns and instruction in the laws of this state governing the carrying of concealed handguns and the use of deadly force."

This is a curriculum requirement for instructors, not a possession requirement for licensees. It tells you what must be taught in class. It does not tell you how you must store your firearm at home, in your vehicle, or in your business. After class, no Kansas statute checks back in on whether you actually followed any storage practice.

This is consistent with how third-party legal trackers describe the state. U.S. LawShield's Kansas summary states plainly: "Kansas does not have any laws specifically related to how firearms must be stored." The Giffords Law Center catalog of Kansas firearm laws likewise does not list any storage statute, because none exists to list.

Federal Storage-Related Requirements That Apply in Kansas

While Kansas itself imposes no storage rule, federal law does apply two narrow requirements that touch storage at the point of sale and during interstate transport.

Trigger or Locking Device at the Point of Sale

Federal law requires FFL dealers to provide a secure gun storage or safety device with handgun transfers to non-licensed individuals. In practice, every new handgun sold by a Kansas dealer ships with a cable lock, trigger lock, or similar device in the box. The dealer's compliance obligation is to provide the device. The buyer has no continuing federal obligation to use it after leaving the store.

This federal requirement is the closest analogue to a state safe-storage law that touches Kansas residents, and it is a one-time event at sale. There is no federal corollary requiring locked storage in the home.

Common Carrier and Air Travel Storage

Federal law (the Firearm Owners' Protection Act peaceable-journey rule) and TSA regulations govern firearm transport by air or common carrier across state lines, generally requiring unloaded firearms in locked hard-sided containers with ammunition stored separately. These rules govern the transport mode, not Kansas residence. They apply identically in every state.

Storage-Adjacent Kansas Laws to Be Aware Of

Although no statute directly mandates storage practices, a handful of Kansas laws can become relevant if a poorly stored firearm contributes to a separate criminal harm. These are not "storage laws," but a Kansas resident should know they exist.

The practical point: Kansas has no statute that makes "unsafe storage" by itself a crime. Liability arises, if at all, downstream from a separate harm.

What Kansas Does Not Have

A complete picture of Kansas storage law is mostly a list of things other states have and Kansas does not. For students who train in multiple states or who move from a more regulated jurisdiction, these absences matter:

• No child-access prevention (CAP) law. States like California, Massachusetts, New York, and Michigan impose criminal penalties on adults who fail to secure firearms from minors. Kansas has none.
• No mandatory locked-container requirement for storing firearms in the home, in a vehicle, or in any other place.
• No mandatory trigger-lock requirement beyond the federal point-of-sale rule.
• No notice-of-storage-violation provision at FFL dealers beyond the federal point-of-sale requirement.
• No firearm-safety-device sales tax exemption. Some states have temporarily or permanently exempted gun safes and locks from sales tax. Kansas applies regular sales tax to these items.
• No registration of stored firearms. Kansas does not register firearms, period.
• No reporting requirement for lost or stolen firearms under state law (federal law requires FFLs to report, but private owners in Kansas have no statutory duty to report a stolen firearm to law enforcement, though doing so is strongly advised for civil-liability and recovery reasons).

Voluntary Best-Practice Guidance (Not Legally Required)

The following recommendations are not Kansas law. They reflect the safe-handling curriculum that the Attorney General requires CCHL training courses to teach under K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(1)(A), and they reflect general best practice taught by NRA-certified and AG-certified instructors. A Kansas firearm owner who ignores all of them violates no statute. A Kansas firearm owner who follows them is doing more than the law asks.

In a home with children, regular visitors, or anyone prohibited from firearm possession:

1. Store firearms in a locked container (handgun safe, gun safe, or lockbox) when not on your person or under your direct control.
2. Use a separate lock on the firearm itself (cable lock, trigger lock) as a second layer when storing for extended periods.
3. Store ammunition separately from firearms when storage is long-term and the firearm is not designated for home defense.
4. Keep the storage location concealed from casual view (not on top of a dresser, not in a nightstand drawer that opens to a guest room, not in the same closet as items children retrieve).

For a designated home-defense firearm:

1. Use a quick-access biometric or push-button safe at the bedside if children, teenagers, or unauthorized adults reside in or visit the home.
2. If no such persons are present and access risk is zero, the firearm may be kept ready without a secondary lock, subject to your own judgment.
3. Re-evaluate the storage plan whenever household composition changes (new child, new roommate, divorce, return of an adult child, prohibited-person household member).

For vehicle storage:

1. When you must leave a firearm in a vehicle (entering a posted building, entering a federal facility), store the firearm in the trunk if possible, or in a locked center console or glove box.
2. Use a vehicle-rated lockbox cabled to the seat frame for any extended absence.
3. Never leave a firearm visible through a window. Vehicle break-ins targeting firearms are a leading source of stolen guns nationally.

For travel and storage outside Kansas:

1. Confirm the storage rules of the destination state. Several states (CA, MA, NY, NJ, IL, CT, DE, OR, WA, MI in defined circumstances) do impose storage requirements that Kansas does not. A Kansas storage practice that is fully lawful at home may violate the law in a visited state.
2. For air travel, use a hard-sided locked case with non-TSA padlocks that only you can open, declare the firearm at check-in, and follow airline-specific rules. (This is federal/airline rule, not Kansas rule.)

For long-term storage of unused firearms:

1. Maintain an inventory list with serial numbers stored separately from the firearms (digital backup, safe deposit box, fireproof document safe).
2. Photograph firearms for insurance and recovery purposes.
3. Verify that homeowner's or renter's insurance covers the full replacement value; standard policies often cap firearm coverage at amounts well below collection value.

These are recommendations only. Kansas imposes no penalty for ignoring them.

How This Differs from Neighboring and Comparable States

Kansas's neighbors take different approaches to safe-storage law. Operators traveling with a firearm should research the destination state's storage and child-access prevention rules before crossing state lines, since the Kansas baseline (no general storage mandate) is not universal.

Practical Guidance for CCHL Holders and Instructors

For CCHL holders, no storage rule attaches to the license. The license governs how you carry. It does not govern how you store. Your CCHL is not subject to revocation or suspension based on how you keep your firearm at home, and the Attorney General does not inspect storage practices.

For instructors teaching the eight-hour Kansas CCHL course, the safe-storage block of instruction is curriculum-driven, not statute-driven. Cover the topic thoroughly because the Attorney General's regulations (K.A.R. 16-11-2 through 16-11-4) require it, and because students benefit from the practical guidance, but be clear with students that what they learn in the safe-storage block is best practice, not Kansas law. Misrepresenting voluntary storage guidance as a legal mandate misleads students about their actual legal obligations and undermines their understanding of what Kansas law actually requires.

When students ask "do I have to lock up my gun at home in Kansas?" the accurate answer is: no, Kansas does not require it. When they ask "should I?" that is a separate question, and the safe-handling rationale for doing so is independent of any legal compulsion.

Pending or Recent Legislation

As of the 2025 legislative session, Kansas had not enacted any safe-storage, child-access prevention, or negligent-storage legislation. House Bill 2052 (2025), which is the most recent significant amendment to the Personal and Family Protection Act, addressed eligibility cross-references, license surrender on suspension or revocation, and the provisional-to-standard license transition. It did not introduce any storage requirement. The 2025 Session Laws of Kansas, Chapter 55, contains no storage provision applicable to private firearm owners.

Bills proposing CAP-style storage requirements have been introduced in past Kansas legislative sessions but none have passed. Given the state's preemption framework (K.S.A. 12-16,124 and related provisions), local Kansas governments cannot adopt storage requirements stricter than state law, so a Wichita, Kansas City, Kansas, Topeka, or Lawrence ordinance imposing storage rules would be preempted and unenforceable.

Key Statutes Referenced

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Sources: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (ksrevisor.gov), 2025 Session Laws of Kansas Chapter 55 (HB 2052), U.S. LawShield Kansas summary, Giffords Law Center Kansas concealed carry catalog. Content reflects Kansas law as of the 2025 session. Federal storage-related requirements summarized are not Kansas-specific. This reference does not constitute legal advice; consult a Kansas-licensed attorney for situation-specific questions.

Kansas Concealed Carry Resources

This page lists the official Kansas resources for concealed carry: where to apply, where to find the statutes, and where to verify reciprocity. Every link goes to a Kansas state government source (.gov) or a directly-linked official document. Bookmark this page when working with students, and verify these links before quoting fees or processing times in class.

Kansas is a permitless (constitutional) carry state, but the Office of the Attorney General still issues a Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) under K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq. Most of the resources below relate to the CCHL program, the underlying statutes, instructor certification, and Kansas firearm law more generally.

Official Kansas Concealed Carry Resources

The Kansas Attorney General is the licensing authority for the Concealed Carry Handgun License. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit publishes the application, processing-time updates, the instructor directory, signage rules, and the out-of-state recognition list.

• Kansas Attorney General, Concealed Carry Licensing (program landing page) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing). Top-level page for the CCHL program. Lists current fees (effective July 1, 2023, the application fee is $32.50 to the sheriff and $0 to the AG), current processing times, and links to every other CCHL resource. Start here for any application question.
• Concealed Carry FAQs (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/concealed-carry-faqs). Plain-language answers covering eligibility, training, residency, military applicants, name and address changes, lost or stolen licenses, and provisional-to-standard conversion.
• Resources and Reference Documents (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/resources-reference-documents). Central index of every CCHL form. From here you can reach the name and address change form, the provisional-to-standard conversion form, the instructor orientation registration form, the instructor roster submission form, and the sheriff contact form.
• Out-of-State License Recognition (Kansas reciprocity) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/out-of-state-license-recognition). The AG's published list of which non-Kansas CCHLs are valid in Kansas. This is the authoritative reciprocity list. Treat third-party reciprocity maps as a starting point only and verify against this page.
• Approved Signage for Prohibited Buildings (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/approved-signage). The official 4-inch by 6-inch sign image and posting requirements that Kansas property owners must use to lawfully prohibit concealed carry on their premises under K.S.A. 75-7c10. Useful for instructors who teach the location-restriction module.
• Concealed Carry Licensing Unit, Contact Form (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/concealed-carry-licensing-contact-page/-fsiteid-1#!/). Email form for non-legal questions about an application, license status, or instructor certification.

Concealed Carry Licensing Unit (mailing and phone)

Kansas Attorney General Concealed Carry Licensing Unit 120 SW 10th Ave, 2nd Floor Topeka, KS 66612-1597 Phone: (785) 291-3765 Fax: (785) 368-6468

The AG's office does not give individualized legal advice. If a student has a complicated criminal-history question, refer them to a private attorney before they file an application.

County Sheriffs

CCHL applications are filed in the county where the applicant lives, not directly with the AG. The sheriff collects the $32.50 application fee, fingerprints the applicant, and forwards the file to the AG's Concealed Carry Licensing Unit. The AG publishes a Sheriff Contact Form so applicants can request the right submission address for their county:

• Sheriff Contact Form (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/resources-reference-documents/sheriff-contact-form). Use this when a student is unsure how to reach their county sheriff's CCHL contact.

For Kansas's largest counties, sheriff CCHL pages are usually findable by searching "[county name] sheriff concealed carry kansas." Fees, accepted payment methods, and fingerprint scheduling vary by county, so verify the sheriff's page before each class cycle.

Statute and Regulation Portals

Kansas publishes its statutes through two complementary systems. The Office of the Revisor of Statutes (ksrevisor.gov) hosts the official annotated statutes. The Kansas State Legislature (kslegislature.gov) hosts session-year archives, bill text, and committee history. Use the Revisor for the current law. Use the Legislature for tracking how a section changed over time.

• Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, Home (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/). Top of the official annotated statutes site. Search by chapter and article, jump to the Kansas Constitution, and pull a printable version of any section.
• Kansas Statutes Annotated (KSA) Index (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/ksa.html). The full chapter-by-chapter index. Chapter 21 covers crimes and punishments (criminal use of weapons, criminal carrying, criminal possession). Chapter 75 Article 7c is the Personal and Family Protection Act, which governs the CCHL program.
• Kansas Constitution (Bill of Rights, Section 4, right to bear arms) (https://www.ksrevisor.gov/kanconst.html). Constitutional text. Section 4 provides: "The right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed."
• Kansas State Legislature, Home (https://www.kslegislature.gov/). Search bills, session laws, and committee testimony. Use this to confirm whether a recent bill has been signed into law and when it takes effect.
• 2025-2026 Statute Index (current legislative session) (https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/statute/). Current session statute browser. Useful when a Revisor URL has not yet refreshed after a recent amendment.
• Kansas Secretary of State, HB 2052 (2025) enrolled bill (https://www.sos.ks.gov/publications/sessionlaws/2025/Chapter-55-HB-2052.html). Official enrolled-bill text. HB 2052 amended K.S.A. 75-7c05(f) to govern provisional-to-standard CCHL conversion and is the controlling source if you need to quote the statute exactly. The Secretary of State's session-laws index lives at https://www.sos.ks.gov/publications/session-laws.html.
• Kansas Administrative Regulations (sos.ks.gov) (https://sos.ks.gov/publications/pubs_kar.aspx). Administrative rules implementing Kansas statutes. Most CCHL operational details live in the statute, not the regulations, but the Secretary of State KAR portal is the authoritative regulatory source if a question turns on rule text.

Key Statute Sections to Bookmark

Forms and Applications

All current CCHL forms are published as PDFs by the Office of the Attorney General. Always download the version linked from ag.ks.gov rather than caching a copy in your training materials, because the AG updates fee tables and form revision dates from time to time.

CCHL Applicant Forms

• CCHL Printable Application (https://ag.ks.gov/home/showdocument?id=2646). The official PDF application packet for new applicants and renewals. Includes the affidavit, criminal-history disclosures, and submission instructions.
• Change of Name or Address Notification (online form) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/resources-reference-documents/change-of-name-or-address-notification). Online form licensees use to update their name or address on file. Required by statute when residence changes.
• Change of Provisional License to Standard License (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/resources-reference-documents/change-of-provisional-to-standard-license). For 18 to 20 year olds who held a provisional CCHL and have aged into the standard license. The conversion process was updated by HB 2052 effective April 1, 2025.

Instructor Forms

The AG's Concealed Carry Licensing Unit certifies the firearms instructors who can issue Kansas-qualifying CCHL training certificates. Instructors who let their certification lapse may not issue valid certificates, so the dates on these forms matter:

• Instructor Application Form (https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2672/638621887734030000). Application to become a Kansas-certified CCHL instructor.
• Instructor Orientation Registration Form (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/resources-reference-documents/instructor-orientation-registration-form). Registers a new instructor for the required AG-run orientation.
• Instructor Roster Submission Form (Class Roster Report) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/resources-reference-documents/instructor-roster-reporting-form). Used by instructors to submit class rosters to the AG after each course.
• Concealed Carry Instructor Guide (10-2015) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2710/638621888190530000). The AG's instructor manual covering course content requirements, certificate issuance, and recordkeeping. Older revision date but still the controlling document for instructor procedure as of this writing.
• Instructor Resources page (index) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/instructor-resources). The single page that links the instructor application, the certified instructor directory, and the instructor guide.

Kansas Certified Instructor Directory

Students who must take the Kansas-required training (whether for first-time CCHL applicants or for out-of-state applicants who do not qualify for the training-equivalency exemption) need a Kansas-certified instructor.

• Certified Instructor Directory (PDF) (https://www.ag.ks.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/2708/638621888521030000). The AG's published list of currently-certified Kansas CCHL instructors. The directory PDF revision date is on the cover. Verify the instructor's certification status before booking. The AG's office also confirms certification by phone at (785) 291-3765.

AG Opinions and Guidance

Kansas Attorney General opinions are not binding on courts, but they bind state agencies and county officials in Kansas, and they are the closest thing to authoritative interpretation of an unclear statute short of a published court decision. Opinions are cited by year and number (for example, "2017-18" is opinion number 18 from 2017). Several opinions matter for everyday concealed-carry questions:

• AG Opinion 2011-6 (preemption and open carry). Cities and counties may regulate the manner of openly carrying a loaded firearm in the immediate control of a non-permit-holder on public or private property, but they may not regulate a permit holder on public property. Cited inside the annotations to K.S.A. 12-16,124.
• AG Opinion 2011-24 (private security officers). A city is not authorized to prohibit a person holding a concealed carry license from carrying a concealed firearm while performing the duties of a private security officer.
• AG Opinion 2012-2 (zoning and home-based firearm sales). Local zoning that prohibits home-based businesses engaged in the internet sale of firearms or ammunition is preempted by state law.
• AG Opinion 2013-13 (open-carry ordinances). A city ordinance banning open carry by all persons except holders of a state-issued concealed carry license is preempted by state law.
• AG Opinion 2013-17 (long-gun transport). A city or county may not require licensed CCHL holders to fully encase long guns in a container when transporting them by vehicle.
• AG Opinion 2017-18 (under-21 concealed carry). It is unlawful for persons 18 to 20 years of age to carry a concealed handgun in Kansas except when on the person's own land or in the person's abode or fixed place of business. This opinion reflects the rule before the 2021 amendment that authorized provisional CCHLs for 18 to 20 year olds.

These opinions are catalogued inside the annotations to the relevant statute on ksrevisor.gov. Older opinions (1980s through 2014) are mirrored at the Washburn Law School AG-opinion archive (http://ksag.washburnlaw.edu/). The AG also publishes recent opinions on its main site (https://www.ag.ks.gov/) under the Opinions section.

Filing a Complaint with the AG

The AG's office handles consumer protection complaints, public records (KORA) complaints, and reports of certain regulatory violations. It is not a criminal prosecutor for individual cases, but it is the right starting point for a CCHL processing dispute or a public-records issue:

• File a Complaint (https://www.ag.ks.gov/file-a-complaint). Online and printable complaint forms.
• Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) FAQ (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/administration/open-government/kora-faq). Walks through who can request records, the response timeline, and the privacy carve-outs. K.S.A. 45-221(a)(52) closes CCHL applicant and licensee personal information to the public, so do not expect to obtain another person's CCHL records through KORA.

Education and Outreach

Kansas does not run a state-funded firearms-safety program for adults, but several state and federal resources are useful when preparing course materials or referring students:

• Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Hunter Education. Free hunter-education courses required for hunters born after July 1, 1957. Useful safety-foundation training for first-time gun owners regardless of hunting interest. Search for the KDWP hunter-education page on ksoutdoors.com.
• Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), Criminal History Record Information. Where Kansans can request their own "rap sheet." A student who is uncertain whether a prior arrest disqualifies them from CCHL eligibility under K.S.A. 75-7c04 should pull their own KBI record before paying the application fee. Search for the KBI criminal history record request page on the KBI's official site.
• Kansas Highway Patrol, Public Information. Roadside encounter and traffic-stop guidance is at the trooper's discretion in Kansas, because Kansas has no statutory duty-to-inform. KHP public-information channels are the right place to confirm current agency practice if you teach a traffic-stop module.
• Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Federal firearms questions, NFA item processing, and FFL questions are ATF jurisdiction, not state. ATF publishes the Kansas state-law summary on its state-laws-and-published-ordinances page.
• National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). A valid Kansas CCHL serves as a NICS alternative at the dealer counter, so students benefit from understanding what NICS checks against.
• Kansas State Child Death Review Board (https://www.ag.ks.gov/reports-resources/affiliated-organizations/state-child-death-review-board). Hosted under the AG's office. Publishes annual reports on firearm-related child fatalities. Helpful background data when teaching the safe-storage portion of a CCHL course.
• Kansas Youth Suicide Prevention Task Force (https://www.ag.ks.gov/reports-resources/advisory-groups/youth-suicide-prevention-task-force). Also hosted under the AG. Resources on firearm-storage messaging in suicide-prevention contexts. Useful for instructors who include a mental-health module.

Local and Federal Cross-References

Kansas's preemption statute (K.S.A. 12-16,124) limits what cities and counties can regulate. But several narrow areas remain locally administered or governed by federal law:

• Local sheriff websites. Each sheriff publishes its own concealed-carry application page with county-specific fees and fingerprint scheduling. Search "[county] sheriff concealed carry."
• Kansas court records. Useful when a student needs to confirm whether an old case was dismissed, expunged, or is still open. Kansas district court records are searchable through the state's online records portal; check the Kansas Judicial Branch site for the current link.
• Kansas Office of Veterans Services. Where veterans go to obtain DD-214 copies. Active-duty military and veterans aged 18 to 20 are eligible to apply for a Kansas CCHL under reduced age requirements, and a DD-214 is the supporting document the AG's office accepts.
• U.S. Code Title 18, Section 922 (https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section922&num=0&edition=prelim). Federal firearm prohibitions referenced by K.S.A. 75-7c04 (CCHL eligibility). A federally-prohibited person is also disqualified under Kansas law.

How to Verify a Source Before Class

A practical workflow for instructors:

1. Open the AG's CCHL landing page (https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing) at the start of every quarter and confirm the application fee and processing time.
2. Re-download the printable application and any instructor forms you cite in class. Compare the revision date in the form footer to the version in your training packet.
3. Pull the current statute text from ksrevisor.gov when teaching any specific section. The Revisor URL is more stable than the Legislature URL because Legislature URLs are scoped to a session year.
4. Cross-check reciprocity claims against the AG's Out-of-State License Recognition page, not against third-party reciprocity maps.
5. When a student asks a question that depends on an AG opinion, look up the cited opinion number on the Revisor's annotation block for the underlying statute, then read the opinion text on ag.ks.gov.

When you encounter a source that contradicts the AG's published guidance, the AG controls for licensing and program administration, and the statute (followed by case law) controls for the underlying legal question.

Kansas Concealed Carry FAQ

This FAQ collects the questions Kansas CCHL applicants and instructors ask most often. Answers cite the operative Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) sections, the Personal and Family Protection Act (K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq.), and Kansas Attorney General opinions where they control. The Office of the Attorney General's Concealed Carry Licensing Unit publishes the official forms, signage, and reciprocity list at ag.ks.gov.

Eligibility

Q: How old do I have to be to carry concealed in Kansas?

You must be 21 to carry concealed without a license under Kansas constitutional carry. Persons aged 18, 19, and 20 cannot lawfully carry concealed in public unless they hold a valid Kansas provisional CCHL or a recognized out-of-state license. K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) makes concealed carry by anyone under 21 a Class A nonperson misdemeanor, with narrow exceptions for your own land, your abode, or your fixed place of business. The Attorney General confirmed this in Kan. AG Op. 2017-18.

Q: Do I have to be a Kansas resident to apply for a CCHL?

Yes, with two exceptions. K.S.A. 75-7c04 limits the standard application to Kansas residents. The exceptions cover active duty military stationed in Kansas (and their dependents), and active duty Kansas residents stationed at a U.S. military installation outside Kansas, who may apply by mail through their home county sheriff under K.S.A. 75-7c05(j). Out-of-state visitors do not need a Kansas CCHL because Kansas recognizes valid out-of-state permits and allows permitless carry for any qualifying adult.

Q: Does a felony conviction disqualify me?

Yes. K.S.A. 75-7c04(a) cross-references the federal prohibitor list at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and the Kansas list at K.S.A. 21-6304(a)(1) through (a)(4) (criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon). A felony conviction blocks issuance, and federal law also bars possession of any firearm by a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Kansas state-law possession bars run for 3 months, 3 years, 8 years, or permanently depending on the felony, and an expungement does not always restore federal firearms rights.

Q: Can a misdemeanor disqualify me?

Yes. A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9) is a permanent federal firearms prohibitor, and federal prohibitors are folded into K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(2) as Kansas disqualifiers. The federal definition reaches battery, assault, and disorderly conduct involving force against a partner, household member, child, or co-parent, even when the underlying Kansas statute does not contain the word "domestic." If your record includes any such conviction, talk to a private attorney before paying for training.

Q: What about a medical marijuana card from another state?

It disqualifies you. A medical marijuana card supports a finding of unlawful drug use under federal law (27 C.F.R. 478.11; 21 U.S.C. 802) and triggers the federal firearm prohibitor at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). That prohibitor flows through K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(2). Kansas also treats possession of any firearm by a person who is both addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance as criminal use of weapons under K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(10).

Permitless and Constitutional Carry

Q: When did Kansas become a permitless carry state?

July 1, 2015, under 2015 Senate Bill 45 (L. 2015, ch. 16). The change is built into K.S.A. 21-6302 (criminal carrying of a weapon) and confirmed by K.S.A. 75-7c03(a), which states that the availability of CCHLs does not impose a general prohibition on carrying handguns without a license, openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded.

Q: Who qualifies to carry without a permit?

You qualify if you are at least 21 years old, are not a federally prohibited person under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), are not a Kansas-prohibited person under K.S.A. 21-6304, and are carrying a handgun rather than an item that remains prohibited regardless of permit status (such as a short-barreled shotgun under K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(5)). The rule applies to residents and non-residents alike.

Q: Is open carry legal in Kansas?

Yes, with no minimum age beyond the federal possession floor. Kansas has no general statute setting a minimum age for open carry, and state preemption under K.S.A. 12-16,124 prevents cities and counties from imposing one. In practice, an 18-year-old who is not federally prohibited can openly carry a handgun in public in Kansas. The exception is the state capitol, where open carry of a handgun is not allowed under K.S.A. 75-7c21.

Q: If permitless carry is legal, why bother with a CCHL?

Four reasons. A Kansas CCHL is recognized by approximately 39 other states under reciprocity, while constitutional carry status by itself is not portable. A CCHL exempts the holder from the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act under 18 U.S.C. § 922(q), which otherwise applies a 1,000-foot zone around every K-12 school. A valid CCHL serves as an alternative to the federal NICS background check at the point of sale when buying from a licensed dealer. And the CCHL is the practical pathway for 18-to-20-year-olds, who cannot lawfully carry concealed in Kansas without one.

Application

Q: Where do I apply?

You file at the sheriff's office in the Kansas county where you reside, in person, during normal business hours. K.S.A. 75-7c05(b). You do not file with the Office of the Attorney General, you do not file with KDOR, and you cannot file in a different county. Active duty military stationed at a U.S. military installation outside Kansas may file by mail through their home county sheriff under K.S.A. 75-7c05(j).

Q: What does a CCHL cost?

The total out-of-pocket cost is $32.50 paid to the sheriff plus the price of the 8-hour training course (typically around $100, set by the instructor). The Office of the Attorney General eliminated its $0 application fee effective July 1, 2023, and KDOR no longer charges a card-production fee for the initial license. Lost or stolen license replacement is $15. Renewal is free. K.S.A. 75-7c05(b)(2); K.S.A. 75-7c08.

Q: How long does the process take?

K.S.A. 75-7c05(e) requires the Attorney General to issue or deny within 90 days of receiving the complete packet from the sheriff. The CCLU's published practice is that most initial applications process in 60 to 90 days. Plan for 8 to 14 weeks end to end (training, sheriff filing, fingerprinting, AG background check, KDOR card pickup). You will not hear from the CCLU before day 60 in most cases unless additional information is needed.

Q: What happens if my application is denied?

The Attorney General must notify you in writing, state the ground for denial, and inform you of your right to a hearing under the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act. K.S.A. 75-7c07. Final agency action is reviewable in district court under the Kansas Judicial Review Act, in either Shawnee County or your county of residence, at your option.

Training

Q: How many training hours are required and what does the course cover?

Kansas requires an 8-hour handgun safety and training course under K.S.A. 75-7c04(b). The curriculum must cover safe storage, the actual firing of handguns (live-fire qualification), Kansas laws governing concealed carry, and Kansas use-of-force law including K.S.A. 21-5222 (Stand Your Ground) and K.S.A. 21-5223 (Castle Doctrine). The course must be certified or sponsored by the Kansas Attorney General, the National Rifle Association, or another body whose program meets AG standards.

Q: Who is allowed to teach the course?

Instructors must be certified by the Kansas Attorney General or by the NRA (where NRA certification meets AG standards). The instructor certification fee paid to the AG is capped at $150. The instructor issues the certificate of completion that you must photocopy and attach to your application.

Where You Can and Cannot Carry

Q: Where am I prohibited from carrying concealed in Kansas?

The list is short. Properly posted private buildings (civil consequence only). State and municipal buildings that combine adequate security at every public entrance with proper signage. K-12 school district buildings (signage alone is enough). Secure areas of jails and law enforcement agencies. Courtrooms when the chief judge has prohibited carry with adequate security. State-owned medical care facilities, adult care homes, mental health centers, the schools for the deaf and blind, and KU Medical Center buildings under K.S.A. 75-7c20(k). Federal property under federal law. Everything else is generally on the table.

Q: Are "no guns" signs at private businesses enforceable?

Posting must follow the Attorney General's regulations at K.A.R. 16-11-7. A homemade sign or a non-conforming sticker does not effectively post the building. Even if the sign is correct, K.S.A. 75-7c10(f)(1) makes carrying past it a civil matter, not a criminal offense. The owner may deny entry or ask you to leave. Refusing to leave when asked can result in a criminal trespass citation, but the carry itself is not criminalized.

Q: What about state and municipal buildings?

K.S.A. 75-7c20 requires both proper signage and "adequate security measures" at every public entrance, defined as electronic detection equipment plus armed personnel. A sign by itself is not enough at a public building. If a courthouse has a metal detector and an armed deputy at the front door but a side door propped open, the building does not have adequate security and your concealed carry remains lawful inside. A categorical list of state-owned medical and care facilities at K.S.A. 75-7c20(k) is exempt from the security requirement and may exclude carry on signage alone.

Q: Can I carry in the state capitol?

Yes, concealed only, under K.S.A. 75-7c21. You qualify if you are not a prohibited person and are either 21 or older, hold a valid Kansas provisional license, or hold a recognized out-of-state CCHL. Open carry of a handgun is not allowed in the capitol.

Q: Can I carry on K-12 school grounds?

If you hold a Kansas CCHL or recognized out-of-state license, you are exempt from the K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(11) school-grounds prohibition under K.S.A. 21-6301(j)(5). That exemption reaches the grounds (parking lots, sidewalks, outdoor areas), not the inside of the school building, which is governed by K.S.A. 75-7c10 signage. A licensee may also drive through the federal 1,000-foot Gun-Free School Zone under 18 U.S.C. § 922(q). A permitless carrier (no CCHL) is not exempt from either rule and commits a Class B nonperson select misdemeanor under (a)(11) for unlicensed possession on school grounds.

Conduct While Carrying

Q: Do I have to tell a police officer I am carrying?

No. Kansas does not have a statutory duty to inform during routine police contact. The Attorney General's official guidance: "Not in Kansas, but you should strongly consider doing so." Some other states do require immediate disclosure and treat failure to disclose as a crime, so the rule changes the moment you cross a state line. If asked, do not lie. The safer course on a traffic stop is to disclose calmly, keep your hands visible, and follow the officer's instructions.

Q: Can I drink alcohol while carrying?

No. K.S.A. 21-6332 makes it a Class A misdemeanor to have a loaded firearm on your person or within your immediate access while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Penalties include up to one year in jail, up to $2,500 in fines, and mandatory CCHL revocation for at least one year on a first offense, three years on a second or subsequent offense. Refusing chemical testing carries an additional civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Q: Can I carry into a restaurant that serves alcohol?

Yes, if the establishment is not properly posted under K.S.A. 75-7c10. Kansas does not have a categorical restaurant or bar exclusion. The K.S.A. 21-6332 rule still applies wherever you are: do not consume alcohol while carrying a loaded firearm.

Q: When am I justified in using force?

Under K.S.A. 21-5222, you may use force, including deadly force, when you reasonably believe it is necessary to defend yourself or a third person against another's imminent use of unlawful force. Deadly force is justified when you reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. Kansas has no duty to retreat. K.S.A. 21-5223 extends the same rule to defense of a dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle (Castle Doctrine).

Reciprocity, Renewal, and Lifecycle

Q: Whose out-of-state permits does Kansas recognize?

Kansas recognizes valid concealed carry licenses or permits issued by every other jurisdiction, while the holder is in Kansas as a non-resident. K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(1). The holder must follow Kansas substantive carry rules (sensitive places, posted-premises rules, the under-the-influence prohibition). Recognition ends when the holder establishes Kansas residency. Kansas also allows permitless carry for any visitor 21 or older who is not federally prohibited, so a visitor often does not need to rely on reciprocity at all.

Q: What states honor a Kansas CCHL?

Approximately 39 states recognize a Kansas standard CCHL, per the Kansas Attorney General. The list changes as other states amend their statutes. Pull the current list from the AG's Out-of-State License Recognition page within 30 days of any out-of-state trip, and cross-check the destination state's reciprocity statement. Reciprocity is governed by each destination state, not by Kansas. Most destination states impose a minimum age of 21, so a Kansas provisional license is frequently not recognized for 18-to-20-year-olds.

Q: What about LEOSA?

The federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, 18 U.S.C. § 926B (active) and § 926C (qualified retired), authorizes qualifying current and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed across state lines independent of state reciprocity. LEOSA applies in Kansas to qualifying visiting officers and applies to qualifying Kansas officers and retirees when they travel. LEOSA does not waive Kansas substantive sensitive-place rules or federal property restrictions.

Q: How long is a Kansas CCHL valid and how does renewal work?

The license is valid for four years from the date of issuance under K.S.A. 75-7c03(a). You renew directly with the Office of the Attorney General, not the sheriff. The AG mails a yellow renewal packet 90 to 120 days before expiration under K.S.A. 75-7c08(a). You return a renewal form, a notarized affidavit of continued K.S.A. 75-7c04 eligibility, a 2x2 passport-style photo taken within 30 days, and a copy of your driver's license or ID, by certified mail or in person at the AG's office in Topeka. There is no fee, no fingerprinting, and no training requirement at renewal.

Q: What happens if my CCHL expires?

You have a six-month grace period after expiration to file a late renewal under K.S.A. 75-7c08(c). During the lapse you cannot carry under the CCHL, but if you are 21 or older you can fall back on Kansas permitless carry. After six months past expiration, the license is permanently expired by statute and you must reapply as a new applicant through the sheriff, with new fingerprints and the $32.50 fee.

Q: What if I move?

Notify the CCLU in writing within 30 days of any address change. K.S.A. 75-7c06(e). Failure to notify can produce a fine of up to $100 or a CCHL suspension of up to six months. Updating your address with USPS or KDOR does not update the CCLU's records. If you move out of Kansas, the license can remain valid for up to 90 days if you notified the AG in writing before the move and the new state of residence recognizes the Kansas license.

Other Common Questions

Q: Can I own a suppressor or a machine gun in Kansas?

Yes, with federal NFA registration. K.S.A. 21-6301(h) carves persons in compliance with the federal NFA at 26 U.S.C. ch. 53 out of the Kansas suppressor and machine-gun prohibitions. Civilian-transferable machine guns are limited to those lawfully registered before May 19, 1986 under 18 U.S.C. § 922(o). Kansas does not separately prohibit short-barreled rifles, so a Form 1 or Form 4 SBR is lawful in Kansas without any state-level paperwork. An unregistered NFA item is a severity level 9 nonperson felony at the state level under K.S.A. 21-6301(b)(2) and a federal felony.

Q: Does Kansas have a red flag law?

No. Kansas does not have an extreme risk protection order ("red flag") statute. State firearm-disability provisions live in K.S.A. 21-6304 and K.S.A. 75-7c04. The mental-health-based firearm prohibition can be lifted through the petition-for-relief mechanism at K.S.A. 75-7c27 in qualifying cases.

Q: Can a city or county pass its own gun law?

No. K.S.A. 12-16,124 preempts municipal regulation of fees, licenses, permits, sales, transfers, ownership, storage, carrying, transporting, or taxation of firearms or ammunition. Local ordinances inconsistent with state law adopted before July 1, 2015 are null and void. Under K.S.A. 75-7c23, cities and counties may not require disclosure of CCHL status by employees or maintain records of which employees hold a CCHL.

Q: Can my employer ban me from carrying?

A private employer may prohibit employees from carrying concealed on the employer's premises or while engaged in the duties of employment under K.S.A. 75-7c10(b). The same provision protects the employee's right to keep a handgun in a private vehicle, even when parked on the employer's lot. A public employer may restrict employee carry only by combining adequate security with proper signage at the workplace and may not restrict an employee outside the place of business or in a vehicle.

Q: Where do I find the official Kansas firearm law in writing?

The Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes hosts the official annotated text at ksrevisor.gov. Chapter 21 (criminal use and carrying of weapons) and Chapter 75 Article 7c (Personal and Family Protection Act) are the operative chapters. The Kansas Attorney General publishes the application, signage, reciprocity list, and FAQs at ag.ks.gov. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit answers procedural questions at (785) 291-3765 but does not give individualized legal advice.

Other Kansas Firearm Laws Worth Knowing

This section collects Kansas firearm rules that do not slot cleanly under permits, places, or use of force, but that turn up often enough in CCH classes and on the street that students need them. Each topic gives the bottom-line answer first, then the statute, then the nuance.

The Kansas Right to Bear Arms

Kansas has its own constitutional right-to-arms provision separate from the Second Amendment. Section 4 of the Kansas Bill of Rights provides that the people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security, that standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty and shall not be tolerated, and that the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.

Kansas courts have read Section 4 in step with federal Second Amendment doctrine. In State v. McKinney, 59 Kan. App. 2d 345, 481 P.3d 806 (2021), the Court of Appeals held that the felony firearm prohibition in K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(13) (possession by a person who is or has been subject to involuntary mental commitment) does not violate either the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment or Section 4 of the Kansas Bill of Rights. Practical takeaway: Section 4 is real authority, but it has not been read to invalidate the categorical disabilities in 21-6301 or 21-6304.

Criminal Use of Weapons (K.S.A. 21-6301)

Kansas's main weapons-prohibition statute is not titled "carry" or "possession." It is K.S.A. 21-6301, "Criminal use of weapons," and it is the catch-all for everything from suppressor possession to defaced serial numbers to transfers to a person who cannot lawfully receive a firearm. Under permitless carry, this statute is where most CCH-relevant criminal exposure actually lives.

The list under 21-6301(a) sweeps in 18 separate categories. The ones that matter most for instructors and students:

• (a)(4) Possessing a suppressor, except when registered under the federal NFA or compliant with the Kansas-made firearm accessory carve-out at K.S.A. 50-1204
• (a)(5) Possessing a short-barreled shotgun (under 18 inches) or any firearm capable of automatic fire, except when registered under the NFA or otherwise exempt
• (a)(6) Possessing armor-piercing handgun cartridges (plastic-coated bullet with a core of less than 60% lead by weight)
• (a)(7) Selling, giving, or transferring a firearm with a barrel less than 12 inches long to anyone under 18
• (a)(8) Selling, giving, or transferring any firearm to a person who is both addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance
• (a)(9) Selling, giving, or transferring a firearm to a person who is or has been subject to involuntary mental health or substance-abuse commitment
• (a)(11) Possession of any firearm by anyone other than a law enforcement officer on K-12 school property or at school-sponsored events
• (a)(12) Refusing to surrender or remove a firearm from school property when directed by a duly authorized school employee or law enforcement officer
• (a)(14) A person under 18 possessing a firearm with a barrel less than 12 inches long, with hunting and training carve-outs at subsection (l)
• (a)(17) Possession while subject to a qualifying domestic-violence restraining order
• (a)(18) Possession by a person convicted within the preceding five years of a misdemeanor for a domestic-violence offense

Penalty grading at 21-6301(b) splits these into four buckets: most are class A or class B nonperson misdemeanors; suppressor, SBS, and armor-piercing-cartridge offenses are severity level 9 nonperson felonies; the involuntary-commitment, fugitive, illegal alien, restraining-order, and domestic-violence-misdemeanor possession offenses are severity level 8 nonperson felonies.

The school-property prohibition at 21-6301(a)(11) has an important carve-out at 21-6301(j)(5): possession of a concealed handgun on K-12 school property is allowed if the carrier is not federally or state-prohibited and is either 21 or older or holds a valid Kansas provisional license under K.S.A. 75-7c03 or a recognized out-of-state license. There are also specific exceptions for safety classes, written authorization from the superintendent, securing a firearm in a vehicle when delivering or picking up a student, and possession secured in a vehicle by a registered voter on an election day at a school polling place.

Criminal Possession by a Convicted Felon (K.S.A. 21-6304)

Kansas treats firearm possession by a convicted felon as a separate, graded offense from criminal use of weapons. The statute is K.S.A. 21-6304. This is distinct from 21-6301(a)(13), which targets persons subject to involuntary mental health commitments.

For a CCH instructor, the practical point is that an applicant with any felony conviction needs a careful look. Subsection (a)(1) through (a)(4) of 21-6304 contains the categorical bars, and an applicant disqualified under those subsections is also barred from a Kansas concealed carry handgun license under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(2), as amended by 2025 HB 2052. A certificate of restoration under K.S.A. 75-7c26 is what unlocks future eligibility once the underlying federal and state disabilities have lifted.

Under-21 Concealed Carry Is Still a Crime

Kansas's "constitutional carry" framing is misleading for anyone under 21. K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) makes it a class A nonperson misdemeanor to knowingly carry "any pistol, revolver or other firearm concealed on one's person if such person is under 21 years of age, except when on such person's land or in such person's abode or fixed place of business."

The Kansas Attorney General confirmed this directly. AG Opinion 2017-18 states it is unlawful for persons 18 to 20 years of age to carry a concealed handgun except when on their own land, in their abode, or at their fixed place of business.

The only path for an 18-to-20-year-old to carry concealed in public is the provisional license at K.S.A. 75-7c03, recognized in K.S.A. 21-6302(d) as the carve-out from the under-21 bar. A lawful out-of-state permit recognized by Kansas under 75-7c03 also works.

For instructors: do not let an 18 to 20 year-old student leave class believing that constitutional carry covers them. It does not. They need the provisional license or they have to wait until 21.

Criminal Discharge of a Firearm (K.S.A. 21-6308)

A clean defensive shooting is governed by Kansas's use-of-force statutes (21-5222, 21-5223). Pulling a trigger in any other context is governed by K.S.A. 21-6308, the criminal discharge statute. Three buckets of conduct are covered:

1. Reckless and unauthorized discharge at an occupied dwelling, building, structure, vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, train, or other conveyance with a person inside (21-6308(a)(1)).
2. Reckless and unauthorized discharge at a dwelling with no human being inside (21-6308(a)(2)).
3. Discharge on the land or nonnavigable water of another without permission, or upon or from a public road, public road right-of-way, or railroad right-of-way (21-6308(a)(3)), with stated exceptions for law enforcement, military, watchmen, fire marshals, prosecutors, and a handful of others.

Grading at 21-6308(b) is steep. A reckless discharge at an occupied target is a severity level 7 person felony at baseline, severity level 5 if it causes bodily harm, and severity level 3 if it causes great bodily harm. A reckless discharge at an unoccupied dwelling is a severity level 8 person felony. The land-of-another and public-road bucket is a class C misdemeanor.

For a CCH holder, the practical exposure is the rural-target-shooting scenario: backstops that fail, ricochets across a property line, and shots fired toward a road. None of those facts implicate self-defense law. They implicate 21-6308.

Defacing a Firearm (K.S.A. 21-6306)

Defacing identification marks of a firearm is a separate offense at K.S.A. 21-6306. The statute reaches anyone who alters, removes, or obliterates the maker's name, serial number, model designation, or other identifying mark on a pistol or firearm.

This sits next to 21-6301 in the criminal-use-of-weapons cluster, but it has its own statute number and its own elements. If a student brings in a firearm with a stamped serial number that has been buffed, ground, or restamped, the right move is to stop, decline to handle the firearm, and direct the owner to law enforcement and the ATF for re-marking and verification.

Criminal Distribution of Firearms to a Felon (K.S.A. 21-6303)

Under K.S.A. 21-6303, it is a separate state crime to sell, transfer, or otherwise distribute a firearm to a person who is prohibited from possessing one as a convicted felon. This is the state companion to the federal straw-purchase prohibition.

For instructors, the situation that triggers this statute is the well-meaning family member who buys a handgun "for" a relative who cannot lawfully buy one directly. That transfer is its own crime, separate from any federal exposure under 18 U.S.C. 922(d). Students need to know the rule before they help.

Suppressors and the Kansas-Made Firearm Accessory Statute (K.S.A. 50-1204)

Kansas has a state-law suppressor carve-out at K.S.A. 50-1204, originally part of the Second Amendment Protection Act passed in 2013. Under K.S.A. 21-6301(i), the general suppressor prohibition at 21-6301(a)(4) does not apply to a device that satisfies the description of a Kansas-made firearm accessory in 50-1204.

Federal preemption is the trap here. The Tenth Circuit and federal courts have rejected the underlying state-law theory that Kansas-made firearms and accessories are exempt from federal regulation. The federal National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. ch. 53) still applies in Kansas. AG Opinion 2015-14 expressly notes that compliance with the National Firearms Act is required to qualify for a state-law defense.

Translation: do not advise a student to build or buy an unregistered suppressor on the theory that K.S.A. 50-1204 protects them. Federal law still requires ATF registration. The state carve-out is a Kansas-only defense that does not block a federal prosecution.

Knife Carry in Kansas

Kansas's concealed-weapons rules are not just about handguns. K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(2) makes it a misdemeanor to possess "with intent to use the same unlawfully against another, a dagger, dirk, billy, blackjack, slungshot, dangerous knife, straight-edged razor, throwing star, stiletto or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument of like character." Note the intent element: mere possession of a fixed-blade knife is not the offense. Possession with intent to use it unlawfully is.

K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(2) goes a step further. It is a class A misdemeanor to knowingly carry concealed on one's person "a billy, blackjack, slungshot or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument of like character." This does not list daggers or stilettos, but the catch-all "or any other dangerous or deadly weapon" language sweeps in fixed-blade knives in some prosecutions.

The Attorney General gave a useful read in AG Opinion 2014-1: a person may carry a knife, concealed or unconcealed, regardless of the length of the blade, subject to the general criminal-use-of-weapons limits. The blade-length test that exists in some other states does not exist in Kansas.

For a CCH student, the practical rule: a Kansas concealed handgun carry status (whether permitless or under a CCH license) covers a handgun. It does not by itself authorize carrying a fixed-blade knife with intent to use it unlawfully, and it does not exempt a billy, blackjack, or slungshot from the concealed-carry prohibition.

State Preemption of Local Firearm Rules (K.S.A. 12-16,124)

Although Kansas's preemption rule has its own section in this guide, the bottom line bears repeating here as a CCH-class fact: no Kansas city or county may adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, or regulation governing the requirement of fees, licenses, or permits for, the commerce in or the sale, purchase, transfer, ownership, storage, carrying, transporting, or taxation of firearms or ammunition. K.S.A. 12-16,124(a). Any local rule of that kind adopted before July 1, 2015 is null and void per subsection (b).

A handful of carve-outs exist: local employee personnel policies (so long as they comply with the Personal and Family Protection Act), 75-7c20 public-building rules, on-duty law enforcement, and standard retail sales tax collection. AG opinions have said cities cannot prohibit open carry by permit holders on public property (AG Op. 2013-13), cannot require long guns to be encased in a container during transport (AG Op. 2013-17), and cannot zone home-based internet firearm sales out of existence (AG Op. 2012-2).

For instructors who teach across multiple jurisdictions: Kansas does not have a "patchwork." If a student tells you that their city has its own carry rules, the default answer is preemption.

Kansas Does Not Register Firearms

Kansas has no state firearm registry. K.S.A. 12-16,124 forecloses any city or county from running one as well. A CCH license is issued and tracked by the Kansas Attorney General under the Personal and Family Protection Act, but the underlying firearm itself is not registered with any Kansas agency.

The exceptions are the federal NFA registry (suppressors, SBSs, machine guns, AOWs, destructive devices, registered with ATF) and federal background-check records generated at retail. Neither is a Kansas registry. If a student asks how to "register" a handgun in Kansas, the accurate answer is that they cannot, because Kansas has not built that system.

Carry on Correctional and Care-Treatment Facility Property

Bringing a firearm into a Kansas correctional institution or care and treatment facility (state security hospital, KDADS facility) without consent of the administrator is a severity level 5 nonperson felony under K.S.A. 21-5914(b)(2)(A). When the introducer is an employee of the facility, it ratchets up to a severity level 4 nonperson felony per 21-5914(b)(3)(A).

The practical point for CCH holders is the parking-lot rule at 21-5914(c). The contraband prohibition does not apply to possession of a firearm or ammunition in a parking lot open to the public if the firearm or ammunition is carried on the person while in a vehicle, or while the person is securing the firearm in the vehicle, or stored out of plain view in a locked but unoccupied vehicle, and the person is either 21 or older or holds a valid provisional license or recognized out-of-state license.

That carve-out tracks the general approach in the rest of Kansas firearm law: lock it in your trunk, do not enter the secured area, and you are clear of the felony.

Petition for Restoration of Firearm Rights (K.S.A. 75-7c27)

Kansas provides a statutory pathway for someone whose firearm rights were stripped by a state mental-health adjudication or by 18 U.S.C. 922(d)(4) or (g)(4) to petition for restoration. The procedure is at K.S.A. 75-7c27.

Step by step:

1. File a petition in a Kansas court of competent jurisdiction. The court can only consider petitions for relief based on Kansas mental-health adjudications or commitments.
2. Submit your petition along with the circumstances of the disability, your mental-health records, your criminal-history records, and your reputation evidence (character witness statements, testimony, or other character evidence).
3. The court reviews under a clear-and-convincing-evidence standard. The court grants relief only if it finds clear and convincing evidence that the petitioner is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest.
4. If the court denies the petition, you have a right to de novo judicial review in a court of proper jurisdiction.
5. If the petition is granted, the order is forwarded to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, which must enter the order into the appropriate state and federal databases (NICS) immediately.

This statute is the only Kansas-specific restoration vehicle for the federal "adjudicated as a mental defective" or "committed to a mental institution" prohibitor. It does not restore rights lost through felony conviction. That separate path runs through K.S.A. 75-7c26 (certificate of restoration) and federal expungement or set-aside law.

Off-Duty Law Enforcement Carry and the 2025 Privacy Rule

K.S.A. 75-7c22 lets an off-duty Kansas peace officer (and certain federal LEOSA-qualified officers and retired officers) carry a concealed handgun in any building where an on-duty officer would be allowed, regardless of whether the building has the adequate-security measures normally required to ban concealed carry. The officer has to comply with their agency's firearms policies and present agency-issued ID on request.

The 2025 Session Laws of Kansas, Chapter 55 (HB 2052), approved April 2, 2025, added an important privacy provision at 75-7c22(a)(2). No "person of authority" for a building (a person tasked with screening entries or controlling access) may require, request, or record personal information of an off-duty law enforcement officer entering the building under this section, including but not limited to the officer's email address, home phone number, or home address. The officer may not be required to wear any item identifying them as law enforcement or as armed.

For instructors who train off-duty or retired officers, this is the new state-law backstop against building-level "sign in your home address before you carry" practices.

Provisional-to-Standard License Conversion

HB 2052 also rewrote the relationship between Kansas's two CCH license types. The provisional license is for applicants 18 to 20 years old (K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A)). The standard license is for applicants 21 and older (K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(B)).

Under K.S.A. 75-7c05(f), as amended by HB 2052, any person holding a provisional license may, on reaching the age of 21, submit a request to the Attorney General to have a standard license issued. On confirmation that the person is at least 21, the Attorney General issues a standard license for the remaining unexpired portion of the original provisional license's term. The Attorney General is required to notify each provisional licensee at least 60 days before the licensee's 21st birthday that the conversion is available.

There is no fee for the conversion under 75-7c05(g). For an instructor whose 18 to 20 year-old students get a provisional license, calendar that 21st-birthday window: it is a free upgrade, but it requires an affirmative request.

Surrender of License on Suspension or Revocation

HB 2052 added K.S.A. 75-7c07(d), which requires that on suspension or revocation of a CCH license, the licensee must surrender the physical license card or authorization document to the division of motor vehicles. The division destroys the surrendered card. When a suspension ends, the Attorney General issues an authorization document for the license to be reissued for the remaining unexpired portion of the term.

Practical takeaway: a Kansas CCH license is no longer a "keep-the-card-just-in-case" credential after a suspension or revocation. The card has to go back to DMV.

The Burden on Exemption Claims

Kansas does not have a single firearm-statute "burden flip" provision the way some states do, but the criminal-use-of-weapons and criminal-carrying statutes spread their exceptions across several subsections (21-6301(c) through (l), 21-6302(c) through (e)). Each carve-out (law enforcement, military duty, antique-firearm carry, NFA-registered owner, hunter under 18 at a sanctioned event, parent securing a firearm at school pickup) is an affirmative defense the defendant has to surface.

Bring your documentation: CCH license, agency ID, military orders, NFA tax stamp, hunter's safety certificate. The State has the burden of proving the offense, but you have the burden of producing evidence that you fall inside the exception. A traffic-stop officer who hears "I'm carrying under an exception" without seeing the document will not extend the courtesy your defense theory requires.

Kansas Case-Law Practice Points

Three Kansas appellate decisions deserve a place in any CCH class:

• State v. Baumgarner, 59 Kan. App. 2d 330, 481 P.3d 170 (2021): a prior adjudication order under the care and treatment act for mentally ill persons is not enough on its own to prove a defendant's mental status beyond a reasonable doubt for a 21-6301(a)(13) prosecution. The State has to do more.
• State v. McKinney, 59 Kan. App. 2d 345, 481 P.3d 806 (2021): the 21-6301(a)(13) prohibition does not violate the Second Amendment or Section 4 of the Kansas Bill of Rights.
• State v. Beasley, 64 Kan. App. 2d 203, 547 P.3d 617 (2024): the "knowingly" mental-state requirement applies both to possession of the firearm and to the predicate domestic-violence misdemeanor conviction within the preceding five years under 21-6301(a)(18). The State has to show the defendant knew about both elements.

These are not academic. They define what a prosecutor has to prove for the most common firearm-disability prosecutions in Kansas, and they shape how a defense attorney builds a case.

Carrying Under the Influence in Kansas

The Bottom Line

Kansas prohibits possessing or carrying a loaded firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs to a degree that renders you incapable of safely operating it. The controlling statute is K.S.A. 21-6332. There is a single rule. It applies to everyone who carries a loaded firearm in public, whether under a Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL), under permitless (constitutional) carry, or with no license at all.

Kansas does not use a per-se BAC cutoff for firearm carry. The legal test is impairment "to such a degree as to render such person incapable of safely operating a firearm." A blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more is prima facie evidence that you were under the influence, but a person can be convicted at lower BACs on other competent evidence, and a result below 0.08 does not automatically defeat a charge.

Practical takeaway: do not carry loaded if you have been drinking. Kansas has no separate "0.02 carry-only" tier the way Michigan does for CPL holders. The same statute governs the social drinker carrying a CCHL and the constitutional carrier with no license.

The Controlling Statute: K.S.A. 21-6332

K.S.A. 21-6332, titled "Possession of a firearm under the influence," became effective July 1, 2014. Before that date, the equivalent prohibition applied only to concealed carry licensees. As of July 1, 2014 the rule reaches anyone who has a loaded firearm on the person or within immediate reach in a vehicle, regardless of license status.

Prohibited Conduct

Under K.S.A. 21-6332(a), it is a crime to knowingly possess or carry a loaded firearm:

1. On or about your person, or
2. Within your immediate access and control while in a vehicle,

while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both, to such a degree as to render you incapable of safely operating a firearm.

Three points instructors should drill into students:

• The statute reaches possession, not just active carrying. A loaded handgun in a glovebox you can reach is "within immediate access and control."
• The statute reaches drugs as well as alcohol, including prescription drugs taken in a way that impairs you.
• The standard is incapacity, not mere consumption. Drinking a beer does not violate this statute. Being too impaired to safely handle the firearm does.

Penalty Grade

K.S.A. 21-6332(b) classifies the offense as a Class A nonperson misdemeanor. In Kansas, that exposes a defendant to:

• Up to one year in jail
• A fine up to $2,500

A misdemeanor conviction also creates a permanent criminal record that shows up on background checks for employment, professional licensing, and future firearm purchases.

Exceptions Under Subsection (c)

K.S.A. 21-6332(c) carves out two narrow exceptions where the under-the-influence rule does not apply.

1. Home, place of business, and owned land. A person who possesses or carries a firearm "while in such person's own dwelling or place of business or on land owned or possessed by such person" is not covered by the prohibition. This means a homeowner who has a few drinks at home while a loaded firearm is on the nightstand is not committing a 21-6332 offense. The same is true on land you own or lawfully possess.

2. Self-defense and other legal justification. "Transitory possession or use of a firearm during an act committed in self-defense or in defense of another person or any other act committed if legally justified or excused" is excepted, "provided such possession or use lasts no longer than is immediately necessary." If you are intoxicated at home and grab a firearm to defend yourself or another against an intruder, the statute does not punish that brief, justified use. It does not authorize ongoing armed activity beyond the immediate need.

These exceptions are narrow. They protect activity in your own home, on your own land, or during a legitimate self-defense moment. They do not protect carrying loaded into a bar, a parking lot, a friend's house, a campsite on public land, or any other public or third-party setting.

How Alcohol Concentration Is Treated as Evidence

K.S.A. 21-6332(h) sets up Kansas's evidentiary scheme for BAC. Read this carefully, because it differs from a typical DUI per-se rule.

"Prima facie evidence" means the State has met its initial burden on the impairment element if BAC is 0.08 or more. The defendant can still rebut, but the case will reach the jury on that showing. Below 0.08, the State must build the impairment case from the totality of the evidence: driving behavior, FSTs, officer observations, witness testimony, and any chemical results.

K.S.A. 21-6332(i) adds that subsection (h) does not limit the introduction of "any other competent evidence" on the question of impairment. Translation: a 0.08 cutoff is not a hard ceiling. A jury can convict under 0.08 if the proof of impairment is otherwise convincing, and a jury can acquit at 0.08 or above if the defendant successfully rebuts.

This is the practical difference between Kansas's rule and a state like Michigan, where CPL holders carrying concealed are governed by a hard 0.02 BAC tier with separate civil-infraction and misdemeanor grades. Kansas has none of that. There is one statute, one offense grade, and a single evidentiary BAC threshold that flips the burden of production.

Chemical Testing and Implied Consent

K.S.A. 21-6332(d) gives officers broad authority to demand chemical testing when probable cause exists. The officer "shall request" a test. The selection of which test (blood, breath, urine, or other bodily substance) is the officer's choice, not the suspect's.

When a Test Can Be Demanded

A test demand under 21-6332(d) requires the officer to have probable cause to believe the person is in possession of a firearm under the influence. That is the same standard used for arrest. It is more than reasonable suspicion. The officer must be able to articulate facts that would lead a reasonable person to believe both possession and impairment.

Who Can Draw Blood

Subsection (e)(1) limits blood draws to medical professionals:

• A licensed physician, physician's assistant, or someone acting under their direction
• A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse
• A qualified medical technician (including EMT-intermediate, mobile intensive care technician, EMT-intermediate/defibrillator, advanced EMT, or paramedic, as defined in K.S.A. 65-6112) authorized by medical protocol
• A phlebotomist

The officer directs the draw through a written statement. The medical professional and facility may rely in good faith on that statement and are protected from civil liability for the draw itself. The sample collected for legal purposes must be an independent sample, not a portion of one taken for medical care.

Urine Collection

Under 21-6332(e)(7), a urine collection must be supervised by a physician, PA, person acting under their direction, registered nurse, LPN, or a law enforcement officer of the same sex as the person being tested. The collection must occur out of view of anyone other than the supervisor and the subject, unless the subject waives privacy. When possible, a law enforcement officer should supervise.

Restraint and Civil Liability

If a sample is taken under a search warrant and the person must be restrained, K.S.A. 21-6332(e)(5) puts the responsibility for restraint on law enforcement, not on medical staff. K.S.A. 21-6332(e)(8) protects testing personnel and the requesting officer from civil and criminal proceedings arising from a test conducted in accordance with the section, the same kind of immunity that protects medical professionals doing court-ordered DUI blood draws.

What Happens If You Refuse Testing

K.S.A. 21-6332(f) treats refusal as a serious problem for a defendant.

Refusal Is Admissible at Trial

Subsection (f)(1) makes the refusal itself admissible in evidence at trial. The State can argue consciousness of guilt to the jury. Failure to provide an adequate breath sample as directed counts as a refusal, unless the defendant shows the failure was due to a medical condition unrelated to ingested alcohol or drugs.

Civil Penalty up to $1,000

Under 21-6332(f)(3), if the court finds during the criminal prosecution that the defendant refused testing when properly requested, the county or district attorney may petition to recover "on behalf of the state, in addition to the criminal penalties provided in this section, a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 for each violation." The civil penalty stacks on top of any criminal sentence. It is not an alternative to prosecution.

Practical Note on Refusal

Refusing chemical testing under 21-6332 does not work the same way refusing a DUI test does. Kansas's general DUI implied-consent statute (K.S.A. 8-1001) imposes administrative driver-license consequences for refusal. K.S.A. 21-6332 does not impose a CCHL suspension automatically for refusal alone. The CCHL revocation under subsection (g) is triggered by conviction, not refusal. But a refusal makes conviction more likely, and a refusal triggers the separate $1,000 civil penalty.

CCHL Holders: Mandatory License Revocation on Conviction

K.S.A. 21-6332(g) layers a CCHL-specific consequence on top of the criminal penalty. If the defendant holds a valid Kansas CCHL issued under K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq. and is convicted of a 21-6332 offense, the license shall be revoked:

• Minimum one year for a first offense
• Minimum three years for a second or subsequent offense

Two things to flag for instructors:

1. The trigger is conviction, not arrest. Charges alone do not revoke the license. A conviction does, and the revocation is mandatory. The Attorney General's office, which administers CCHLs, has no statutory discretion to waive it.

2. The revocation periods are minimums, not maximums. The license is revoked for at least one year (or three for repeat offenses). A second offense within the revocation window could push the floor higher, and a renewal application after revocation will be evaluated under K.S.A. 75-7c04 prohibitor analysis at that time.

Kansas does not have a separate, lower BAC tier solely for CCHL holders (some other states apply a stricter rule to permit holders). The CCHL holder's substantive offense element is the same as the constitutional carrier's: impairment to incapacity. The CCHL-specific consequence is only the license-revocation overlay. That said, holding a CCHL means a conviction costs you the license on top of the criminal penalty, the civil penalty for refusal, and any collateral consequences.

Constitutional Carriers Without a Permit

Kansas has been a permitless-carry state since July 1, 2015. A person 21 or older who is legally allowed to possess a firearm may carry concealed without a CCHL. Constitutional carry does not create a separate rule for under-the-influence carry. K.S.A. 21-6332 applies on its face to anyone who knowingly possesses or carries a loaded firearm.

Practically:

• A 25-year-old constitutional carrier who has had three drinks at a bar and is carrying loaded faces the same Class A misdemeanor exposure as a CCHL holder in the same situation.
• The constitutional carrier does not face license revocation under subsection (g), because there is no license to revoke. But a conviction will appear on background checks and may affect future CCHL applications, federal NICS checks for purchases, and employment.
• The 18-to-20 cohort cannot legally carry concealed in public in Kansas at all (under K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4)). For that cohort, a violation of 21-6332 will typically be charged alongside an under-21 concealed-carry charge, with both offenses arising from the same transaction.

Carrying Into Establishments That Serve Alcohol

Kansas does not categorically ban concealed carry into restaurants and bars that serve alcohol. The Attorney General's published FAQ confirms that you may carry into a business that serves alcohol if the business itself allows concealed carry (that is, it is not posted to exclude carry under the AG's signage rule).

The trap is the alcohol-consumption rule. If you carry into an establishment that serves alcohol and you drink to the point that you are under the influence while still possessing a loaded firearm, you have violated K.S.A. 21-6332 the moment your impairment crosses into "incapable of safely operating a firearm." The legality of the location does not insulate the carrier from the impairment offense.

Practical rule for instructors to teach:

• If you intend to drink, do not carry loaded.
• If you are carrying loaded, do not drink.
• The "no carry while drinking" rule should be treated as bright-line, even though the statute itself uses an impairment standard.

The Attorney General's office takes the same view in plain language: "If you are found to be under the influence of alcohol while having a loaded firearm on your person then you would be subject to criminal penalties under K.S.A. 21-6332."

Drugs Other Than Alcohol

K.S.A. 21-6332 reaches drugs the same way it reaches alcohol. Subsection (h)(3) provides that the presence of "any narcotic, hypnotic, somnifacient, stimulating or other drug which has the capacity to render the defendant incapacitated" may be considered to determine whether the defendant was under the influence. This sweep covers illegal controlled substances, marijuana (still a Schedule I federal controlled substance and unlawful for recreational and most medical use under Kansas state law), prescription medications taken contrary to the prescription or in combination when they cause incapacitation, and even properly prescribed medications if a jury concludes they impaired the defendant to incapacity. Kansas does not list per-se drug concentrations the way some states do for THC or specific narcotics. The trier of fact assesses incapacity using chemical evidence plus officer observations and any other competent evidence.

Medical Marijuana, Federal Law, and Firearms

Kansas does not currently have a comprehensive medical-marijuana program comparable to neighboring states. The Attorney General's published FAQ addresses the cross-jurisdictional question: a person who has been issued a medical marijuana card is treated as an unlawful user of a controlled substance and is therefore prohibited, both under federal law and under Kansas state law, from possessing a firearm. Per the AG, the prohibition lasts "as long as the card is valid and for one full year after the card expires."

Two statutory hooks back this up:

• Federal: 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3) prohibits firearm possession by any person who is an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance. Marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act. ATF Form 4473 asks every purchaser to certify under penalty of perjury that they are not an unlawful user. A "yes" to medical-marijuana use is a federal felony if combined with firearm possession or attempted purchase.

• Kansas: K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(10) makes it a crime in Kansas to possess any firearm while addicted to and an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The offense is graded a Class B nonperson select misdemeanor. K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(8) similarly prohibits selling, giving, or transferring any firearm to such a person.

This is independent of the under-the-influence statute. A person who holds an out-of-state medical marijuana card and possesses a firearm in Kansas commits an offense even when stone sober and at home. The 21-6332 statute punishes the loaded-and-impaired moment. The 21-6301 statute punishes the underlying possession by a prohibited person. They stack.

Mental-Health and Substance-Abuse Commitment

Kansas treats involuntary commitment for substance abuse as a serious firearm prohibitor under K.S.A. 21-6301:

• K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(9) prohibits selling, giving, or transferring a firearm to any person who has been a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment under K.S.A. 59-2946, or a person with an alcohol or substance abuse problem subject to involuntary commitment under K.S.A. 59-29b46. This is a Class A nonperson misdemeanor.

• K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(13) prohibits the possession of a firearm by any such person. This is a severity level 8, nonperson felony in Kansas. Exposure includes a presumptive sentence on the Kansas non-drug grid plus a permanent felony record and lifetime federal firearm prohibition under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(4).

The under-the-influence statute does not need to be charged for these provisions to apply. A person previously committed for substance abuse is barred from possession in Kansas at any sobriety level.

Vehicle Application

The under-the-influence rule explicitly reaches vehicles. K.S.A. 21-6332(a) covers a loaded firearm "within such person's immediate access and control while in a vehicle," which is broader than carrying on the person. A loaded handgun on the seat, in a door pocket, or in an unlocked glovebox or console is within immediate access. A loaded handgun in a locked, separated container the driver cannot reach without stopping and getting out (for example, a locked case in a sedan trunk) is harder for the State to characterize as immediate, though the analysis is fact-specific.

A Kansas DUI traffic stop that turns up a loaded handgun in the driver's reach can readily produce a 21-6332 charge alongside the DUI under K.S.A. 8-1567. Kansas's general DUI statute uses 0.08 as a per-se cutoff for vehicle operation. The firearm offense is charged separately under 21-6332. The two charges arise from different offenses and do not merge.

Practical Guidance for Instructors and Students

A few rules to teach explicitly.

1. The "no drinking with a loaded gun" rule is bright-line. Even though the statute uses an impairment standard, the safest rule is to treat any consumption as inconsistent with carrying loaded. The cost of being wrong is a Class A misdemeanor and CCHL revocation.

2. The home and own-land exception is real. K.S.A. 21-6332(c)(1) protects the homeowner who has a few drinks at home with a loaded firearm in the house. Students worried about a glass of wine at home with a nightstand pistol can be told the statute does not reach that conduct.

3. The self-defense exception is narrow. K.S.A. 21-6332(c)(2) permits "transitory possession or use" during a justified self-defense incident. It does not authorize ongoing carry. A homeowner who lawfully discharged a firearm in self-defense after drinking is not by that fact criminally liable under 21-6332. A defendant who continues to carry loaded after the threat ends is back inside the prohibition.

4. Refusal helps the State. Refusal to test is admissible at trial as evidence of guilt and triggers a $1,000 civil penalty. Refusal in the field rarely improves a defendant's position.

5. Medical marijuana is a hard no. A medical marijuana cardholder, in Kansas or any other state, should not possess a firearm in Kansas. The conduct violates federal law under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3) and Kansas law under 21-6301(a)(10), independent of the 21-6332 carry-while-impaired rule.

6. Plan the night. If a student plans to drink, the firearm should be locked at home or lawfully secured before drinking begins.

Statute Reference

Kansas Concealed Carry Laws - Overview

Kansas is a permitless carry (constitutional carry) state. The Kansas Bill of Rights, Section 4, declares: "The right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed." The following overview summarizes the key aspects of Kansas concealed carry law based on the Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.).

Permitless (Constitutional) Carry

Effective July 1, 2015, Kansas enacted permitless carry legislation, allowing any person who is 21 years of age or older (or 18 years of age or older for members of the military or honorably discharged veterans) and who is legally eligible to possess a firearm to carry a concealed handgun without a license or permit. This is codified under K.S.A. 21-6302, which provides exceptions to the general prohibition on criminal carrying of a weapon.

Prior to 2015, Kansas required a concealed carry license under the Personal and Family Protection Act (enacted in 2006), which established the framework for background checks and training requirements.

Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) - Still Available

Although a permit is not required to carry concealed in Kansas, the state continues to issue Concealed Carry Handgun Licenses (CCHLs) through the Kansas Attorney General's office under K.S.A. 75-7c01 through 75-7c24 (Personal and Family Protection Act). Obtaining a CCHL remains beneficial for:

• Reciprocity - A Kansas CCHL is recognized by many other states that have reciprocity agreements with Kansas.
• Exemption from NICS background checks - A valid Kansas CCHL may serve as an alternative to the federal NICS background check when purchasing firearms from a licensed dealer.
• Carrying in certain restricted areas - Some locations that restrict permitless carry may still allow entry for CCHL holders.
• Provisional-to-standard license transition - Kansas law provides a pathway from a provisional license to a standard license (updated by HB 2052, effective April 1, 2025).

CCHL Disqualifying Criteria

Under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a), the Attorney General shall not issue a CCHL if the applicant is prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition under:

• 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) or (n) - Federal firearms prohibitions
• K.S.A. 21-6401, subsections (a)(10) through (a)(13) - Kansas criminal discharge of a firearm provisions
• K.S.A. 21-6304, subsections (a)(1) through (a)(3) - Kansas criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon

All criminal history must be disclosed on a CCHL application. Applicants with questions about how their criminal history may affect eligibility should consult a private attorney, as the Attorney General's office cannot provide individualized legal advice to applicants.

Key Statutes

Self-Defense Laws

Kansas has both Stand Your Ground and Castle Doctrine protections. The Kansas Supreme Court upheld the right of citizens to bear arms for self-defense in State v. Humes (2018).

• K.S.A. 21-5222 (Stand Your Ground) - A person who is not the initial aggressor has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand their ground and use force, including deadly force, if the person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another person.
• K.S.A. 21-5223 (Castle Doctrine) - A person is justified in using force, including deadly force, against another person when the person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent or terminate an unlawful entry into or attack upon their dwelling, occupied vehicle, or place of work.

Open Carry

Kansas is an open carry state. No permit is required to openly carry a firearm for individuals who are legally permitted to possess one. The minimum age for open carry is 18 years old.

Prohibited Locations

Even under permitless carry, firearms are generally prohibited in certain locations, including but not limited to:

• State and municipal buildings that have adequate security measures as defined by K.S.A. 75-7c20 (including electronic equipment and armed personnel at public entrances to detect and restrict firearms)
• Schools (K-12) - unless specifically authorized
• Courthouses
• Correctional facilities and jails
• Locations prohibited by federal law (federal buildings, post offices, VA facilities, etc.)
• Any public building or area where proper signage is posted and adequate security measures are provided (per K.S.A. 75-7c20)

Important: Buildings open to the public that do not provide adequate security measures (as defined by Kansas law) generally cannot prohibit concealed carry by lawful carriers. This provision, established by the Personal and Family Protection Act and refined through multiple legislative sessions (2013-2017), is a distinctive feature of Kansas law.

Prohibited Persons

Under Kansas law and federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)), certain individuals are prohibited from possessing firearms, including:

• Persons convicted of a felony (per K.S.A. 21-6304)
• Persons convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor
• Persons subject to certain court orders (e.g., protection from abuse orders)
• Persons addicted to or unlawfully using controlled substances
• Persons who are mentally ill and subject to involuntary commitment
• Persons who are fugitives from justice
• Illegal aliens
• Persons who have been dishonorably discharged from the armed forces
• Persons who have renounced United States citizenship

Preemption

Kansas has a state preemption law that prevents local municipalities from enacting firearms regulations more restrictive than state law. This was strengthened in 2021 with legislation that further reinforced the prohibition on local governments from enacting stricter firearm regulations than those established at the state level.

Recent Legislative Changes (2025)

Two significant bills took effect April 2, 2025 (publication date):

• SB 137 - Kansas Standard Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Act Amended: Authorizes the sale or transfer of forfeited firearms under the Kansas standard asset seizure and forfeiture act to a licensed firearm dealer. Amends K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 60-4117.

• HB 2052 - Personal and Family Protection Act Updated: Updates cross references in the Personal and Family Protection Act regarding CCHL eligibility requirements; requires the surrender of a suspended or revoked license; provides for a transition from a provisional license to a standard license; and prohibits the collection of personal information of an off-duty law enforcement officer entering buildings while armed or requiring such officer to wear any item identifying them as a law enforcement officer or being armed.

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This overview is based on Kansas statutes including K.S.A. 21-6301, 21-6302, 21-6304, 21-5222, 21-5223, 75-7c01-75-7c24, and 75-7c04 as referenced from the Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes (ksrevisor.gov), the Kansas State Legislature (kslegislature.gov), and the Kansas Attorney General's Concealed Carry resources. Legislative updates from the 2025 session sourced from enrolled bill summaries. Individuals should consult the full text of applicable statutes and seek legal counsel for specific situations.

Kansas Concealed Carry Permit Basics

Overview

Kansas issues a Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) through the Office of the Attorney General. While Kansas adopted permitless (constitutional) carry effective July 1, 2015, the state continues to issue CCHLs for those who wish to obtain one, particularly for reciprocity purposes when traveling to other states.

Permitless Carry

• Effective July 1, 2015: Persons who are 21 years of age or older may carry concealed firearms in Kansas without a license, provided they are lawfully permitted to possess firearms.
• Effective July 1, 2023 (per 2023 HB 2058, codified at K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A)): Persons who are 18 to 20 years of age may carry concealed firearms in Kansas with a valid provisional concealed carry license issued by the Kansas Attorney General, provided they are lawfully permitted to possess firearms.

CCHL Application Requirements

Training Requirement

• Applicants must generally complete a Kansas-required 8-hour training class.
• Training Exemption: Applicants may qualify for an exemption from the Kansas training class if they hold a valid CCHL from another jurisdiction and the training used to obtain that non-Kansas CCHL meets or exceeds Kansas training requirements. In such cases, the applicant must attach:
  1. A copy of the valid non-Kansas CCHL to their application;
  2. Documentation showing the contents of the training used to obtain the non-Kansas CCHL; and
  3. Certification that they successfully completed the non-Kansas training course.

Application Process

• Applicants must submit their application through the Sheriff in the county where they reside.
• Applicants must pay applicable fees.

Residency & Validity

• A Kansas CCHL is only valid while the licensee is a resident of Kansas or stationed in Kansas as active duty military (or a dependent thereof).
• Active duty military personnel and their dependents who are stationed in Kansas but hold non-resident driver's licenses must surrender their Kansas CCHL when relocating outside of the state (unless Kansas is their home of record).

Active Duty Military Personnel & Dependents

• Non-resident active duty military and their dependents residing in Kansas are eligible to apply for a Kansas CCHL.
• Active duty military personnel and their dependents must attach a copy of their non-resident driver's license or state-issued ID card to their application but do not have to surrender their non-resident driver's license or ID to Kansas.
• A non-Kansas CCHL is valid in Kansas so long as the licensee is not a resident of Kansas and the CCHL is not expired, revoked, suspended, or otherwise had arbitrary action taken against it by the issuing jurisdiction.

Employer/Employee Restrictions

Private Employers

• May prohibit employees from carrying concealed while on the premises of the employer's business or while otherwise engaged in the duties of employment. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(b))
• May not prohibit an employee from storing their handgun in the licensee's private vehicle, even if parked on the employer's premises. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(b))

Public (State or Municipal) Employers

• May restrict concealed carry by employees only if adequate security measures and signage are in place at the employer's public entrances. (K.S.A. 75-7c20)
• May not restrict an employee who is legally qualified from carrying a concealed handgun while engaged in duties of employment outside of the employer's place of business, including while in a vehicle. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(e))

Employer Disclosure Requirements

• Municipal employers are prohibited from requiring disclosure of CCHL status and are prohibited from creating or maintaining a record of employees who have a CCHL. (K.S.A. 75-7c23)
• State employers are not prohibited from requiring disclosure of CCHL status.

Key Statutes Referenced

Contact Information

• Concealed Carry Licensing Unit: (785) 291-3765
• Website: Kansas Attorney General - Concealed Carry Licensing

Kansas Concealed Carry Laws

Overview

Kansas is a permitless carry (constitutional carry) state for persons 21 years of age or older. Kansas also issues Concealed Carry Handgun Licenses (CCHLs) for those who wish to obtain one, which provide additional benefits such as reciprocity with other states and exemption from the federal Gun Free School Zone Act.

The governing statutes are found in the Personal and Family Protection Act, K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq., with regulations at K.A.R. 16-11-1 through 16-11-8.

Permitless (Unlicensed) Concealed Carry

• Effective July 1, 2015, persons who are 21 years of age or older may carry concealed firearms in Kansas without a license, provided they are lawfully permitted to possess firearms.
• This applies to both Kansas residents and non-residents.
• Persons aged 18-20 are not eligible for unlicensed concealed carry and must have a valid CCHL to carry concealed in Kansas.
• Effective July 1, 2023 (per 2023 HB 2058, codified at K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A)), persons aged 18 to 20 may carry concealed if they hold a valid provisional concealed carry license issued by the Kansas Attorney General.
• Unlicensed concealed carry is not allowed in a school zone (within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school).
• Unlicensed concealed carry rights in Kansas do not extend to other states. Most other states require a CCHL even if they recognize Kansas licenses by reciprocity.

Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL)

License Types

• Standard License: Applicant must be at least 21 years of age (K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(B)).
• Provisional License: Applicant must be at least 18 years of age (K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A)).
• HB 2052 (2025 Session Laws, Chapter 55) provides for a transition from a provisional license to a standard license.

Eligibility Requirements (K.S.A. 75-7c04)

The Attorney General shall not issue a license if the applicant:

1. Is not a resident of the county where the application is made or is not a resident of the state (with exceptions for active duty military and dependents);
2. Is prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition under:
   • 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) or (n)
   • K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(10), (a)(13), or (a)(15) through (a)(18)
   • K.S.A. 21-6304(a)(1) through (a)(4)
3. Does not meet the minimum age requirement for the license type.

Training Requirements

• Applicants must complete an 8-hour handgun safety and training course approved by the Attorney General (K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)).
• Training standards include:
  • Safe storage of handguns
  • Actual firing of handguns
  • Instruction in Kansas laws governing concealed carry and use of deadly force
• Courses must be compatible with the industry standard for basic handgun training for civilians.
• Approved courses include those certified or sponsored by:
  • The Kansas Attorney General
  • The National Rifle Association (NRA)
  • Law enforcement agencies, colleges, or other qualified institutions (if meeting AG standards)
• Instructors must be certified by the Attorney General or by the NRA (if NRA certification meets AG standards). Instructor certification fee: not to exceed $150.
• Training exemption: Applicants with a valid CCHL from another jurisdiction may qualify for exemption if their prior training meets or exceeds Kansas requirements (instruction on laws of self-defense and demonstrated competency in safe handling, storage, and actual firing of handguns) (K.S.A. 75-7c04(c)).

Application Process (K.S.A. 75-7c05)

Applications are submitted to the Sheriff of the county where the applicant resides during normal business hours. The application must include:

1. Name, address, Social Security number, Kansas driver's license or nondriver ID number, place and date of birth
2. Photocopy of driver's license or nondriver ID card
3. Photocopy of certificate of training course completion
4. Statement of compliance with K.S.A. 75-7c04 eligibility criteria
5. Statement that the applicant has been furnished a copy of the act and is knowledgeable of its provisions
6. Statement that the applicant desires a CCHL as a means of lawful self-defense

The application is executed under oath; false answers subject the applicant to criminal prosecution under K.S.A. 21-5903.

Active duty military exception: Military personnel and dependents who do not possess a Kansas driver's license are not required to provide a Kansas license number but must attach a copy of their non-resident driver's license or state-issued ID.

Active Duty Military Personnel

• Non-resident active duty military and their dependents residing in Kansas are eligible to apply for a Kansas CCHL.
• They do not have to surrender their non-resident driver's license to Kansas.
• A Kansas CCHL is only valid while the licensee is a resident of Kansas or stationed in Kansas.
• A valid non-Kansas CCHL is recognized in Kansas for non-residents, provided it is not expired, revoked, or suspended.

License Surrender

Per HB 2052 (2025), a license must be surrendered to the Attorney General upon suspension or revocation.

Reciprocity

• 39 states currently recognize the Kansas CCHL (as noted by the Kansas Attorney General).
• It is the licensee's responsibility to know the laws of any jurisdiction they travel to or through.

Prohibited Locations

Federal Property

• Federal land and federal facilities are governed by federal law. If firearms are prohibited, neither licensed nor unlicensed concealed carry is permitted.

State and Municipal Buildings

• Public (state or municipal) agencies may restrict concealed carry in buildings if adequate security measures (metal detection equipment and armed security guards) and signage are in place at public entrances (K.S.A. 75-7c20).
• On state or municipal-owned public lands (outdoors), concealed carry by licensees cannot be restricted.

Correctional and Law Enforcement Facilities

• Correctional facilities, jail facilities, and law enforcement agencies may prohibit carrying of a handgun (concealed or unconcealed) in any secure area of a building on such premises (K.S.A. 75-7c20(g)).

Courtrooms

• Judicial districts may prohibit concealed carry in courtrooms if adequate security measures and signage are in place (K.S.A. 75-7c20(h)).

Medical and Care Facilities

• State or municipal-owned medical care facilities, adult care homes, and mental health centers may prohibit concealed or unconcealed carry without the requirement for adequate security measures.

K-12 Schools

• Unlicensed concealed carry is not allowed within a school zone (within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school).
• A person with a Kansas CCHL (or valid out-of-state license) is exempt from the federal Gun Free School Zone Act and may travel through a school zone and may be on school grounds, but not in school district buildings.
• K-12 school district buildings may prohibit concealed carry by posting signage at public entrances. They are not required to have adequate security measures (metal detectors/armed guards) to restrict concealed carry.

Universities and Community Colleges

• May restrict concealed carry in campus buildings only if adequate security measures and signage are in place at public entrances.
• If adequate security is not in place, persons 21+ who are lawful to possess firearms may carry concealed. Persons aged 18-20 must have a valid provisional CCHL.
• Concealed carry is legal on the school's grounds (outdoors).

State Capitol Building

• Concealed carry is allowed for persons 21+ (with or without a CCHL).
• Persons aged 18-20 must have a valid CCHL to carry concealed.
• Open carry of a handgun is not allowed in the State Capitol building.

Private Businesses

• May restrict concealed carry if properly posted signage is displayed at entrances.
• If a business is not posted but the owner or employee asks a person to leave, refusal may result in a citation for criminal trespass.

Employer/Employee Provisions

Private Employers (K.S.A. 75-7c10(b))

• May prohibit employees from carrying concealed on the employer's premises or while engaged in duties of employment.
• May not prohibit an employee from storing a handgun in the employee's private vehicle, even if parked on the employer's premises.

Public (State or Municipal) Employers (K.S.A. 75-7c20, 75-7c10(e))

• May restrict concealed carry by employees only if adequate security measures and signage are in place.
• May not restrict a legally qualified employee from carrying concealed while engaged in duties outside the employer's place of business, including while in a vehicle.

Disclosure Requirements

• Municipal employers are prohibited from requiring employees to disclose CCHL status and are prohibited from creating or maintaining records of employees with CCHLs (K.S.A. 75-7c23).
• State employers are not prohibited from requiring disclosure of CCHL status.

2025 Legislative Update: HB 2052

House Bill 2052 was enacted as Chapter 55 of the 2025 Session Laws of Kansas. Key provisions include:

• Updated cross-references in the Personal and Family Protection Act regarding eligibility requirements (K.S.A. 75-7c04)
• Requirement to surrender license to the Attorney General upon suspension or revocation
• Provision for transition from a provisional license to a standard license
• Prohibition on collecting personal information of an off-duty law enforcement officer entering buildings while armed, or requiring such officer to wear identifying items
• Amended statutes: K.S.A. 75-7c07, 75-7c22, and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 75-7c04, 75-7c05, and 75-7c08

Key Statutes and Regulations

Contact Information

• Concealed Carry Licensing Unit: (785) 291-3765
• Kansas Attorney General's Office: ag.ks.gov

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Federal context

N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen (2022). Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022), eliminated "proper cause" / "good cause" discretionary CCW frameworks and required states to apply objective issuance criteria. The decision converted formerly may-issue states to shall-issue. States that were already shall-issue or permitless before Bruen experience the case primarily through its broader historical-tradition test for evaluating subsequent Second Amendment claims.

Constitutional Carry in Kansas

Kansas is a permitless carry (constitutional carry) state. If you are at least 21 years old and legally permitted to possess a firearm under state and federal law, you may carry a handgun, openly or concealed, anywhere in Kansas a permit holder could carry, without applying for any license. The change took effect July 1, 2015 under Senate Bill 45.

That does not mean Kansas became a "no rules" state. The state still issues a Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) through the Office of the Attorney General, federal prohibitions under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) still bar certain people from possession, and prohibited locations under K.S.A. 75-7c10 and 75-7c20 still apply. Constitutional carry waives the state license requirement. It does not waive every other limit on where, when, and by whom a handgun may be carried.

The Statutory Hook

Permitless carry in Kansas does not appear as a freestanding "constitutional carry act." It is built into two statutes that work together:

• K.S.A. 21-6302 (criminal carrying of a weapon) sets out what carrying conduct is criminal. Concealed carry by a person under 21 is a Class A nonperson misdemeanor under 21-6302(a)(4). For a person 21 or older who is otherwise legally allowed to possess a firearm, no equivalent prohibition exists. There is no Kansas statute that makes adult permitless concealed carry a crime.
• K.S.A. 75-7c03(a) (Personal and Family Protection Act) confirms it expressly. After describing the CCHL system, the statute states: "The availability of licenses to carry concealed handguns under this act shall not be construed to impose a general prohibition on the carrying of handguns without such license, whether carried openly or concealed, or loaded or unloaded."

Read together, these two provisions are the operative source of constitutional carry in Kansas. The Attorney General's office issues licenses, but the licensing system is not the only lawful route to carry. Adults who meet the eligibility floor may carry without one.

Who Can Carry Without a Permit

You can carry concealed in Kansas without a license if you meet all of the following:

• You are at least 21 years of age. K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) makes concealed carry of a handgun by anyone under 21 a misdemeanor, with narrow exceptions for your own land, your abode, or your fixed place of business.
• You are not a prohibited person under federal law. 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) bars firearm possession by convicted felons, persons subject to qualifying domestic-violence misdemeanors or protective orders, persons adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, unlawful users of controlled substances, fugitives, persons dishonorably discharged, persons who have renounced U.S. citizenship, and unlawful aliens.
• You are not a prohibited person under Kansas law. K.S.A. 21-6304 (criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon) and related provisions cited at K.S.A. 21-6301 carry their own bars on possession.
• You are carrying a handgun, not a category of weapon that remains prohibited regardless of permit status. K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(5) still criminalizes possession of short-barrel shotguns (less than 18 inches) and machine guns outside the National Firearms Act framework.

If any of those four conditions fails, constitutional carry does not protect you. The fix is not "get a permit instead." A felon who could not legally possess a firearm at all cannot fix that with a CCHL. An 18-to-20-year-old in Kansas has two real options: open carry (legal at 18+ without any license) or apply for a CCHL provisional license under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A). The provisional license, when held, exempts the holder from K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4)'s under-21 concealed prohibition per K.S.A. 21-6302(d).

The 18-to-20 Gap

This is the part students most often get wrong. Kansas constitutional carry covers adults 21 and up. It does not cover 18-to-20-year-olds for concealed carry. Three rules interact:

1. Concealed carry under 21 is a crime. K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) makes it a Class A nonperson misdemeanor to knowingly carry "any pistol, revolver or other firearm concealed on one's person if such person is under 21 years of age, except when on such person's land or in such person's abode or fixed place of business."
2. Open carry under 21 is generally allowed. Kansas has no minimum age for open carry of a long gun or handgun beyond the federal possession rules. An 18-year-old who is not federally prohibited can openly carry a handgun in public in Kansas.
3. The provisional CCHL is the 18-to-20 pathway. Kansas added a provisional concealed-handgun-license track for applicants 18 to 20 in 2023 HB 2058 (signed April 27, 2023, effective July 1, 2023), codified at K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A). The Attorney General has been issuing provisional licenses since that date. K.S.A. 21-6302(d) exempts permit holders from the (a)(4) under-21 concealed-carry prohibition, so a provisional CCHL is the direct fix to the under-21 concealed-carry bar. 2025 HB 2052 (signed April 2, 2025) added the formal mechanism for a provisional license to transition to a standard CCHL when the holder turns 21. An 18-to-20-year-old who wants to carry concealed in public should apply for the provisional CCHL; if they do not, they remain limited to the open-carry-only and home/business/own-land carve-outs.

The Attorney General's pre-2023 opinion (Kan. AG Op. 2017-18) was issued before the 2023 HB 2058 provisional-CCHL track existed; the operative rule for 18-to-20 since July 1, 2023 is the provisional CCHL pathway under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3)(A).

If you are 18, 19, or 20: you can possess and openly carry a handgun in public in Kansas if you are not federally prohibited, and you can apply for a provisional CCHL to carry concealed in public. Without the provisional CCHL, you remain limited to the home/business/own-land carve-out for concealed carry.

What Constitutional Carry Does Not Change

Permitless carry strips out the licensing requirement. It does not strip out the rest of Kansas firearms law. The following all still apply.

Federal Prohibitions

18 U.S.C. § 922(g) is unaffected by any state's permitless-carry law. If you fall into any of the federal prohibited-person categories, you cannot lawfully possess a firearm in Kansas at all, with or without a permit. The same applies to the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act, federal restrictions in post offices, federal courthouses, federal facilities, military installations, and the secure areas of airports.

Prohibited Locations

K.S.A. 75-7c10 and 75-7c20 govern where concealed handguns may be carried inside buildings in Kansas. The framework is the same whether you carry under a CCHL or under permitless carry:

• A building can prohibit concealed carry only if it is "conspicuously posted in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the attorney general." K.S.A. 75-7c10(a).
• For state and municipal buildings, the prohibition is enforceable only if the building also provides "adequate security measures" as defined in K.S.A. 75-7c20, which generally means electronic detection equipment and armed personnel screening at all public entrances.
• Buildings open to the public that lack adequate security measures generally cannot exclude lawful carriers. This is one of the more distinctive features of Kansas public-carry law.
• Posted signage that does not meet the AG's regulatory standard does not create a criminal violation.
• Violation of a properly posted private-building restriction is not a criminal penalty by itself under K.S.A. 75-7c10(f)(1). The remedy is denial of entry or removal from the premises. Refusing to leave when asked can escalate into criminal trespass.
• Federal restrictions still apply. K-12 schools (federal Gun-Free School Zones Act), federal buildings, courthouses, jails, correctional facilities, and similar locations are off limits regardless of state law.
• Per K.S.A. 75-7c10(g), the carry restrictions in that section do not apply to the State Capitol building itself. The Capitol is governed by its own rules.

For a complete walkthrough of where carry is restricted, see the Prohibited Locations section.

Private Employer and Property Rights

Constitutional carry does not override a private property owner's right to exclude. K.S.A. 75-7c10(b) preserves the right of a private employer to prohibit employees from carrying a concealed handgun while on the employer's premises or while engaged in the duties of employment. The same provision protects the employee's right to keep a handgun locked in a private vehicle, even when parked on the employer's lot.

A private homeowner, business owner, or landlord can ask you to leave or to disarm. Refusing converts what was a lawful carry into a trespass.

Vehicle Carry

Concealed carry inside your vehicle is treated under the same general rules as concealed carry on your person. An adult 21 or older who is not prohibited may lawfully carry a loaded, concealed handgun in a private vehicle in Kansas without any permit. Different rules apply to commercial drivers under federal regulations, and to school zones and posted government buildings.

Use of Force and Self-Defense

Kansas has Stand Your Ground (K.S.A. 21-5222) and Castle Doctrine (K.S.A. 21-5223) protections, but those protections govern when use of force is justified. They are independent of how the firearm is carried. Carrying without a permit does not change the legal standard for justified self-defense, and it does not give you any extra latitude to use force.

Reciprocity and Travel

Constitutional carry is a Kansas rule. It does not follow you across the state line. If you cross into Missouri, Oklahoma, Colorado, or Nebraska, you are subject to that state's carry laws and that state's permit requirements. Some neighboring states are also permitless. Others are not, and a few of those that are not will recognize your Kansas CCHL but will not recognize the absence of one.

This is the practical reason most serious Kansas carriers still get a CCHL even though they do not need one to carry inside Kansas:

• A Kansas CCHL is recognized by many other states under reciprocity agreements. Permitless carry status by itself is not.
• A valid CCHL serves as an alternative to the federal NICS background check at the point of sale when buying from a licensed dealer.
• Some posted buildings in Kansas distinguish between license holders and permitless carriers. Carrying with a CCHL gives you more lawful access in some posted contexts.
• If you intend to carry on out-of-state travel, the CCHL is the only practical option.

For the full reciprocity list, see the Reciprocity section.

State Preemption

Kansas has a strong preemption statute. Local governments cannot enact firearms regulations more restrictive than state law, and the legislature reinforced this in 2021. The practical effect: Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City (KS), Overland Park, and other municipalities cannot impose city-level concealed-carry permit requirements, registration mandates, or carry bans that go beyond what Kansas state law itself provides. The rules above apply uniformly across the state.

How Constitutional Carry Plays Out in Practice

A few common student questions with direct answers.

"Do I need to tell the officer I'm carrying?" Kansas does not have a general statutory duty to inform during routine police contact. If you are asked, do not lie. If you are stopped while driving and you are carrying, the safer course is to disclose calmly, keep your hands visible, and follow the officer's instructions. See the Duty to Inform section for the full treatment.

"Can I drink and carry?" No. Carrying under the influence remains a separate offense, and Kansas prosecutors will charge it. See the Carrying Under the Influence section.

"Do I need to take a class?" Not to carry permitlessly. You do need training to qualify for a Kansas CCHL, and you should take training even if you do not plan to apply, because constitutional carry shifts every legal question about justified use of force, prohibited locations, and storage onto you alone.

"Does my carry need to be concealed?" No. Kansas allows both permitless concealed and permitless open carry for adults 21 and over. There is no Kansas statute that requires the firearm to be concealed and no statute that requires it to be visible. Open carry has its own practical and legal considerations covered in the Open Carry section.

"What if I'm visiting from another state?" Out-of-state visitors who are 21 or older and not federally prohibited can carry under Kansas constitutional carry while in Kansas. You do not need a Kansas-recognized permit to carry inside Kansas. K.S.A. 75-7c03(a) is not limited to residents. The catch is the return trip: when you leave Kansas, your home state's law and the law of any state you transit will determine whether you are still legal to carry.

"What if I was a Kansas resident, moved out, and I have an old Kansas CCHL?" Your CCHL is valid only while you are a Kansas resident or active-duty military stationed in Kansas (with limited exceptions). Once you establish residency in another state, the Kansas CCHL is no longer your authority to carry in Kansas. Constitutional carry still covers you in Kansas as long as you are 21 and not prohibited, but the CCHL itself is no longer a tool you can use for reciprocity.

Quick-Reference Table

The Bottom Line for Instructors and Students

Kansas constitutional carry says one thing clearly: an adult 21 or older who is not a prohibited person does not need a state license to carry a handgun in Kansas. Everything else, the federal prohibitions, the prohibited locations, the private property rights, the use-of-force rules, the limits on under-21 carry, the reciprocity question for out-of-state travel, remains in full force. Treat the CCHL as optional for in-state carry and effectively required for serious out-of-state travel. Treat training as voluntary by statute and necessary in fact.

Kansas Prohibited Places for Concealed Carry

The bottom line

Kansas is a "posted-buildings plus adequate-security" state. That sentence does most of the work, so read it twice. A private business can keep your firearm out by hanging the right Attorney General sign at the door. A government building (state or municipal) cannot keep your firearm out with a sign alone. It must also run armed personnel and electronic detection equipment at every public entrance. If a public building is missing either piece, your concealed carry remains lawful inside it.

That framework makes Kansas one of the more carry-friendly states in the country for daily errands. There is no statutory list of "sensitive places" the way California and New York maintain. There is no general ban on bars, restaurants that serve alcohol, polling places, hospitals open to the public, parks, churches, or shopping centers. The choke points are narrow: properly posted private buildings, properly secured and posted public buildings, K-12 school district buildings, secure areas of jails and courtrooms, and federal property. Everything else is generally on the table for a person who is otherwise lawfully able to possess a firearm. The statutes that build this framework are the Personal and Family Protection Act (K.S.A. 75-7c01 through 75-7c27) and the Criminal Use of Weapons statute (K.S.A. 21-6301).

Where you cannot carry: the short list

Use this checklist as your daily-carry mental model. The detail and statutory citations follow.

1. Properly posted private buildings. Civil consequence only (denial of entry or removal). No criminal charge for entry.
2. Properly posted state or municipal buildings WITH adequate security at every public entrance. A sign by itself is not enough at a public building.
3. K-12 school district buildings. A posted sign is sufficient by itself. No security equipment required.
4. Secure areas of jails, prisons, and law enforcement agencies. Public-access lobbies of the same buildings are still subject to the general public-buildings rule.
5. Courtrooms and ancillary courtrooms when the chief judge has prohibited carry and adequate security plus signage are in place.
6. Federal property governed by federal law: federal buildings, post offices, VA facilities, secure airport areas, military installations, federal courthouses.
7. A few categorical state exemptions where a sign alone keeps you out without security: state-owned medical care facilities, state-owned adult care homes, community mental health centers, indigent health care clinics, the Kansas State School for the Deaf, the Kansas State School for the Blind, and buildings within the KU Medical Center health care district.

That is the full list. If a place is not on it, Kansas concealed carry is generally lawful inside, regardless of what the management thinks of the policy.

Posted private buildings (K.S.A. 75-7c10)

K.S.A. 75-7c10(a) is the operative rule for private buildings. The carrying of a concealed handgun "shall not be prohibited in any building unless such building is conspicuously posted in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the attorney general." Translated: the default is permission. A private property owner has to take an affirmative step (correct AG-approved sign, correctly placed) before the building is off-limits.

What counts as a proper sign

The Kansas Attorney General publishes the approved signage at ag.ks.gov. There is a separate sign for each combination of concealed-prohibited and open-prohibited; you cannot ban one without the other unless you use the correct sign. The administrative regulations are K.A.R. 16-11-7 (concealed) and K.A.R. 16-13-1 (open).

The AG signage rules in K.S.A. 75-7c10(j) require, at a minimum:

• The sign must be posted at every exterior entrance to the prohibited building.
• The sign must be at adult eye level, not more than 12 inches to the right or left of the entrance.
• The sign must not be obstructed or altered.
• An illegible sign must be replaced immediately.

If the sign is missing from one entrance, the wrong size, hidden behind a planter, faded, or the wrong AG template, the building is not properly posted. A homemade "no guns" sticker is not a proper sign.

Penalty for ignoring the sign

This is the part that surprises people. Under K.S.A. 75-7c10(f)(1), carrying past a properly posted sign is not a criminal offense. The only consequence available to the property owner is to deny you entry or ask you to leave. A licensee or carrier who refuses to leave after being asked may be charged with criminal trespass under general Kansas trespass law, but the act of carrying past the sign is not by itself a crime.

That distinction matters in practice. It does not give you license to ignore the sign; respect the property owner and either disarm or do not enter. But the worst-case outcome at a properly posted private business is that you are escorted out, not handcuffed.

Building does not include the parking lot

K.S.A. 75-7c10(h)(2) defines "building" to exclude any structure or area designated for the parking of motor vehicles. The signage rule reaches the building itself, not the lot, so a posted business cannot use the sign to make you disarm before you reach the front door. This carve-out reinforces the parallel rule for employers.

Private employers and the parking-lot rule

K.S.A. 75-7c10(b) lets private employers prohibit concealed carry by personnel policy while the employee is on the premises or engaged in the duties of employment. But the employer cannot prohibit possession of a handgun in the employee's private vehicle, even when the vehicle is parked on the employer's lot. Your locked car is your portable safe.

Liability shield for posted private businesses

K.S.A. 75-7c10(c) gives a private entity that posts proper signs and provides adequate security a liability shield for acts of carriers inside. The mirror provision shields a private entity that does not post and lets carriers in. The legislature wrote both rules so that property owners would not be pushed in either direction by tort risk.

Public buildings: the adequate-security rule (K.S.A. 75-7c20)

This is where Kansas departs sharply from most states. K.S.A. 75-7c20 says a state or municipal building cannot prohibit concealed carry just by hanging a sign. The building must combine proper signage with what the statute calls "adequate security measures." The rule has two faces. K.S.A. 75-7c20(a) governs public areas of a public building. K.S.A. 75-7c20(b) governs the public building in its entirety. In both cases the operative trigger is the same: adequate security plus signage, or no exclusion at all.

What counts as adequate security

K.S.A. 75-7c20(m)(1) defines the term and the definition has teeth. "Adequate security measures" means the use of:

• Electronic equipment at public entrances to detect weapons (metal detectors, magnetometer wands, similar devices), AND
• Armed personnel at those public entrances to restrict the carrying of weapons into the building or public area.

Both pieces are required. Metal detectors with no armed personnel are not adequate security. Armed personnel waving people through with no detection equipment are not adequate security. The statute also expressly authorizes (but does not require) gun lockers at the entrance for storing the weapons of lawful carriers.

The statute reaches every public access entrance. If the courthouse has a metal detector and an armed deputy at the front door but a side door propped open for the smoking break, the building does not have adequate security under the statute. The Kansas Attorney General has issued opinions on these technicalities since 2013, and the consistent message is that anything less than full coverage of public entrances fails the test.

State or municipal building, defined

K.S.A. 75-7c20(m)(7) defines the term that triggers the whole statute. A "state or municipal building" is a building owned or leased by a state or municipal entity. It does not include:

• A building owned by the state or a municipality but leased to a private entity.
• A building held in title by the state solely for revenue-bond financing.
• The state capitol (covered separately below).
• School districts (school districts are excluded from the definition of "municipality" for this purpose).

AG Opinion 2013-21 addressed an edge case: an office leased by the state in a privately owned multi-tenant office building is not a "state or municipal building." An office leased by the state in a strip mall is. AG Opinion 2013-20 addressed another common question: a building used as a polling place does not become a public building during the election. The election itself does nothing to the carry rules.

Restricted-access entrances

K.S.A. 75-7c20(d) creates a workaround. If a public building has adequate security at all public entrances and is properly posted, an authorized person with a restricted-access credential (employee, or a non-employee who has been issued a photo ID, signed a notarized affidavit, and passed a background check) may enter through a restricted-access entrance and carry concealed inside. CCHL holders are exempt from the additional records check on the theory that they have already been vetted.

Permanent exemptions to the adequate-security rule

K.S.A. 75-7c20(k) lists state buildings that may exclude carry without providing adequate security. A sign at the door is enough. The list:

• Buildings on the grounds of the Kansas State School for the Deaf.
• Buildings on the grounds of the Kansas State School for the Blind.
• State or municipal-owned medical care facilities (K.S.A. 65-425).
• State or municipal-owned adult care homes (K.S.A. 39-923).
• Community mental health centers (K.S.A. 19-4001 et seq.).
• Indigent health care clinics (K.S.A. 65-7402).
• Any building owned or leased by the University of Kansas Hospital Authority, or any building within the Wyandotte County health care district.

These categorical carve-outs reflect a legislative judgment that certain populations (children at the schools for the deaf and blind, patients at state hospitals and care homes) warrant a lower threshold for exclusion. The KU Medical Center carve-out came in via a 2017 amendment.

Secure areas of jails and law enforcement agencies

K.S.A. 75-7c20(g) preserves the ability of corrections facilities, jails, and law enforcement agencies to prohibit any firearm (concealed or not) in secure areas of their buildings. Public-access lobbies of those same buildings remain subject to the general adequate-security rule. The lobby of the police station is treated like any other public area until the agency installs detection equipment and posts armed personnel.

Courtrooms

K.S.A. 75-7c20(h) lets the chief judge of each judicial district prohibit carry in courtrooms and ancillary courtrooms, provided adequate security and proper signage are in place. The same building's general public areas (lobbies, hallways outside courtrooms, clerk's offices) are governed by the general public-buildings rule unless the entire building meets the adequate-security standard.

Counties cannot opt out

AG Opinion 2013-11 closed a loophole that some counties tried to open in 2013 and 2014. A county cannot enact a charter resolution to exempt itself from the Personal and Family Protection Act. The statute is uniform statewide, and county charter resolutions cannot rewrite it.

The state capitol: a different rule (K.S.A. 75-7c21)

The state capitol building in Topeka is its own creature under Kansas law. K.S.A. 75-7c20(m)(7)(B) excludes it from the definition of "state or municipal building" entirely, so the adequate-security rule does not reach it. But that does not mean the capitol is open to anyone with a firearm. K.S.A. 75-7c21 is a stand-alone rule with its own carry conditions.

Under K.S.A. 75-7c21(a), an individual may carry a concealed handgun in the state capitol if the individual:

1. Is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state law, AND
2. Is either (a) 21 years of age or older, OR (b) holds a valid Kansas provisional license under K.S.A. 75-7c03, OR (c) holds a valid out-of-state license to carry a concealed handgun that Kansas recognizes under K.S.A. 75-7c03.

The age condition matters for the 18-to-20 cohort. Permitless carry in Kansas generally requires a person to be 21 or older. The state capitol carve-out keeps that age floor in place but adds the provisional-license route for 18-to-20 year-olds, which mirrors the general statutory pattern.

The other half of the rule is unwritten in 75-7c21 itself but follows from the statute's affirmative authorization of only concealed carry, plus the general public-buildings framework at K.S.A. 75-7c20 and Capitol-security authority: open carry is not permitted in the capitol. The Kansas Attorney General's concealed-carry FAQ confirms this in plain language. The capitol allows concealed carry by qualifying persons; it does not allow open carry of handguns. (Note: K.S.A. 21-6309 governs criminal discharge of a firearm; it is NOT the Capitol carry statute.)

K-12 schools (K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(11))

K-12 schools sit outside the public-buildings framework because school districts are excluded from the definition of "municipality" in K.S.A. 75-7c20(m)(3). The controlling rule is the criminal-use-of-weapons statute, K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(11), which makes it a class B nonperson select misdemeanor to possess any firearm "in or on any school property or grounds upon which is located a building or structure used by a unified school district or an accredited nonpublic school for student instruction or attendance or extracurricular activities of pupils enrolled in kindergarten or any of the grades one through 12."

The penalty grade is in K.S.A. 21-6301(b)(3). It also reaches "any regularly scheduled school sponsored activity or event" under (a)(11), and refusing to surrender or remove a firearm when directed by school personnel or law enforcement is a separate class A nonperson misdemeanor under (a)(12).

The CCHL and provisional-license carve-out (K.S.A. 21-6301(j)(5))

This is the practical rule for licensees. K.S.A. 21-6301(j)(5) says (a)(11) does not apply to "possession of a concealed handgun by an individual who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under either federal or state law, and who is either: (A) 21 years of age or older; or (B) possesses a valid provisional license issued pursuant to K.S.A. 75-7c03 ... or a valid license to carry a concealed handgun issued by another jurisdiction that is recognized in this state."

That carve-out matters in two specific ways:

1. A licensee may be on school grounds. "Grounds" here means parking lots, sidewalks, and outdoor areas. Signage on the school's grounds prohibiting firearms is "improper" under Kansas law (per the AG's FAQ), although it is not itself unlawful for the school to post.
2. A licensee may NOT carry into the school building. Under K.S.A. 75-7c10(d)(1), the school district's governing body may permit a legally qualified employee to carry inside school buildings, but only the district may grant that permission. A non-employee licensee carrying into a school district building is violating the building's posting under 75-7c10 and faces civil exclusion. If the building does not have a sign, the licensee may carry in. The criminal carve-out in 21-6301(j)(5) reaches grounds; the building itself is governed by the standard 75-7c10 sign rule, and most K-12 buildings are posted.

The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act (18 U.S.C. § 922(q))

Federal law adds a 1,000-foot zone around every K-12 school. Carrying within that zone is a federal offense unless the carrier holds a state-issued license to carry concealed. Kansas CCHL holders and recognized out-of-state license holders are exempt from the federal zone restriction; permitless carriers, including Kansas residents who are otherwise lawfully carrying without a CCHL, are not exempt. AG Opinion 2016-5 specifically warned that a public school employee without a license violates the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act when carrying concealed in a school zone.

That federal rule is the single biggest reason a Kansas resident who carries on a daily basis should still consider obtaining a CCHL. Kansas has enough K-12 schools that the 1,000-foot zones cover a meaningful share of any city. A CCHL converts that federal exposure into a clean exemption.

Statutory carve-outs in K.S.A. 21-6301(j)

K.S.A. 21-6301(j) lists four other situations where the (a)(11) school-grounds prohibition does not apply:

1. Possession of a firearm in connection with a firearms safety course of instruction or firearms education course approved by the school.
2. Possession specifically authorized in writing by the superintendent of the unified school district or the chief administrator of an accredited nonpublic school.
3. Possession of a firearm secured in a motor vehicle by a parent, guardian, custodian, or authorized agent who is delivering or collecting a student.
4. Possession of a firearm secured in a motor vehicle by a registered voter on school grounds that contain a polling place, for the purpose of voting during polling hours on an election day.

The motor-vehicle carve-outs (3) and (4) are practical: a parent with a firearm in a locked car on a school pickup line is not committing the (a)(11) offense.

Higher education: universities and colleges

Public universities and community colleges in Kansas operate under the general K.S.A. 75-7c20 rule. After the temporary statutory exemption expired on July 1, 2017, Board of Regents institutions could no longer ban concealed carry on campus by policy alone. They can ban concealed carry from a campus building only by combining adequate security with proper signage at every public entrance. Most academic buildings do not meet that standard, so most academic buildings are open to lawful concealed carry.

The Board of Regents has issued a system-wide policy that imposes carry conditions on its campuses: carriers must be 21 or older, the firearm must be fully concealed, and the safety must be engaged. AG Opinion 2014-6 confirmed that a community college may ban open carry on campus and may ban concealed carry in buildings with adequate security, but cannot prohibit concealed carry on the campus grounds. AG Opinion 2016-15 added that a state university cannot defeat the rule by designating an entire building as "restricted access."

Practical takeaways for licensees on campus:

• Campus grounds: generally lawful for concealed carry by anyone otherwise qualified.
• Academic buildings without adequate security at every public entrance: generally lawful for concealed carry.
• Buildings with metal detectors and armed personnel at every public entrance, plus signage: off-limits.
• K-12 satellite or partnership locations on the same campus: governed by the K-12 rule, not the higher-ed rule.

Federal off-limits places

Kansas state law cannot override federal property rules. K.S.A. 75-7c10(i) makes the limit explicit: "Nothing in this act shall be construed to authorize the carrying or possession of a handgun where prohibited by federal law." The categories that matter for daily carry:

• Federal facilities under 18 U.S.C. § 930. Federal courthouses, federal office buildings, IRS offices, Social Security offices, federal agency headquarters. The signage requirement is federal, not state.
• U.S. Postal Service property (post offices). Governed by USPS regulations covering the building and parking lot. Federal courts of appeals have split on the parking-lot rule; the safe assumption is that the lot is also off-limits.
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities. VA hospitals, clinics, regional offices, and national cemeteries are off-limits under VA regulations.
• Military installations under federal regulations and DOD policy. Posts, bases, and recruiting stations.
• Federal courthouses under 18 U.S.C. § 930(e). Strict prohibition with limited exceptions.
• Secure (sterile) areas of airports under federal aviation security law. The check-in lobby is not the sterile area; the security checkpoint marks the boundary.
• National parks: federal law since 2010 generally allows carry to the extent the law of the state where the park sits allows it, but federal facilities within the park (visitor centers, ranger stations) are federal facilities under § 930.

When in doubt at a federal property, look for the posted notice required by federal law. Federal facility signs are usually black-on-white, posted at the entrance, and reference 18 U.S.C. § 930.

Quick reference: the public versus private decision tree

Penalties, in plain language

The thing students get wrong most often is conflating the civil and criminal regimes.

• Posted private building (K.S.A. 75-7c10(f)(1)): No criminal penalty for entering while carrying. The owner may deny entry or order you out. If you refuse to leave, the owner may call law enforcement and you may face general criminal trespass charges, but the carry itself is not criminalized.
• Posted public building with adequate security (K.S.A. 75-7c20): No criminal penalty for the carry itself. Building security will direct you to leave the firearm in your vehicle, store it in a locker if available, or leave the building. Refusing to comply moves you into criminal-trespass territory.
• Secure areas of jails, prisons, and courtrooms: Statutory prohibitions with criminal teeth, including contraband statutes that carry felony exposure.
• K-12 school grounds without licensee carve-out (K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(11)): Class B nonperson select misdemeanor for unlicensed carriers, including a Kansas resident who is permitlessly carrying without holding a CCHL.
• Federal facility, post office, VA, military installation, airport sterile area: Federal misdemeanor or felony depending on the statute. State law is irrelevant.
• Refusing to surrender or remove a firearm at a school when directed (K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(12)): Class A nonperson misdemeanor.

The pattern is consistent: Kansas state law generally treats prohibited carry as a civil exclusion problem, not a criminal problem, except for K-12 schools and secure government areas. Federal law is where the real criminal exposure lives.

The licensee's edge

A Kansas CCHL or recognized out-of-state license is not legally required to carry concealed in Kansas. Constitutional carry covers persons 21 and older who are lawfully able to possess a firearm. But a license unlocks four practical advantages tied directly to prohibited places:

1. Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exemption. The 1,000-foot zone around every K-12 school disappears for licensees.
2. State capitol access for 18-to-20 year-olds. A provisional license under K.S.A. 75-7c03 lets the under-21 cohort carry in the capitol.
3. Reciprocity in restricted states. Kansas recognizes a long list of out-of-state licenses, and Kansas issues a license that roughly thirty other states recognize.
4. Restricted-access entrance authority. A CCHL holder seeking restricted-access privileges in a posted public building skips the additional criminal-records check.

For an instructor or daily carrier whose route runs near schools or who travels out of state, the license still pays for itself.

Reading the signs

If you carry every day in Kansas, learn to recognize the AG-approved signs at a glance. There are four templates: a concealed-prohibited sign (K.S.A. 75-7c10, K.A.R. 16-11-7), an open-prohibited sign (K.S.A. 75-7c24, K.A.R. 16-13-1), a combined sign that prohibits both, and an exempt state-or-municipal-building sign for public buildings that meet K.S.A. 75-7c20(k) or that have installed adequate security.

A handwritten sign, an online sticker, a "no firearms" decal that does not match the AG template, or a sign placed three feet above the door: each fails the statutory and regulatory requirements. Property owners who get the sign wrong have not effectively posted, and the building defaults back to the rule that carry "shall not be prohibited." If the owner has not done the affirmative work, the lawful carrier wins.

Kansas: Carrying Firearms in Vehicles

Kansas is a permitless carry (constitutional carry) state for individuals 21 years of age or older who are legally permitted to possess a firearm. This extends to carrying firearms - openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded - in vehicles without a license. The Personal and Family Protection Act (K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq.) governs concealed carry, while K.S.A. 21-6302 addresses criminal carrying of a weapon.

General Vehicle Carry Rules

• Persons 21 and older who are not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed handgun in a vehicle without a license. (K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) - the criminal carrying prohibition for concealed firearms applies only to persons under 21.)
• Persons aged 18-20 must possess a valid Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL), a valid provisional license issued under K.S.A. 75-7c03, or a valid concealed carry license from a recognized jurisdiction to carry a concealed handgun in a vehicle. Carrying concealed without such a license by a person under 21 is a class A nonperson misdemeanor. (K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4), (b)(1), (d))
• Open carry of firearms is generally legal in Kansas for persons legally permitted to possess a firearm, including in vehicles.
• It is unlawful to carry tear gas, smoke bombs, or any object containing a noxious substance in any land, water, or air vehicle with intent to use the same unlawfully. (K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(3))

Parking Structures and Motor Vehicle Areas

Kansas law explicitly excludes parking areas from the definition of "building" in multiple statutes, providing important protections for firearms stored in vehicles:

• Under K.S.A. 75-7c10(h)(2), for purposes of concealed carry restrictions in posted buildings, "building" does not include any structure, or any area of any structure, designated for the parking of motor vehicles.
• Under K.S.A. 21-6309(g), for purposes of firearms restrictions on certain government property, "building" and "courthouse" do not include any structure, or any area of any structure, designated for the parking of motor vehicles. This parking exclusion applies only to subsections (a)(1), (a)(4), and (a)(5) - covering the capitol complex, other designated state buildings, and county courthouses. It does not extend to the governor's residence or the grounds of the governor's residence (subsections (a)(2) and (a)(3)).
• Under K.S.A. 21-5914(c), firearms may be possessed in a parking lot open to the public at a correctional institution if the firearm is carried on the person while in a vehicle, being secured in the vehicle, or stored out of plain view in a locked but unoccupied vehicle - provided the person is 21 or older, or possesses a valid provisional license or recognized out-of-state permit.

Firearms in Vehicles on K-12 School Property

Under K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(11), possessing a firearm on K-12 school property or grounds is generally prohibited (a class B nonperson select misdemeanor). However, the following vehicle-related exceptions apply under K.S.A. 21-6301(j):

• K.S.A. 21-6301(j)(3): Possession of a firearm secured in a motor vehicle by a parent, guardian, custodian, or someone authorized to act on their behalf who is delivering or collecting a student.
• K.S.A. 21-6301(j)(4): Possession of a firearm secured in a motor vehicle by a registered voter who is on school grounds containing a polling place for the purpose of voting during polling hours on an election day.
• K.S.A. 21-6301(j)(5): Possession of a concealed handgun by an individual not prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state law, and who is either: (A) 21 years of age or older, or (B) possesses a valid provisional license under K.S.A. 75-7c03, or a valid concealed carry license from another recognized jurisdiction. This exception applies to school grounds; however, K-12 school district buildings may still prohibit concealed carry by posting AG-approved signage at public entrances. School districts are not required to have adequate security measures (metal detectors and armed guards) to restrict concealed carry - signage alone is sufficient.

School Zones (Federal Gun Free School Zone Act)

• Unlicensed concealed carry is not allowed within a school zone (within 1,000 feet of a K-12 school) under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)).
• A person with a valid Kansas CCHL or a valid concealed carry license from another jurisdiction recognized in Kansas is exempt from the federal Gun Free School Zone Act and may travel through a Kansas school zone.
• Important: Persons carrying without a license under Kansas' permitless carry law do not have this federal exemption. A CCHL provides an additional legal benefit for travel through school zones.

Employer Restrictions and Vehicle Storage

• Private employers may prohibit employees from carrying concealed handguns while on the employer's premises or while engaged in employment duties. However, no employer may prohibit possession of a handgun in a private means of conveyance, even if the vehicle is parked on the employer's premises. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(b))
• Public (state or municipal) employers may not restrict or prohibit any legally qualified employee from carrying a concealed handgun while engaged in duties of employment outside of the employer's place of business, including while in a means of conveyance. Public employers are not liable for wrongful or negligent acts of employees carrying concealed handguns outside the course and scope of employment. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(e))
• Municipal employers are prohibited from requiring disclosure of CCHL status and from maintaining records of employees who hold a CCHL. (K.S.A. 75-7c23) State employers are not subject to this prohibition.

State Preemption of Local Regulations

Kansas has a broad firearms preemption statute that directly affects vehicle carry:

• K.S.A. 12-16,124(a): No city or county may adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, or regulation governing the requirement of fees, licenses, or permits for, or the commerce in, sale, purchase, transfer, ownership, storage, carrying, transporting, or taxation of firearms or ammunition.
• Any such local ordinances adopted prior to July 1, 2015, are null and void. (K.S.A. 12-16,124(b))
• AG Opinion 2013-17: A city or county may not require persons licensed to carry concealed handguns to completely encase long guns in a container when transporting such long guns by vehicle.

Possession of a Firearm Under the Influence

As of July 1, 2014, it is unlawful to possess a loaded firearm on one's person or within immediate access and control while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. This applies regardless of whether the person is in a vehicle. (K.S.A. 21-6332)

• Violation is a class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail and/or up to $2,500 in fines).
• Refusal to submit to testing can result in a civil penalty of up to $1,000.
• CCHL holders will have their license suspended upon being charged and revoked upon conviction.

Defense of an Occupied Vehicle

Kansas law provides strong protections for persons defending themselves in vehicles:

• K.S.A. 21-5223: A person who is not an aggressor has no duty to retreat and has the right to use force, including deadly force, in defense of an occupied vehicle if the person reasonably believes such force is necessary to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm, or the commission of a forcible felony.
• K.S.A. 21-5224 establishes a legal presumption that a person who uses defensive force against someone unlawfully and forcibly entering an occupied vehicle reasonably believed deadly force was necessary.

Non-Resident Reciprocity for Vehicle Carry

• Kansas recognizes a valid concealed carry license or permit issued by any other state or the District of Columbia for persons aged 18 or older who are not Kansas residents. (K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(1))
• Kansas does not recognize an out-of-state concealed carry license for current Kansas residents. (KS Attorney General, Out-of-State License Recognition)
• Non-residents carrying under their home state's permit must follow Kansas law while in the state. (K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(2))
• Do not assume another state allows unlicensed concealed carry simply because Kansas does. In most states that recognize the Kansas CCHL, a license is still required. It is always the individual's responsibility to know the laws of any jurisdiction they are traveling through.

Traveling Through Kansas on Federal Land

• On state or municipal-owned public lands, the state and municipalities are not allowed to restrict licensed concealed carry. Buildings on those lands may be restricted only with adequate security measures and proper AG-approved signage.
• On federal land or in federal facilities, federal law controls. Firearms may be prohibited regardless of Kansas law. Contact proper federal authorities before carrying on federal property.

Practical Considerations

• While Kansas does not require a CCHL to carry, the Attorney General recommends that licensees have their license available when transporting firearms in a motor vehicle, as it can assist law enforcement in verifying lawful carry status.
• A Kansas CCHL is recognized in 39 states (as of the AG's most recent list), providing significant benefits for interstate vehicle travel that permitless carry does not.
• CCHL validity period is 4 years from date of issuance. (K.S.A. 75-7c03(a))

Key Statutory References

Kansas Concealed Carry Reciprocity

The Bottom Line

Kansas honors valid concealed-carry permits from all other states for non-resident visitors aged 18 or older. Kansas residents 21 and older may carry permitlessly under the state's constitutional-carry framework, and out-of-state visitors 21 and older who do not hold a permit may also carry permitlessly under that same framework. A Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) is recognized by approximately 39 other states for outbound travel, per the Kansas Attorney General.

Two separate questions matter when you cross a state line:

1. Inbound. Can a non-resident carry concealed in Kansas? Almost always yes if you are 21 or older and not federally prohibited.
2. Outbound. Will the destination state honor your Kansas CCHL? Roughly 39 states do. Verify the current list on the Kansas Attorney General's website before you travel.

The rest of this section unpacks both directions, the statutory authority, the LEOSA exception for law enforcement, and the practical steps you should take before a trip.

Inbound: Carrying in Kansas with an Out-of-State Permit

Kansas takes a notably broad approach to inbound recognition. Two independent rules give a visitor lawful authority to carry concealed:

Rule 1: Permitless Carry for Anyone 21 or Older

Kansas is a constitutional-carry state under K.S.A. 21-6302. Effective July 1, 2015, any person who is at least 21 years old and not prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law may carry a concealed handgun in Kansas without any license. This rule applies to residents and non-residents alike. A Texas LTC holder, an Illinois resident with no permit at all, and a New Yorker with no carry authority back home are all on equal footing in Kansas: if you are 21 and not a prohibited person, you may carry concealed.

Practical consequence: a visitor 21 or older does not need to rely on reciprocity at all to carry concealed in Kansas. Constitutional carry is the simpler authority.

Rule 2: Statutory Recognition Under K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)

Kansas separately recognizes out-of-state permits by statute. K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(1) provides:

"Subject to the provisions of subsection (c)(2), a valid license or permit to carry a concealed firearm issued by another jurisdiction shall be recognized in this state, but only while the holder is not a resident of Kansas."

This is a categorical inbound recognition rule. Kansas does not maintain a curated list of approved states for inbound purposes. Any valid license or permit to carry concealed, issued by any other jurisdiction, is recognized while the holder is in Kansas as a non-resident.

K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(2) sets the conditions:

"A valid license or permit that is recognized pursuant to this subsection shall only entitle the lawful holder thereof to carry concealed handguns, as defined by K.S.A. 75-7c02, and amendments thereto, in accordance with the laws of this state while such holder is present in this state."

In plain language:

• Your home-state permit lets you carry concealed handguns in Kansas, not whatever other weapons your home state authorizes.
• You must follow Kansas law while in Kansas. Sensitive places, posted-premises rules, and the under-the-influence prohibition are governed by Kansas statutes, not the rules you grew up with.
• Recognition lasts only while you are not a Kansas resident. Once you establish residency in Kansas, your old permit is no longer recognized and you must use either Kansas permitless carry (if you are 21 or older) or a Kansas CCHL.

Visitors Aged 18 to 20

Permitless carry under K.S.A. 21-6302 is restricted to persons 21 and older. A visitor aged 18 to 20 cannot rely on Kansas permitless carry. To carry concealed at that age, the visitor needs a valid concealed carry license recognized in Kansas. Kansas issues a provisional CCHL to its own 18-to-20-year-old residents, and K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(1) recognizes valid permits from other jurisdictions, so a young adult holding a valid permit from another state may carry concealed in Kansas while present as a non-resident.

If you are 18 to 20 and your home state does not issue you a permit because of age, you cannot lawfully carry concealed in Kansas under either rule.

What "Following Kansas Law" Means in Practice

A visitor relying on either permitless carry or recognition under K.S.A. 75-7c03 is bound by Kansas substantive rules. Highlights to know before you arrive:

• Posted private property. Properly posted businesses may exclude concealed carry. Refusal to leave when asked can result in a criminal trespass citation.
• Public buildings with adequate security. Under K.S.A. 75-7c20, state and municipal buildings may prohibit concealed carry only when they post signage and provide adequate security measures (electronic detection equipment and armed personnel at public entrances). Posting alone is not enough at a covered public building unless the security infrastructure is also present.
• K-12 school district buildings. Posted signage alone is sufficient to exclude carry inside the building. The federal Gun Free School Zone Act exempts holders of a state-issued license, including a recognized out-of-state license, when traveling through the 1,000-foot zone around a K-12 school. Visitors carrying under permitless authority have no such federal exemption inside the 1,000-foot zone.
• Universities and community colleges. Concealed carry on campus grounds is generally lawful for 21-and-older carriers; campus buildings may exclude carry only when adequate security measures are in place.
• Federal property. Federal buildings, post offices, VA facilities, courthouses, and military installations are governed by federal law and are off limits regardless of state recognition.
• Vehicle carry. Kansas does not impose a separate vehicle-carry permit requirement. A concealed handgun in a private vehicle is lawful for any person who could lawfully carry concealed on foot.
• Under the influence. Kansas prohibits carrying while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The recognized out-of-state permit gives you no immunity from this rule.

If you are not sure whether a specific Kansas rule applies to you as a visitor, the conservative read is: assume Kansas law controls every detail of where, when, and how you carry while you are in the state.

Outbound: Carrying Out of State with a Kansas CCHL

A Kansas CCHL is recognized by approximately 39 other states, according to the Kansas Attorney General's published reciprocity information. The exact list changes over time as other states amend their statutes or update their administrative determinations. The Kansas Attorney General publishes and maintains the official outbound list at the Concealed Carry Handgun License section of ag.ks.gov. Confirm the current status before any out-of-state trip.

Why Outbound Recognition Is Narrower Than Inbound

Inbound recognition is governed by Kansas alone, and Kansas has chosen a broad rule. Outbound recognition is governed by each destination state's law. Some destination states recognize a Kansas CCHL by formal reciprocity agreement. Others recognize it only because they themselves allow permitless carry for any qualifying non-resident, in which case your Kansas CCHL is not strictly required but you should still carry it as proof of background-check status. A small number of restrictive-permit states do not recognize a Kansas CCHL at all.

Three categories of destination state to keep in mind:

1. Formal reciprocity states. These states recognize a Kansas CCHL as a matter of state law or attorney-general determination. Carry your Kansas license and follow the destination state's rules.
2. Permitless-carry states. Many of these states permit any qualifying non-resident to carry concealed without any permit. Your Kansas CCHL functions in these states because the destination does not require any permit at all from you. Some permitless-carry states still require a permit for certain places (school zones, restaurants serving alcohol, etc.), and a recognized out-of-state permit can extend access; check the destination's rules.
3. Restrictive-permit states. California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Washington either do not recognize any out-of-state permit at all or restrict recognition to specific narrow categories. A Kansas CCHL alone is not sufficient to carry concealed in these states.

The Kansas CCHL Provisional License

Kansas issues two CCHL types under K.S.A. 75-7c04: a standard license (age 21 and up) and a provisional license (age 18 to 20). Other states that honor a Kansas CCHL frequently honor only the standard license, because most reciprocity rules in destination states impose a minimum age of 21. A Kansas provisional licensee should not assume that the same destination states honor the provisional license. Before traveling, verify whether the destination state recognizes a provisional Kansas CCHL specifically.

Where the Outbound List Is Published

The operative outbound list lives on the Kansas Attorney General's website rather than in any single statute. The Attorney General publishes and maintains the recognized-states list under general statutory authority over CCHL administration, including K.S.A. 75-7c03. Confirm the current list at the AG website before traveling, because reciprocity status changes as other states amend their statutes.

Practical Steps Before You Travel

1. Pull the current Kansas Attorney General reciprocity page at ag.ks.gov within 30 days of departure. Reciprocity changes; what was true a year ago may not be true now.
2. Cross-check the destination state's Attorney General website for the destination's own reciprocity statement. If the two sources disagree, treat the destination state's position as controlling for what happens to you while you are there.
3. Read the destination state's substantive carry rules. Recognition only solves the licensing question. Sensitive-place rules, vehicle-carry rules, magazine capacity, duty to inform, and storage all vary by state.
4. If the destination is a permitless-carry state, your Kansas CCHL is usually not strictly required, but bring it. Some states extend additional access (school zones, restaurants serving alcohol, sensitive places) only to permit holders.
5. If the destination is restrictive, you cannot carry on a Kansas CCHL alone. You may need a non-resident permit issued by the destination state, or you may need to leave the firearm at home or in secure storage.
6. Plan your route through intermediate states. A trip from Kansas to Colorado that crosses a corner of Nebraska is governed by Nebraska law for the time you are in Nebraska. Reciprocity is per-state, not per-trip.
7. Keep your Kansas CCHL physically with you alongside your Kansas driver's license. The two together are usually accepted as proof of identity and authority.

LEOSA: Federal Authority for Active and Retired Officers

The federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 926B (active) and LEOSA's qualified-retired-officer provision (qualified retired), permits qualifying current and retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed across state lines, regardless of state reciprocity. LEOSA authority is independent of any Kansas statute and applies in Kansas to qualifying visiting officers, and applies to qualifying Kansas officers and Kansas retirees when they travel.

Key conditions a person must meet to use LEOSA:

• For active officers under § 926B: Be a current employee of a governmental agency authorized to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection, investigation, or prosecution of, or the incarceration of any person for, any violation of law; have statutory powers of arrest or apprehension; be authorized by the agency to carry a firearm; not be subject to any disciplinary action; meet the agency's standards for qualification in firearms; and not be under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug.
• For qualified retired officers under § 926C: Have separated in good standing after at least 10 aggregate years of service as a law enforcement officer (or shorter periods for service-related disability); have statutory powers of arrest or apprehension at separation; meet the active-duty firearms standards within the past 12 months at the carrier's expense or at the agency's expense; not be prohibited under federal law from receiving a firearm; not be under the influence of alcohol or another intoxicating or hallucinatory drug; and carry photographic identification issued by the former agency identifying the carrier as a retired officer plus current firearms qualification.

LEOSA does not displace Kansas's substantive rules about where firearms may not be carried. A LEOSA carrier in Kansas is still bound by the federal restrictions on federal property and by certain Kansas-specific sensitive-place rules. LEOSA does, however, override state restrictions on who may carry: it confers authority that Kansas reciprocity rules cannot withdraw.

The Kansas CCHL retired-law-enforcement-officer exemption in K.S.A. 75-7c05(h) is a separate state-level mechanism that exempts retired Kansas officers from the training course requirement when they apply for a CCHL. That exemption is not the same thing as LEOSA, and a Kansas retiree may rely on either pathway depending on travel patterns.

If You Move Into or Out of Kansas

Moving into Kansas. When you establish Kansas residency, your prior state's permit no longer authorizes you to carry concealed in Kansas under K.S.A. 75-7c03(c)(1), because that recognition is conditioned on non-resident status. You may, however, carry under permitless authority if you are 21 or older. To obtain a Kansas CCHL, apply through the sheriff of your county of residence under K.S.A. 75-7c05. Active-duty military and dependents stationed in Kansas may apply even if they retain a non-resident driver's license; the Kansas CCHL is valid for so long as the holder remains a resident of, or is stationed in, Kansas.

Moving out of Kansas. A Kansas CCHL is issued to Kansas residents, and the practical effect of leaving Kansas is that the destination state's reciprocity rules now govern your authority to carry. Many destination states honor only resident-issued permits. If you have established residency in another state, apply for that state's permit on arrival. Kansas does not have a statutory automatic-expiration trigger for a CCHL when the holder establishes residency in another state, but the Attorney General requires notification of any address change within 30 days under K.S.A. 75-7c06(e); failure to notify is grounds for a fine of up to $100 or suspension for up to 180 days.

Common Reciprocity Misunderstandings

Three traps catch Kansas carriers crossing state lines:

"My Kansas permit is good wherever Kansas is honored." Recognition does not mean parity. A destination state that honors a Kansas CCHL still applies its own rules about where, when, and how you carry. Florida bans carry in establishments serving alcohol; Texas has a long sensitive-places list; Tennessee imposes specific signage rules. Recognition is the licensing question only.

"Permitless carry travels with me." Constitutional carry is a Kansas rule under K.S.A. 21-6302. It does not extend to other states. A Kansas resident who relies on permitless carry at home and crosses into Missouri is governed by Missouri law from the moment they cross the line. Missouri also allows permitless carry for adults 19 or older, but that is Missouri's rule, not Kansas's. Other neighbors are not so accommodating.

"All states honor the Kansas standard CCHL the same way." A handful of states honor only resident-issued permits. A Kansas resident with a standard Kansas CCHL is fine in those states; a Kansas resident who instead carries a non-resident permit from a different state may not be. Always carry your Kansas CCHL, not a substitute, when relying on Kansas reciprocity.

Key Statutes and Authorities

Source References

• Kansas Attorney General, Concealed Carry Handgun License: ag.ks.gov (concealed carry section). Authoritative source for the current outbound reciprocity list (approximately 39 states recognize a Kansas CCHL).
• K.S.A. 75-7c03, License to carry concealed handgun; issuance; form; recognition of licenses issued by other jurisdictions. Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes: ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_007c_0003.html.
• K.S.A. 75-7c05, Application for license; retired law enforcement officer training exemption. Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes: ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_007c_0005.html.
• K.S.A. 75-7c06, Records related to licenses; address change notification. Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes: ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch75/075_007c_0006.html.
• 18 U.S.C. § 926B and § 926C, Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act. Federal authority for active and qualified retired officer concealed carry across state lines.

Kansas Use of Force Laws

Defense of a Person - No Duty to Retreat (K.S.A. 21-5222)

Use of Force (K.S.A. 21-5222(a)): A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent it appears to such person and such person reasonably believes that such use of force is necessary to defend such person or a third person against such other's imminent use of unlawful force.

Use of Deadly Force (K.S.A. 21-5222(b)): A person is justified in the use of deadly force under the circumstances described above if such person reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person.

No Duty to Retreat (K.S.A. 21-5222(c)): Nothing in this section shall require a person to retreat if such person is using force to protect such person or a third person.

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Defense of Dwelling, Place of Work, or Occupied Vehicle - No Duty to Retreat (K.S.A. 21-5223)

Use of Force (K.S.A. 21-5223(a)): A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent that it appears to such person and such person reasonably believes that such use of force is necessary to prevent or terminate such other's unlawful entry into or attack upon such person's dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle.

Use of Deadly Force (K.S.A. 21-5223(b)): A person is justified in the use of deadly force to prevent or terminate unlawful entry into or attack upon any dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle if such person reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or another.

No Duty to Retreat (K.S.A. 21-5223(c)): Nothing in this section shall require a person to retreat if such person is using force to protect such person's dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle.

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Key Legal Principles

• Stand Your Ground: Kansas is a "Stand Your Ground" state. There is no duty to retreat before using force or deadly force in self-defense, defense of others, or defense of one's dwelling, place of work, or occupied vehicle.
• Reasonable Belief Standard: The use of force must be based on a reasonable belief that force is necessary. The use of deadly force requires a reasonable belief that it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.
• Defense of Others: Kansas law permits the use of force (including deadly force) to defend a third person under the same standards that apply to self-defense.
• Defense of Dwelling and Self-Defense Are Not Mutually Exclusive: Defense of a dwelling and self-defense are not mutually exclusive; an individual may respond with reasonable force in self-defense to a lawful use of force in defense of a dwelling if the individual believes the force is unlawful. (State v. Andrew, 301 Kan. 36, 340 P.3d 476 (2014))
• Self-Defense Immunity: Self-defense and immunity are distinct concepts. District courts must perform a procedural gatekeeping function and prevent cases where defendants qualify for immunity from going to trial. (State v. Betts, 60 Kan. App. 2d 269, 489 P.3d 866 (2021))
• Immunity Limitations: The statutory grant of immunity is confined to use of force against a person or thing reasonably believed to be an aggressor and does not extend to reckless acts while engaged in self-defense that result in unintended injury to innocent bystanders. (State v. Betts, 316 Kan. 191, 514 P.3d 341 (2022))

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Legislative History

• K.S.A. 21-5222: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 21; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 7 (prior law: K.S.A. 21-3211)
• K.S.A. 21-5223: L. 2010, ch. 136, § 22; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 8 (prior law: K.S.A. 21-3212)

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Federal context

N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass'n v. Bruen (2022) and United States v. Rahimi (2024). Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022), established the historical-tradition test for Second Amendment claims. Rahimi, 602 U.S. ___ (2024), then applied Bruen to uphold the federal domestic-violence-restraining-order firearm prohibition at 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), confirming that not every firearm disability fails Bruen's test. Practitioners advising on use of force or firearm-disability questions should be familiar with both cases.

Duty to Inform Law Enforcement - Kansas

No Legal Duty to Inform

Kansas does not have a statutory duty to inform law enforcement that you are carrying a concealed firearm or that you possess a concealed carry handgun license (CCHL) during a law enforcement encounter.

Official Guidance from the Kansas Attorney General

The Kansas Attorney General's Concealed Carry FAQ directly addresses this question:

"If stopped by law enforcement, do I have to volunteer that I have a CCHL and/or concealed handgun?"

"Not in Kansas, but you should strongly consider doing so."

"Some other states require immediate disclosure, and failure to do so is a crime."

• Kansas Attorney General, Concealed Carry FAQs

Key Points

• No statutory requirement exists under Kansas law (including the Kansas Personal and Family Protection Act, K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq.) to proactively disclose concealed carry status or CCHL possession to law enforcement.
• No criminal penalty in Kansas for failing to volunteer this information during a law enforcement stop.
• The Kansas Attorney General strongly recommends voluntary disclosure as a best practice, even though it is not legally required.

Carrying the CCHL

Kansas also does not legally require a CCHL holder to have their license on their person at all times while carrying concealed. However, the Attorney General's office advises:

"Not in Kansas, but you should. Licensees should have their CCHL when transporting firearms in a motor vehicle, and in case a scenario arises where law enforcement needs to determine your lawful ability to carry."

Important Considerations

• Other states may differ: Some states that recognize the Kansas CCHL require immediate disclosure to law enforcement, and failure to do so may be a criminal offense in those jurisdictions.
• Travelers' responsibility: Per the Kansas Attorney General: "It is always the licensee's responsibility to know where they are carrying and the laws of that jurisdiction to make sure possession of a firearm and/or their method of carrying is lawful."
• Constitutional/permitless carry context: Kansas allows permitless concealed carry for individuals 21 years of age or older who are lawfully permitted to possess firearms. No Kansas statute (including K.S.A. 21-6301) imposes a duty to inform on any person carrying a concealed firearm, whether licensed or unlicensed. However, the Kansas Attorney General's FAQ addresses this question specifically in the context of CCHL holders.

Relevant Statutes

• K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq. - Kansas Personal and Family Protection Act (concealed carry licensing framework)
• K.S.A. 75-7c04 - Qualifications for CCHL
• K.S.A. 21-6301 - Criminal use of weapons (does not include a duty-to-inform provision)
• K.S.A. 21-6332 - Prohibition on carrying while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Kansas Training Requirements for the Concealed Carry Handgun License

Kansas requires an 8-hour handgun safety and training course to obtain a Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL). Constitutional carriers do not need training, but training is recommended for legal preparedness.

If you carry concealed in Kansas at age 21 or older under permitless carry (K.S.A. 21-6302), the state does not require you to take any class. If you want a CCHL for reciprocity, the federal NICS exemption when buying firearms, or to qualify for a provisional license at age 18 to 20, you must complete the 8-hour course taught by an instructor certified by the Kansas Attorney General. Online training does not count. Hunter education does not count. The course must include live fire on the range.

The 8-Hour Course Is Set by Statute and Regulation

The training requirement comes from K.S.A. 75-7c04(b), which directs the Attorney General to adopt rules and regulations for an "eight-hour handgun safety and training course." The Attorney General has implemented those rules in K.A.R. 16-11-2 through 16-11-4. Together, the statute and regulations define what a Kansas CCHL course must cover, who can teach it, and how completion is documented.

By statute, the course must include all of the following (K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(1)(A)):

• Safe storage of handguns
• Actual firing of handguns (live-fire range work)
• Instruction in Kansas laws governing the carrying of concealed handguns
• Instruction in Kansas law on the use of deadly force

The statute also requires that the course follow general guidelines compatible with the industry standard for basic civilian handgun training, that instructors meet AG qualifications, and that the course itself fall into one of two approved categories (K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(1)(D)):

1. A handgun course certified or sponsored by the Kansas Attorney General, or
2. A handgun course certified or sponsored by the National Rifle Association or by a law enforcement agency, college, public or private institution, organization, or handgun training school, if the AG determines that course meets or exceeds the standards in the AG's regulations and is taught by an instructor certified by the AG or by the NRA (with the AG having determined that NRA's certification standards meet or exceed Kansas regulations).

Practical translation for a student: the easiest path is to find a trainer listed in the Attorney General's certified instructor directory and take their Kansas CCHL course. The AG's office maintains that directory by county on its website.

Who Has to Take It

You must complete the 8-hour course (or qualify for a narrow statutory exemption discussed below) if you want any of the following:

• A standard CCHL, available at age 21 or older
• A provisional CCHL, available at age 18 to 20

The age threshold for which license you can apply for is set by K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3): under 18 means no license, 18 to under 21 means a provisional license, and 21 or older means a standard license. The training requirement itself does not change between provisional and standard. The same 8-hour course covers both.

You do not need any state-mandated training to carry concealed in Kansas if you are 21 or older and not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm. Kansas became a permitless (constitutional) carry state on July 1, 2015. The training requirement attaches to the license, not to the act of carrying. That said, taking the course is still a good idea: it is the only structured exposure most carriers will get to Kansas use-of-force law before they need it, and many other states that recognize a Kansas CCHL will not honor permitless carry by Kansas residents.

What Counts as an "Approved" Course

The Attorney General's certified instructor directory is the simplest way to find a qualifying class. Any course taught by a directory-listed instructor as the Kansas CCHL course satisfies the statute. The AG's office is explicit that the course must be taught in person by an AG-certified individual. From the AG's own concealed carry FAQ:

The training course may be taken from any OAG-certified trainer in any county.

Courses that do not qualify, even if they are otherwise good training:

• Online or web-based concealed carry courses. The AG's office states this directly: "Kansas CCHL regulations do not allow online training to be accepted, even if that training allowed the person to obtain a non-Kansas CCHL."
• Hunter education. Not handgun-based.
• Any course without a live-fire qualification.
• Any course that does not cover self-defense law.

If you are paying for a Kansas-specific class, ask the instructor to confirm in writing that they are listed in the OAG certified instructor directory and that the class meets K.S.A. 75-7c04(b) and K.A.R. 16-11-2 through 16-11-4. If they cannot, walk away.

Out-of-State Training: The "Equal to or Greater Than" Test

Kansas does accept out-of-state training, but only if the AG determines it was equal to or greater than what Kansas requires. The standard is in K.S.A. 75-7c04(c)(2)(A):

"Equal to or greater than" means the applicant's prior training meets or exceeds the training established in this section by having required, at a minimum, the applicant to: (i) Receive instruction on the laws of self-defense; and (ii) demonstrate training and competency in the safe handling, storage and actual firing of handguns.

Two practical rules follow from that text.

First, the prior training must have been used to obtain a non-Kansas concealed carry license or permit that is currently valid (or, except for residency, would be in good standing). Marksmanship practice, classes taken later for personal development, or a permit you let expire do not count. The training the AG reviews is the training that supported your foreign permit.

Second, the foreign training must include both legal instruction (self-defense law) and live fire ("actual firing of handguns"). States whose CCW course is purely classroom, or which issue permits with no training requirement at all, will not satisfy the Kansas standard. The AG keeps internal information on which states' courses pass the test, and applicants whose course is unfamiliar to the Concealed Carry Licensing Unit (CCLU) can expect longer review and may be asked to submit the course syllabus.

How to apply for the out-of-state credit:

1. Attach a copy of your valid non-Kansas CCHL to your Kansas application.
2. Attach documentation of the course content used to obtain that non-Kansas CCHL (certificate, syllabus, instructor letter, course outline showing self-defense law and live-fire qualification).
3. Sign a certification that you successfully completed the non-Kansas training course.

The CCLU reviews each application case by case. If your prior training does not pass, you must take the Kansas 8-hour course before the CCLU will process your application.

Statutory Exemptions From the Training Requirement

K.S.A. 75-7c05 carves out two specific groups who may skip the 8-hour course entirely. They still have to clear the criminal-history records check.

Retired Law Enforcement Officers (K.S.A. 75-7c05(h))

A retired LEO is exempt from the 8-hour course if both of the following are true:

• The applicant was certified by the Kansas Commission on Peace Officer's Standards and Training (KS-CPOST), or by a similar body in another jurisdiction, not more than eight years prior to submitting the CCHL application.
• The applicant provides a letter from the head of the retiring agency (or that person's designee) attesting that the applicant retired in good standing for reasons other than mental instability and has a non-forfeitable right to retirement benefits.

The eight-year window is measured from your last LEO certification, not from your retirement date. If you retired more than eight years ago, this exemption does not apply.

Current Corrections, Parole, and BOP Officers (K.S.A. 75-7c05(i))

A current Kansas Department of Corrections officer, Kansas parole officer, or Federal Bureau of Prisons corrections officer is exempt from the 8-hour course if the agency issued the applicant a certificate of firearms training within the year preceding the application. If your most recent agency firearms qualification is older than 12 months, this exemption does not apply and you have to take the Kansas course.

Active-Duty Military: Generally No Exemption

Standard military training does not satisfy K.S.A. 75-7c04(b). The AG accepts military police training in some cases (because MP curricula typically include the legal and live-fire elements Kansas requires), but standard military firearms qualification does not. Active-duty military and dependents stationed in Kansas who want a Kansas CCHL must either take the 8-hour course or qualify under the out-of-state credit rules above using a valid non-Kansas CCHL they hold.

Current Law Enforcement Officers: Bypass Under the Equal-to-or-Greater-Than Pathway

A current sworn LEO does not need a Kansas CCHL to carry concealed in Kansas under K.S.A. 75-7c10's law-enforcement exception. If a current LEO does want a CCHL (typically for off-duty out-of-state reciprocity), the LEO's prior handgun training can be used as a bypass for the 8-hour course under the K.S.A. 75-7c04(c) equal-to-or-greater-than pathway, provided the LEO's training meets the (c)(2)(A) requirements (instruction on self-defense law plus demonstrated competency in safe handling, storage, and actual firing of handguns). The Attorney General's CCHL FAQ confirms this bypass.

Course Completion: How You Prove You Took It

K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(3) lists what the AG will accept as evidence of satisfactory completion of an approved course:

• A completion certificate in the form provided by AG regulation, or
• An affidavit from the instructor, school, club, organization, or group that conducted the course, attesting that the applicant completed it, or
• Evidence of completion of a course in another jurisdiction that the AG has determined to be equal to or greater than the Kansas standard, or
• A determination by the AG under K.S.A. 75-7c04(c) (typically the case-by-case review of out-of-state training).

The certified Kansas instructor will sign a completion form or affidavit at the end of the class. You attach a copy of that form to your CCHL application when you submit it to the sheriff in your county of residence.

Order of operations matters. As a general rule the 8-hour training class must be completed before you submit your CCHL application. The CCLU's stated procedure is that the sheriff will not forward an application to the AG without the completion form attached. The narrow exception is for applicants whose prior out-of-state training was reviewed and found insufficient: those applicants can apply under K.S.A. 75-7c03 and then take the Kansas course, but the application will not be processed until the Kansas training is complete.

Course Cost and Logistics

Kansas does not set a fee for the 8-hour CCHL course. Each AG-certified instructor sets their own price. As a working number, expect roughly $100, though courses range from less to substantially more depending on location, ammunition, and class size. The applicant pays for the course (K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(3)).

The AG charges instructors, not students, for certification. A person who wants to be certified by the AG to teach the CCHL course submits an application and a fee not to exceed $150 (K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(2)). That cost is borne by the instructor as a business expense and is not part of what a student pays for the class.

How Long the Training "Lasts"

There is no statutory expiration on a Kansas CCHL training certificate, and Kansas does not require renewal training. The Attorney General's FAQ states it directly: "There is no expiration for an approved training course or requirement for retraining."

That has two consequences for students.

First, you can complete the 8-hour course years before you apply and the certificate will still be valid for a Kansas CCHL application. The AG's office encourages prompt application after training, but the law does not invalidate older certificates.

Second, when you renew your CCHL, you do not retake the course. Kansas renewal does not impose a re-training requirement comparable to what some other states demand. (See PERMIT_BASICS for the renewal procedure itself.)

Becoming a Kansas CCHL Instructor

If you teach firearms classes and want to teach the Kansas CCHL course as a certified instructor:

1. Submit an instructor application to the Office of the Attorney General in the form the AG requires.
2. Pay the instructor application fee, which K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(2) caps at $150.
3. Complete instructor orientation through the AG's Concealed Carry Licensing Unit. The AG posts upcoming instructor orientation registration on the Instructor Resources page.
4. Teach the curriculum specified in K.A.R. 16-11-2 through 16-11-4, including all four statutory subjects: safe storage, actual firing, Kansas concealed-carry law, and Kansas use-of-deadly-force law.
5. Issue a completion form or affidavit to each student who satisfactorily finishes the course; the form must be in the format prescribed by AG regulation.

NRA-certified instructors who teach a Kansas CCHL course must still meet the AG's standards for that specific course. NRA certification alone does not make a generic NRA Basic Pistol class qualifying training under K.S.A. 75-7c04(b). The AG's office vets the course content, not just the instructor's underlying credentials.

The AG also publishes a Concealed Carry Instructor Guide and an Instructor Application Form on the Instructor Resources page. Both should be your starting point if you plan to seek certification.

Common Mistakes Students Make

Three patterns come up repeatedly in CCLU correspondence and explain most application delays:

• Taking an online "Kansas concealed carry" course. These do not meet the statute and do not qualify, even if they advertise themselves as such. The AG will reject them on its face.
• Submitting a foreign permit's training certificate without documentation of course content. A bare certificate that says "John Smith completed XYZ State CCW class" does not let the CCLU confirm the course covered self-defense law and live fire. Attach the syllabus or instructor letter.
• Assuming military or law enforcement training automatically qualifies. Outside the narrow statutory exemptions in K.S.A. 75-7c05(h) and (i), you have to take the 8-hour Kansas course like everyone else. Even active-duty MPs are reviewed case by case.

Key Statutes and Regulations

The CCLU answers training-eligibility questions directly at (785) 291-3765. If your prior training is borderline under the equal-to-or-greater-than test, call before you pay for an application: the unit will tell you whether your foreign certificate is likely to clear before you commit the fees.

Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) Application Process

To get a Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL), you apply at your county sheriff's office, complete an 8-hour training course, pass a background check, and pay the $32.50 statutory sheriff fee plus the cost of training (set by the instructor, typically around $100). The Office of the Attorney General no longer charges a license fee.

You do not need a CCHL to carry concealed in Kansas if you are 21 or older and lawful to possess a firearm. Kansas has been a permitless carry state since July 1, 2015. People still apply for the CCHL because it unlocks reciprocity with roughly 39 other states, allows 18- to 20-year-olds to carry under a provisional license, and exempts holders from the federal Gun Free School Zone Act when traveling near K-12 schools.

The application is governed by the Personal and Family Protection Act, K.S.A. 75-7c01 et seq., with eligibility at K.S.A. 75-7c04, the application mechanics at K.S.A. 75-7c05, and the implementing regulations at K.A.R. 16-11-1 through 16-11-8. The application is filed under oath and false answers are prosecutable as a felony under K.S.A. 21-5903 (perjury) by way of K.S.A. 75-7c09.

Two License Tiers

Kansas issues two CCHLs under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(3):

• Standard license: applicant is 21 years of age or older. Recognized by other states under reciprocity.
• Provisional license: applicant is 18, 19, or 20 years of age. Authorizes concealed carry inside Kansas; reciprocity treatment varies by state.

Effective April 2, 2025 (HB 2052, L. 2025, ch. 55), a provisional licensee transitions to a standard license on turning 21 without filing a new application. The Attorney General must notify provisional licensees at least 60 days before their 21st birthday. On confirmation of age, the AG issues a standard license for the remaining unexpired term of the provisional license. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(f)).

Eligibility Checklist

Confirm every item below before paying for training. The Attorney General is required to deny a license if any disqualifier in K.S.A. 75-7c04(a) applies.

• Residency. You are a resident of the Kansas county where you apply, and a resident of Kansas. Active duty military stationed in Kansas (and their dependents) may apply even if their state of legal residence is elsewhere; they keep their non-resident driver's license. Active duty Kansas residents stationed at a U.S. military installation outside Kansas may apply by mail through their home county sheriff under K.S.A. 75-7c05(j).
• Age. 21 or older for a standard license. 18 or older for a provisional license.
• Federally lawful to possess a firearm. You are not prohibited under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) or (n). This rules out: anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, fugitives, unlawful users of or addicts to controlled substances, persons adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, dishonorably discharged service members, anyone who has renounced U.S. citizenship, persons subject to qualifying domestic protection orders, persons with a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence conviction, and persons under indictment for a felony.
• Kansas firearm prohibitions. You are not prohibited under K.S.A. 21-6301(a)(10), (a)(13), or (a)(15) through (a)(18), and you are not prohibited under K.S.A. 21-6304(a)(1) through (a)(4) (criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon).
• Citizenship/legal status. U.S. citizen or qualifying lawful permanent resident. Most nonimmigrant aliens cannot meet the residency requirement and are also barred under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5).
• No active diversion or pending charge for an offense that would disqualify you. A pending charge that could trigger ineligibility under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a) suspends the application or any existing license until disposition (K.S.A. 75-7c07(b)).
• Training. You have completed an 8-hour handgun safety and training course taught by a Kansas-certified instructor, or you qualify for an exemption (see Step 2).

Federal law treats some misdemeanors as disqualifying. A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9) is a permanent firearms prohibitor even when the underlying statute does not contain the word "domestic." If your record includes any battery, assault, or disorderly conduct involving force against a partner, household member, child, or co-parent, talk to a private attorney before paying for training. The Office of the Attorney General will not give you eligibility advice over the phone.

Expungements

Effective July 1, 2021, applicants are no longer required to disclose expunged offenses on the CCHL application. Expungement may not restore federal firearms rights, however, and expunged items still appear on the background check the Concealed Carry Licensing Unit (CCLU) runs. The CCLU recommends voluntary disclosure to avoid processing delays.

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Get the application form

Two equally valid options:

1. Download the current PDF from the Office of the Attorney General at ag.ks.gov (Concealed Carry Licensing page).
2. Pick up a paper copy at the sheriff's office in your county of residence.

The application is a multi-page form prescribed by the Attorney General. Use the current version. The CCLU will reject obsolete forms.

Step 2: Complete the 8-hour handgun safety and training course

K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(1) requires an 8-hour course covering:

• Safe storage of handguns.
• Actual firing of handguns (live-fire qualification).
• Kansas laws governing the carrying of concealed handguns.
• Kansas laws on the use of deadly force, including K.S.A. 21-5222 (Stand Your Ground) and K.S.A. 21-5223 (Castle Doctrine).

The course must be one of the following:

• A handgun course certified or sponsored by the Kansas Attorney General.
• A handgun course certified or sponsored by the National Rifle Association.
• A course offered by a law enforcement agency, college, private or public institution, or training school that the Attorney General has determined meets or exceeds the AG's standards, taught by an AG-certified or NRA-certified instructor.

Tuition is set by the instructor and is paid by the applicant. Course pricing is typically around $100 in Kansas. The instructor issues a certificate of completion that you must photocopy and attach to your application.

Training exemptions

Three groups can submit the application without taking the Kansas course (all three still need the background check):

• Holders of a valid CCHL from another jurisdiction whose training met or exceeded Kansas standards (instruction on self-defense law and demonstrated competency in safe handling, storage, and live fire). Attach: a copy of the non-Kansas CCHL, documentation of the training contents, and certification you completed that course. (K.S.A. 75-7c04(c)).
• Retired law enforcement officers, as defined in K.S.A. 21-5111, who were certified by the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training (or a similar body in another jurisdiction) within eight years before applying. Submit a letter from the head of the retiring agency attesting to retirement in good standing for reasons other than mental instability and to a non-forfeitable retirement benefit. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(h)).
• Corrections officers, parole officers, and federal Bureau of Prisons corrections officers (as defined in K.S.A. 75-5202) who hold a firearms training certificate issued by the Department of Corrections, the Bureau of Prisons, or a similar body within one year before applying. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(i)).

Step 3: Assemble the application packet

Per K.S.A. 75-7c05(a), the form requires:

• Legal name, address, Social Security number, place and date of birth.
• Kansas driver's license or Kansas non-driver ID number, with a photocopy of the card.
• A photocopy of your training certificate of completion.
• A statement that you comply with K.S.A. 75-7c04 eligibility criteria.
• A statement that you have been furnished a copy of the act and are knowledgeable of its provisions.
• A statement that you desire a CCHL as a means of lawful self-defense.
• A conspicuous warning that the application is executed under oath and that any false answer is criminal under K.S.A. 21-5903.

You also submit, per K.S.A. 75-7c05(b):

• The completed application.
• $32.50 payable to the sheriff of your county of residence (covers fingerprints).
• The training certificate photocopy (or, for an exemption, the substitute documentation).
• A full frontal-view photograph taken within the preceding 30 days.

Active duty military and dependents who do not hold a Kansas driver's license attach a photocopy of their out-of-state license or military ID instead. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(a)(1)(B)).

Step 4: File at the sheriff's office in your county of residence

Take the packet, in person, to the sheriff's office in the Kansas county where you reside, during normal business hours. There are no exceptions for filing in a different county. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(b); AG FAQ).

The sheriff accepts payment by personal check, cashier's check, or money order made out to the sheriff. Cash policies vary by county; call ahead.

If you are active duty military stationed at a U.S. military installation outside Kansas, you may mail the packet to your Kansas home-county sheriff under K.S.A. 75-7c05(j). Have your fingerprints taken at the military installation and include the prints with the application. The CCLU recommends sending the package by tracked mail with a highlighted copy of K.S.A. 75-7c05(j) on top of the application so the sheriff's staff recognizes the mail-in route.

Step 5: Sit for fingerprints

The sheriff takes a full set of classifiable fingerprints and forwards them, with the application, to the Office of the Attorney General. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(c)(1)).

The $32.50 paid to the sheriff covers fingerprinting. Funds the sheriff retains under K.S.A. 75-7c05(c)(3) go into a special administrative fund for the sheriff's office and may only be used to administer the act.

Sheriff or chief law enforcement officer may, within 45 days, submit a voluntary report to the Attorney General if public records, combined with another enumerated factor, establish that the applicant poses a significantly greater threat to law enforcement or the public than an average citizen. The submission is discretionary and the sheriff incurs no civil or criminal liability for a good-faith report. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(c)(2)). The Attorney General may deny the application based on that report only "for good cause shown."

Step 6: Background check

The Attorney General runs a state and national criminal history records check, including an inquiry through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), under K.S.A. 75-7c05(d) and K.S.A. 22-4714.

The Attorney General is checking against every disqualifier in K.S.A. 75-7c04(a) and the federal disqualifiers under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and (n). For applicants with criminal history outside Kansas, the AG applies both the convicting jurisdiction's law and Kansas firearm-possession standards (K.S.A. 21-6304). A felony from another state that would not be a Kansas firearm prohibitor still has to clear the convicting state's analysis, and a Kansas felony triggers Kansas-law possession bars regardless.

Step 7: Issuance or denial

K.S.A. 75-7c05(e) requires the Attorney General to issue or deny within 90 days of receiving the complete packet from the sheriff. The CCLU's published practice is most initial applications process in 60-90 days; you should not expect to hear from the CCLU before day 60 unless the office requests additional information.

If approved:

• The AG certifies issuance to the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR), which produces a physical license card at a KDOR driver's license station. KDOR no longer charges a card-production fee for the initial license (effective July 1, 2023).
• If KDOR cannot practicably issue physical cards (and that condition has lasted at least 30 days), the AG issues a temporary authorization document under K.S.A. 75-7c03(d) that functions as the license until the card is produced.
• You will need to physically appear at a KDOR station to pick up the card. Active duty military approved through the mail-in process under K.S.A. 75-7c05(j) generally still must travel to Kansas to receive the card.

If denied, the AG must notify you in writing, state the ground for denial, and inform you of the right to a hearing under the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act. The denial is reviewable in district court under the Kansas Judicial Review Act, in either Shawnee County or your county of residence. (K.S.A. 75-7c07).

Required Documents Checklist

Bring to the sheriff:

• Completed K.S.A. 75-7c05(a) application form, signed under oath.
• Photocopy of your Kansas driver's license or non-driver ID (or out-of-state ID for active duty military and dependents).
• Photocopy of your 8-hour training certificate of completion (or exemption documentation: copy of valid out-of-state CCHL plus training contents and certification, or retired-LEO letter, or corrections officer firearms-training certificate).
• One full frontal-view photograph taken within the preceding 30 days.
• Personal check, cashier's check, or money order for $32.50 payable to the sheriff.

Keep with you (the AG's office may request follow-up):

• Original training certificate.
• Original out-of-state CCHL if claiming the training exemption.
• Documentation of any "yes" answers on the criminal-history portion of the application.

Timeline

Plan for the process to take roughly 8 to 14 weeks end to end:

• Week 0: Complete the 8-hour course. Receive certificate.
• Week 0-1: Gather documents, take photo, file at sheriff. Fingerprints taken at filing.
• Weeks 1-13: Sheriff forwards packet to AG. AG runs state and national background check, NICS query, and any voluntary sheriff report. By statute, the AG must act within 90 days. Most applicants hear back at 60-90 days; the CCLU has at times processed in approximately 30 days.
• After issuance: KDOR produces the card. Plan a separate trip to a KDOR station.

If you do not hear from the CCLU within 60 days and have received no written request for additional information, the application is in normal processing. The CCLU publishes its phone number ((785) 291-3765) for status questions but cannot give legal advice.

Fees Summary

All fees are non-refundable, including if you withdraw the application. (K.S.A. 75-7c05).

License Validity, Renewal, and Address Changes

A Kansas CCHL is valid for four years from the date of issuance. (K.S.A. 75-7c03(a)). The license is only valid while you are a Kansas resident or stationed in Kansas as active duty military or a dependent.

Renewal under K.S.A. 75-7c08: The Attorney General mails a renewal form at least 90 days before expiration. The licensee returns the renewal form, a notarized affidavit of continued eligibility under K.S.A. 75-7c04, and a current frontal-view photo (taken within 30 days). Renewal is filed with the Attorney General directly, in person or by certified mail. The AG runs a name-based background check, including a NICS database search.

• Fingerprints are not required for renewal.
• A provisional licensee who renews after turning 21 receives a standard license on renewal.
• A renewal application filed six months or more after the license expiration date is rejected as permanently expired. The licensee must reapply through the sheriff with new fingerprints.

Change of address or name: Notify the CCLU in writing within 30 days. Failure carries a fine up to $100 or suspension up to six months under K.S.A. 75-7c06(e). KDOR charges a fee to issue a new card with corrected information.

Move out of state: Under K.S.A. 75-7c07(e), a Kansas license remains valid for 90 days after you change residency, but only if you notified the AG of the pending move in writing before leaving and only in jurisdictions that recognize Kansas licenses. A licensee who moves back to Kansas before the license expires can have it reinstated by notifying the AG.

Suspension, Revocation, and Surrender

Under K.S.A. 75-7c07, the Attorney General must revoke a license if the holder becomes ineligible under K.S.A. 75-7c04 and must suspend a license while a charge or proceeding that could trigger ineligibility is pending. Revocation takes effect during any appeal and is not stayed by the court.

When a court issues a restraining order that would prohibit license issuance under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(2), the sheriff must notify the AG immediately. The AG suspends the license within 24 hours and reinstates it on proof the order has been canceled, if the license has not otherwise expired.

HB 2052 (effective April 2, 2025) added a hard surrender rule: on suspension or revocation, the licensee must surrender the physical card or the K.S.A. 75-7c03(d) authorization document to the Division of Motor Vehicles, which destroys it. After a suspension ends, the AG issues a new authorization document for the remainder of the original license term.

Common Questions

Do I need a CCHL to carry concealed in Kansas if I am 21? No. Kansas has been a permitless carry state since July 1, 2015. You still need to be lawful to possess a firearm under federal and Kansas law. The CCHL adds reciprocity, school-zone exemption under federal law, and certain location access; it does not gate carry inside Kansas for adults 21 or older.

Can a non-resident apply? No, with two exceptions: active duty military stationed in Kansas, and dependents of an active duty servicemember stationed in Kansas. Out-of-state residents who carry in Kansas must do so on the basis of permitless carry (if 21+ and federally lawful) or a non-Kansas CCHL recognized under reciprocity.

Where exactly do I file? The sheriff's office of your county of residence. Not the Attorney General. Not a KDOR station. Not a different county's sheriff. There are no exceptions to the county-of-residence rule. (K.S.A. 75-7c05(b); AG FAQ).

What if I have a criminal history? You can apply, but disclose everything truthfully. The background check finds expunged items even though disclosure is no longer required. Federal prohibitions can flow from misdemeanors that do not look "domestic" on their face. If you have any battery, assault, or disorderly conduct involving force against a person with a qualifying relationship, talk to a private attorney before paying for training. The CCLU cannot screen eligibility over the phone.

Can I apply if I have a medical marijuana card from another state? No. Possession of a medical marijuana card supports a finding of unlawful drug use under federal law (27 C.F.R. 478.11; 21 U.S.C. 802) and is a federal firearm prohibitor under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3), which disqualifies you under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a)(2).

What happens if I am denied? The AG sends a written denial stating the ground. You have a right to a hearing under the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act. Final agency action is reviewable in Shawnee County or your county of residence under the Kansas Judicial Review Act. (K.S.A. 75-7c07(a)).

What if I lose my license? Mail the OAG a $15 cashier's check, personal check, or money order with a notarized statement explaining the circumstances of the loss. (K.S.A. 75-7c06).

Statutory Reference Table

Concealed Carry Licensing Unit: (785) 291-3765. The CCLU answers procedural questions but does not give individualized legal advice.

Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) Renewal Process

A Kansas CCHL is valid for four years from the date of issuance under K.S.A. 75-7c03(a). You renew directly with the Office of the Attorney General (not the county sheriff), submit a notarized affidavit, a recent passport-style photo, and a copy of your driver's license or ID by certified mail or in person in Topeka. There is no renewal fee, no training requirement, and no fingerprinting at renewal. The Attorney General mails you the renewal packet 90 days before your expiration date, and you cannot file the renewal more than six months before the license expires.

If you let the license go more than six months past expiration, it is permanently expired by statute and you must start over with a new initial application, including fingerprints. K.S.A. 75-7c08(c).

Bottom-Line Summary

• License term: 4 years from issuance. K.S.A. 75-7c03(a).
• Where to file: Office of the Attorney General, Concealed Carry Licensing Unit (CCLU), Topeka. Not the county sheriff (the sheriff only handles initial applications and fingerprinting).
• How to file: By certified mail, or in person at the Attorney General's Office in Topeka.
• Fee: $0 (reduced to $0 effective July 1, 2023). No late fee.
• Training: None required at renewal (Kansas removed the renewal training requirement in 2010).
• Fingerprints: None required at renewal. K.S.A. 75-7c08(b).
• Background check: Name-based state and federal records check, including a NICS query. K.S.A. 75-7c08(a).
• Earliest you can renew: Six months before expiration.
• Renewal notice: Mailed by the Attorney General at least 90 days before expiration. K.S.A. 75-7c08(a). The AG actually mails the yellow renewal application three to four months before expiration.
• Online renewal: Not available. Renewal forms are not posted online.
• Late renewal: Allowed up to six months after expiration, but you cannot carry under a CCHL during the lapse.
• Permanent expiration: Six months past expiration, the license is permanently expired and you must reapply as a new applicant. K.S.A. 75-7c08(c).

Statutory Basis

The renewal procedure is set by K.S.A. 75-7c08, most recently amended by the 2025 Session Laws of Kansas, Chapter 55 (House Bill 2052), approved April 2, 2025. The eligibility criteria you must still meet at renewal are in K.S.A. 75-7c04, and the underlying licensure framework is in K.S.A. 75-7c05. The four-year term is set by K.S.A. 75-7c03(a).

Renewal Timeline

Map your renewal against your expiration date:

The Attorney General will not chase you down. The AG website states bluntly that the office "will not attempt to locate licensees whose mail is returned as undeliverable." If your address on file is wrong, you will not get the packet.

Step-by-Step Renewal Procedure

1. Watch your mailbox starting 4 months out. The CCLU mails a yellow renewal packet 3 to 4 months before your expiration date. The packet contains the renewal form prescribed by the Attorney General and instructions. If you do not receive it within 60 days of expiration, call the CCLU at (785) 291-3765. The renewal form is not available online and not available for download.

2. Confirm your address is current with the CCLU. Address changes filed only with the post office or the Department of Revenue do not update your CCHL record. Submit address changes online through the CCLU portal or in writing directly to the CCLU. Failure to notify the CCLU of an address change within 30 days can result in a fine of up to $100 or suspension of the CCHL for up to 6 months. K.S.A. 75-7c06(e).

3. Complete the renewal form and the notarized affidavit. The affidavit states that you remain qualified under the criteria specified in K.S.A. 75-7c04 (the same eligibility rules that applied to your original application). Sign the affidavit in front of a notary.

4. Get a current 2x2 inch passport-style photograph. The photo must be a frontal view containing head and shoulders, taken within the preceding 30 days, with no sunglasses or hat. K.S.A. 75-7c08(a).

5. Make a copy of your driver's license or state ID card. Attach it to the renewal packet.

6. Submit the packet. You have two delivery options:

   • Certified mail to the Attorney General's Office in Topeka (the address is in the renewal packet).
   • Hand delivery to the Attorney General's Office in Topeka. Statutory note: a renewal application is considered filed on the date it is delivered in person to the Attorney General's office, or on the postmark date of a certified mailing. K.S.A. 75-7c08(a). Plain first-class mail does not count for this filing-date rule.

7. No fee, no fingerprints, no training certificate. You do not include a check, you do not visit the sheriff for fingerprinting, and you do not include a new training certificate. The renewal fee is $0 effective July 1, 2023, and Kansas removed the renewal training requirement in 2010 (2010 Kan. SB 306).

8. The Attorney General runs a background check. K.S.A. 75-7c08(b) requires a background check in accordance with K.S.A. 75-7c05(d) on every renewal, including a search of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Fingerprints are not required because your prints are already on file from your initial application.

9. Wait for the notice of approval. Once approved, the CCLU mails you a notice of approval to renew your license. The new license is renewed for 4 years from the date of expiration of your current license, not from the date the renewal is approved.

10. Take the notice of approval to a Kansas Driver's License Station. The Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) issues the physical license card. KDOR does not charge a fee for the renewed CCHL card.

Renewal Fee

There is no fee for a Kansas CCHL renewal.

The only out-of-pocket renewal costs are notarization (typically free at your bank, or a few dollars at a UPS Store), a 2x2 photo (a few dollars at a drug store), and certified-mail postage if you mail the packet rather than hand-deliver it.

Training Requirements at Renewal

Kansas does not require any training, range qualification, or refresher course at renewal. A 2010 amendment (2010 Kan. SB 306, effective July 1, 2010) eliminated the prior re-qualification requirement, and the AG's renewal guidance confirms: "License renewals do not require training."

The 8-hour training course requirement applies only to your initial application, not to renewal.

Background Check at Renewal

Every renewal triggers a state and federal name-based criminal history records check, including a NICS database query. K.S.A. 75-7c08(a), (b). The Attorney General will deny a renewal if you have become ineligible under K.S.A. 75-7c04 since your last issuance. Common disqualifiers include:

• A felony conviction.
• A domestic violence misdemeanor conviction.
• A qualifying protection-from-abuse or restraining order.
• An adjudication of mental incompetence or involuntary commitment.
• Becoming a fugitive, an unlawful drug user, an illegal alien, or being dishonorably discharged.
• Federal prohibitor under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g) or (n).

If the renewal is denied, the Attorney General sends a written notice stating the ground for denial and your opportunity for a hearing under the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act. K.S.A. 75-7c05(e). Review by the district court is available under the Kansas Judicial Review Act, at your option, in Shawnee County or your county of residence. K.S.A. 75-7c07(a).

Provisional License Holders Turning 21

Kansas issues a provisional CCHL to applicants aged 18 to 20. Two separate paths convert a provisional license to a standard license. Do not confuse them.

Path 1: Pre-Expiration Conversion at 21 (HB 2052, 2025)

This is not a renewal. It is a separate "request a standard license" mechanism added by HB 2052 (2025 Session Laws, Ch. 55, Sec. 2, codified at K.S.A. 75-7c05(f)).

How it works:

1. The Attorney General must notify each provisional license holder at least 60 days before that person's 21st birthday that the holder may apply for a standard license to be issued on the 21st birthday.
2. On reaching age 21, the holder submits a request to the Attorney General for a standard license. No new fee, training, or fingerprinting is required for this conversion.
3. The Attorney General confirms the holder is at least 21 years old and issues a standard license.
4. The standard license runs for the remaining unexpired portion of the provisional license's 4-year term, not a fresh 4 years.

Example: a provisional license issued on a holder's 19th birthday expires four years later, on the 23rd birthday. If the holder requests a standard license at age 21, the resulting standard license expires on the same 23rd birthday, two years out, then renews under the normal 4-year cycle.

Path 2: Renewal Filed by a Provisional Holder

If a provisional holder is at the natural end of the 4-year term and files a renewal application under K.S.A. 75-7c08, subsection (b) handles the case. If the licensee holds a valid provisional license at the time of renewal and has not already been issued a standard license under K.S.A. 75-7c05(f), the Attorney General issues a standard license at renewal, provided the licensee is not disqualified. This converts the license type as part of the normal renewal, with a 4-year term running from the expiration date of the prior provisional license, per the AG's general renewal rule (the statute does not specifically address this case but this is the natural reading consistent with AG guidance).

Carrying During Renewal Processing

A subtle but important point: Kansas law does not provide a renewal-receipt extension that lets you keep carrying after expiration on a renewal-pending basis. The license is valid until its expiration date. After expiration, you cannot carry under the CCHL until the renewed license is issued, unless you fall back on Kansas's permitless-carry rule under K.S.A. 21-6302 (lawful adults age 21 or older may carry concealed without a license).

Practical consequence: if you are 21 or older, an expired-but-not-permanently-expired CCHL is mainly a reciprocity problem (other states will not honor a Kansas license once it shows expired). If you are 18 to 20 and your provisional license expires before the renewal is issued, you cannot carry concealed in Kansas during the gap, because permitless carry is restricted to those 21 and older.

The CCLU's standing advice: "RENEW PROMPTLY. Failure to submit a renewal application prior to expiration will result in a lapse in licensure." File well before expiration to avoid the gap.

Late Renewal: The Six-Month Window

Kansas allows a late renewal up to six months after the expiration date. K.S.A. 75-7c08(c). During that grace period:

• You may still file a renewal application using the standard renewal packet.
• There is no late fee.
• You cannot carry under the CCHL until the renewal is issued.
• Reciprocity in other states does not apply during the lapse.

After six months past expiration, the license is permanently expired by statute. K.S.A. 75-7c08(c). At that point you cannot renew. You must reapply for licensure under K.S.A. 75-7c05 as a new applicant, which includes:

• The full initial application through the sheriff of your county of residence.
• A new background investigation including the submission of fingerprints.
• The $32.50 fingerprint fee payable to the sheriff. (The Attorney General's portion of the application fee is currently $0.)
• A photocopy of proof of training under K.S.A. 75-7c04(b)(1) (or a recognized exemption).

In other words, six months and one day after expiration is the line where Kansas treats you as a brand-new applicant. Mark your calendar.

Address Changes During the License Term

Address changes are not technically part of renewal, but they trip up renewals constantly. Two rules:

1. Notify the CCLU within 30 days of any address change. K.S.A. 75-7c06. Notification must be online or in writing directly to the CCLU. Updating your address with USPS or KDOR does not update the CCLU's records.
2. Failure to notify can produce a fine of up to $100 or a CCHL suspension of up to 6 months. K.S.A. 75-7c06(e).

A licensee who has moved out of Kansas can preserve a Kansas CCHL for up to 90 days of nonresidency, provided the licensee notified the Attorney General in writing before the move and the new state of residence (or any state traveled to in that 90-day window) recognizes the Kansas license. HB 2052 (2025), Sec. 3, amending K.S.A. 75-7c06.

A licensee who left Kansas and then returned may have the license reinstated as valid if (a) the license has not expired and (b) the licensee notified the Attorney General in writing of both the departure and the return (or the K.S.A. 75-7c06(e) penalty has been satisfied for failure to notify).

Suspension or Revocation Before Renewal

If your CCHL is under suspension or revocation when your renewal date approaches, the renewal will be denied under K.S.A. 75-7c07(a), as amended by HB 2052 (2025). On suspension or revocation, you must surrender the physical license card or authorization document to the Division of Motor Vehicles, which destroys it. K.S.A. 75-7c07(d). After a suspension ends, the Attorney General issues an authorization document for the license to be reissued for the remaining unexpired portion of the term.

A license under suspension because of a charge or proceeding that could render the licensee ineligible under K.S.A. 75-7c04(a) is reinstated upon final disposition, as long as the arrest or proceeding does not result in a disqualifying conviction, commitment, finding, or order. K.S.A. 75-7c07(b).

Out-of-State Residents

Kansas does not issue CCHLs to non-residents in the general case. The narrow exceptions are active-duty military stationed in Kansas, and active-duty military stationed outside Kansas at a U.S. military installation where Kansas is the home of record. There is no Kansas non-resident renewal pathway because there is no Kansas non-resident license outside the military exception. A licensee who permanently moves out of Kansas must surrender the CCHL once the 90-day cushion described above runs out.

Online and Electronic Renewal

Kansas does not currently offer online or electronic CCHL renewal. From the AG's CCLU FAQ: "Online or electronic renewal is not currently available. Renewal applications are not posted online to keep the flow of renewal applications reasonably controlled and within their proper timeframe." If you receive a third-party email or website offering Kansas online renewal, it is not legitimate.

Renewed License Term and Card

A renewed Kansas CCHL is valid for 4 years from the date of expiration of the prior license, not 4 years from the date the renewal is approved. The clock for the next term is anchored to the prior expiration date, so there is no advantage in delaying the renewal.

After approval, the physical card is issued at any Kansas Driver's License Station upon presentation of the AG's notice of approval. KDOR does not charge for issuing the renewed card. If KDOR is unable to issue physical cards, the AG may issue an authorization document under K.S.A. 75-7c03(d) in lieu of the card.

Common Pitfalls

The CCLU sees these renewal mistakes most often:

• Address-change drift. The renewal packet went to your old address because USPS forwarding does not apply to CCLU mailings.
• Plain first-class mail. A non-certified mailing does not establish the filing date under K.S.A. 75-7c08(a). Use certified mail or hand-delivery.
• Notary missed. CCLU returns unnotarized affidavits.
• Old photo. The photo must be taken within 30 days of submission.
• Driving past expiration. A six-and-a-half-month lapse converts your renewal request into a brand-new initial application, complete with fingerprinting and the $32.50 sheriff fee.
• Confusing renewal with the provisional-to-standard conversion. They are separate processes with different paperwork.

Contact and Resources

• Concealed Carry Licensing Unit (CCLU): (785) 291-3765
• Office of the Attorney General - Concealed Carry Licensing: https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing
• CCLU FAQs: https://www.ag.ks.gov/divisions/civil/licensing-inspections/concealed-carry-licensing/concealed-carry-faqs
• Mailing address: Concealed Carry Licensing Unit, Office of Attorney General, 120 SW 10th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Topeka, KS 66612-1597

Key Statutory References

Fees and Costs for Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL)

Initial Application Fees

Replacement / Re-Issuance Fees

Penalties

Important Fee Policies

• Non-Refundable Fees: By law, all fees are non-refundable, including if an applicant withdraws their application. See K.S.A. 75-7c05.
• License Duration: The Kansas CCHL is valid for four (4) years from the date of approval, unless surrendered, suspended, or revoked.
• Notification Requirements: Licensees must notify the OAG Concealed Carry Licensing Unit (CCLU) in writing within 30 days of any name change, address change, or loss/theft of the CCHL. See K.S.A. 75-7c06.

Relevant Statutes

• K.S.A. 75-7c03 - CCHL issuance and format
• K.S.A. 75-7c04 - Age requirements (minimum 18 years)
• K.S.A. 75-7c05 - Non-refundable fees
• K.S.A. 75-7c06 - Name/address change notification requirements and penalties
• K.S.A. 75-7c08 - Provisional Concealed Carry License (ages 18-20)

Weapon Restrictions for Concealed Carry in Kansas

Criminal Carrying of a Weapon

Kansas law defines specific weapons and conduct that constitute criminal carrying, regardless of concealed carry status. (K.S.A. 21-6302)

Prohibited weapons (carrying is always illegal):

• Bludgeons, sandclubs, metal knuckles, or throwing stars
• Billy, blackjack, slungshot, or any other dangerous/deadly weapon or instrument of like character (when concealed on one's person)
• Tear gas or smoke bombs/projectors, or any object containing a noxious liquid, gas, or substance, carried on one's person or in any vehicle with intent to use unlawfully
• A shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches, or any firearm capable of discharging automatically more than once by a single function of the trigger (severity level 9, nonperson felony)

Age restriction:

• Persons under 21 years of age may not carry any pistol, revolver, or other firearm concealed on their person, except when on their own land, in their own abode, or in their fixed place of business. (K.S.A. 21-6302(a)(4) - class A nonperson misdemeanor)
• This restriction does not apply to persons holding a valid provisional license under K.S.A. 75-7c03 or a valid out-of-state concealed carry permit recognized in Kansas. (K.S.A. 21-6302(d))

Exemptions from criminal carrying provisions:

• Law enforcement officers and persons summoned to assist them
• Wardens, superintendents, directors, security personnel, and keepers of detention institutions (while acting within scope of authority)
• Members of the armed services, reserve forces, or Kansas National Guard (while in performance of official duty)
• Persons in compliance with the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.)

Magazine Capacity

Kansas has no laws restricting the ammunition capacity of magazines.

Prohibited Persons - Firearm Possession Restrictions

State Law: Criminal Possession by Convicted Felons (K.S.A. 21-6304)

Kansas imposes graduated firearm prohibition periods based on the nature of the conviction:

Note: Because the 3-year prohibition under (a)(2) begins running only after the sentence is fully satisfied (not from the conviction date), the total elapsed time from conviction to eligibility will be longer - typically the length of the sentence served plus 3 years. For example, a person convicted of a qualifying person felony who serves 2 years of probation would become eligible approximately 5 years after the conviction date (2 years on probation + 3 years post-discharge).

Important: Expungement of a prior felony conviction generally has no effect on firearm prohibition periods. Under K.S.A. 21-6614(k), the 3-year, 10-year, or lifetime prohibitions remain intact even if the conviction has been expunged or pardoned before the prohibition period expires.

Multi-jurisdiction analysis: Convicted felons from another jurisdiction must satisfy two levels of state compliance - the convicting jurisdiction's law and K.S.A. 21-6304 - before eligibility is restored.

Federal Prohibitions (18 U.S.C. § 922(g) & (n))

The following persons are prohibited from shipping, transporting, possessing, or receiving firearms or ammunition under federal law:

• Persons convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year (essentially any felony)
• Fugitives from justice
• Unlawful users of or persons addicted to controlled substances (including marijuana)
• Persons adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution
• Persons discharged from the armed forces under dishonorable conditions
• Persons who are illegally or unlawfully in the United States
• Persons who have renounced U.S. citizenship
• Persons subject to a qualifying domestic restraining order
• Persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (MCDV) - this applies even if the statute of conviction does not contain the word "domestic" or list domestic relationships, per U.S. v. Hayes, 555 U.S. 415 (2009) (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9))
• Persons under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year (includes active diversion programs in Kansas) (18 U.S.C. § 922(n))

Petition for Relief of Firearm Prohibitions (K.S.A. 75-7c27)

An individual who has been adjudicated as a mentally ill person subject to involuntary commitment, or who is prohibited under 18 U.S.C. § 922(d)(4) or (g)(4), may petition a court of competent jurisdiction in Kansas for relief from firearm disabilities. The court must find clear and convincing evidence that:

1. The petitioner will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety; and
2. Granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest.

Granted petitions are submitted to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for entry into state and federal databases. (Enacted L. 2011, ch. 100, § 1)

Private Property & Building Restrictions

Signage and Posting Requirements (K.S.A. 75-7c10(a))

Concealed carry shall not be prohibited in any building unless the building is conspicuously posted with signage in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Kansas Attorney General.

Violation: Carrying in a properly posted building is not a criminal offense but may result in denial of entry to or removal from the premises. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(f)(1))

Liability Protections (K.S.A. 75-7c10(c))

• A private entity that provides adequate security measures and posts proper signage is not liable for wrongful acts relating to concealed handguns.
• A private entity that does not provide adequate security and allows concealed carry is also not liable for wrongful acts relating to concealed handguns.

Employer/Employee Restrictions

Kansas law distinguishes between private and public employers regarding concealed carry restrictions:

Private Employers (K.S.A. 75-7c10(b))

• May prohibit employees from carrying concealed handguns while on the premises of the employer's business or while otherwise engaged in the duties of employment.
• May NOT prohibit an employee from storing their handgun in the employee's private vehicle, even if the vehicle is parked on the employer's premises.
• Note: "Building" under this act does not include any structure or area designated for parking of motor vehicles. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(h)(2))

Public (State or Municipal) Employers (K.S.A. 75-7c10(e), 75-7c20)

• May restrict concealed carry by employees only if the building has adequate security measures at all public access entrances and is conspicuously posted with proper signage. (K.S.A. 75-7c20(c))
• May NOT restrict an employee who is legally qualified from carrying a concealed handgun while engaged in duties outside of the employer's place of business, including while in a vehicle. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(e))
• Public employers are not liable for negligent acts of employees carrying concealed handguns that are not carried in the course and scope of employment. (K.S.A. 75-7c10(e))

Institutional Employee Carry Permissions (K.S.A. 75-7c10(d))

The governing body or chief administrative officer of the following institutions may permit any legally qualified employee to carry a concealed handgun in any building, even if that building is conspicuously posted:

1. Unified school districts
2. Postsecondary educational institutions
3. State or municipal-owned medical care facilities
4. State or municipal-owned adult care homes
5. Community mental health centers
6. Indigent health care clinics

Disclosure of Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL) Status

• Municipal employers are prohibited from requiring employees to disclose whether they hold a CCHL and from creating or maintaining a record of employees who have a CCHL. (K.S.A. 75-7c23)
• State employers are not prohibited from requiring disclosure of CCHL status.

Public Building Restrictions (K.S.A. 75-7c20)

General Rule

Concealed carry cannot be prohibited in public areas of state or municipal buildings unless the building provides:

1. Adequate security measures - defined as electronic equipment (metal detectors, wands, etc.) and armed personnel at public entrances to detect and restrict weapons; gun lockers or similar storage may also be provided. (K.S.A. 75-7c20(m)(1))
2. Conspicuous signage - approved by the governing body or chief administrative officer, posted in accordance with K.S.A. 75-7c10.

Both conditions must be met to prohibit concealed carry.

Buildings Permanently Exempt from Carry (K.S.A. 75-7c20(k))

Concealed carry may be prohibited without adequate security measures in:

1. Buildings on the grounds of the Kansas State School for the Deaf or the Kansas State School for the Blind
2. State or municipal-owned medical care facilities (K.S.A. 65-425)
3. State or municipal-owned adult care homes (K.S.A. 39-923)
4. Community mental health centers (K.S.A. 19-4001 et seq.)
5. Indigent health care clinics (K.S.A. 65-7402)
6. Buildings owned/leased by the KU Hospital Authority or within the Wyandotte County health care district

State Capitol (K.S.A. 75-7c20(m)(7)(B))

The State Capitol is excluded from the definition of "state or municipal building" - concealed carry provisions of K.S.A. 75-7c20 do not apply to the Capitol.

Courtrooms (K.S.A. 75-7c20(h))

The chief judge of each judicial district may prohibit concealed carry in courtrooms and ancillary courtrooms, provided adequate security measures and proper signage are in place.

Corrections, Jails, and Law Enforcement Facilities (K.S.A. 75-7c20(g))

Corrections facilities, jails, and law enforcement agencies may prohibit carry (concealed or unconcealed) in secure areas. Areas outside secure areas that are readily accessible to the public remain subject to the general rule.

Restricted Access Entrances (K.S.A. 75-7c20(d))

Authorized personnel (employees and approved non-employees) who enter through a restricted access entrance may carry into buildings that are otherwise posted. Non-employees seeking restricted access authorization must:

• Obtain approval from the chief law enforcement officer, governing body, or chief administrative officer
• Be issued a photo identification card
• Execute a notarized affidavit acknowledging weapon regulations
• Submit to background checks (CCHL holders are exempt from additional criminal records checks)

Law Enforcement Exemptions (K.S.A. 75-7c20(l))

Qualified law enforcement officers (active and retired meeting K.S.A. 75-7c22 requirements) may carry concealed handguns into any state or municipal building, subject only to courtroom restrictions imposed by the chief judge.

CCHL License Suspension and Revocation (K.S.A. 75-7c07)

• The Attorney General shall revoke a license if the holder becomes ineligible under K.S.A. 75-7c04. Revocation remains in effect pending any appeal.
• A license is suspended (not revoked) when the holder is charged with an offense or subject to a proceeding that could render them ineligible; it is reinstated upon favorable final disposition.
• Upon issuance of a restraining order that would prohibit licensure, the county sheriff must immediately notify the Attorney General, who shall immediately suspend the license. The license is reinstated upon cancellation of the order.
• A CCHL remains valid for 90 days after a licensee moves out of Kansas, provided the licensee notified the Attorney General in writing and the new state recognizes the Kansas license.

Recent Legislation: HB 2052 (2025)

House Bill 2052 was signed into law on April 2, 2025. Among its provisions, it amended (did not repeal) K.S.A. 75-7c04, 75-7c05, 75-7c07, 75-7c08, and 75-7c22. Notable changes include the new surrender-on-suspension/revocation rule at K.S.A. 75-7c07(d), updated LEO definitions in K.S.A. 75-7c22, and the formal mechanism for transitioning a provisional CCHL (18-20) to a standard CCHL at age 21.

Key Statutes Referenced