This FAQ collects the questions Kansas CCHL applicants and instructors ask most often. Answers cite the operative Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.)...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This page covers one part of our Kansas concealed carry guide.
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