How to Obtain a CCW Permit in Arizona (2024)

Updated April 16, 2021

Obtaining an Arizona concealed carry permit requires taking an approved firearms class, submitting the application with fingerprints, and paying a $60 fee. Any Arizona resident or U.S citizen is eligible as long as they are at least 21 years old and are permitted to possess a firearm. Arizona CCW permits remain valid for five years, and the majority of other states have reciprocity with Arizona.

In this article, ourArizona criminal defense attorneys answer the following FAQs about concealed carry laws:

1. How do I apply for a CCW permit in Arizona?
2. Can I carry concealed without a permit in Arizona?
3. Can non-residents get an Arizona CCW permit?
4. Which states have CCW reciprocity with Arizona?
5. What are the benefits of a CCW permit?
6. How do I renew?

Arizona allows people to carry concealed with no permit.

1. How do I apply for a CCW permit in Arizona?

The first step of applying for an Arizona concealed weapons permit is to check eligibility. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. And they must be either a U.S. citizen or an Arizona resident with a green card. In addition, applicants may not:

have been convicted of domestic violence or any crime that carries a punishment of more than one year (unless the gun rights have been restored);
have pending felony or domestic violence charges;
be subject to a restraining order to prevent harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or his/her child;
be fugitives;
be illegal aliens;
have renounced U.S. citizenship;
have been dishonorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces;
unlawfully use or be addicted to drugs; or
have been diagnosed as mentally ill

The second step is to complete an approved firearms training class. The instructor must be approved by the Arizona Department of Public Safety or certified by the NRA.

Finally, applicants must fill out and submit the Arizona Department of Public Safety’s CCW permit application. As the instructions on the application state, applicants must also submit:

two fingerprint cards from a qualified fingerprinting technician,
certification demonstrating firearms safety compliance by taking a training course,
additional immigration documentation if the applicant is a permanent resident in Arizona, or if the applicant is a U.S. citizen born outside the U.S., and
a $60 cashier’s check, money order, or certified check payable to AZ DPS.

All applications must be mailed to the Concealed Weapons Permit Unit at:

AZ DPS CWPU

P.O. Box 6488

Phoenix, AZ 85005

Applicants typically hear back within three months. Concealed firearm permits are valid for five years. As a shall issue state, Arizona provides permits to anyone who applies and qualifies.¹

2. Can I carry concealed without a permit in Arizona?

Yes. Arizona gun laws do not require a concealed carry permit for people otherwise allowed to possess firearms to carry concealed handguns. No permit is required for open carry either. It does not matter whether the person is carrying for self-defense or not.²

3. Can non-residents get Arizona CCW permits?

Yes. U.S. citizens who do not reside in Arizona may apply for a non-resident CCW permit in Arizona.³

AZ CCW permits are valid for 5 years.

4. Which states have CCW reciprocity with Arizona?

The following states permit people with current and valid Arizona CCW permits to conceal carry in their state. As noted below, some states honor only resident CCW permits and not non-resident ones. And some states – similar to Arizona – allow permitless carry.

Alabama
Alaska (no permit required if at least 21 years old)
Arkansas (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
Colorado (only resident permits)
Delaware
Florida (only resident permits)
Georgia
Idaho (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas (no permit required if at least 21 years old)
Kentucky (no permit required if at least 21 years old)
Louisiana
Maine (only resident permits, and at least 21 years old)
Michigan (only resident permits)
Mississippi (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
Missouri (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
Montana
Nebraska (only resident permits, and at least 21 years old)
Nevada
New Hampshire (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma (no permit required if at least 21 years old, but government-issued ID required)
Pennsylvania (only resident permits)
South Carolina (only resident permits)
South Dakota (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont (no permit required if at least 18 years old)
Virginia
West Virginia (no permit required if at least 21 years old)
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Puerto Rico

In exchange, Arizona and its political subdivisions honor CCW permits from these reciprocal states.

5. What are the benefits of a CCW permit?

Even though Arizona allows permitless concealed carry, many gun owners choose to obtain an Arizona CCW permit. This is because the permit allows them to:

purchase firearms in Arizona from a commercial dealer without a federal background check.
carry in states that have reciprocity with Arizona.
carry in National Parks inside of the state of Arizona.
carry in certain Phoenix city parks.

And although it should not matter, law enforcement officers tend to be friendlier to and less suspicious of gun carriers who have a CCW permit. Having a permit indicates to police that the permit holder has completed a formal CCW class with a firearms instructor, and that the permit holder is more cautious about inflicting deadly force.

Note that there are certain places guns and most deadly weapons are always prohibited, such as correctional facilities, past security checkpoints in airports, polling places on election day, school grounds, and nuclear or hydroelectric generating stations.⁴

6. How do I renew?

People may renew their Arizona CCW permit through the state Department of Safety’s Renewal Application. The renewal fee is $43, and payment may be by cashier’s check, money order, or certified check made out to the AZ DPS. All applications must be mailed to:

AZ DPS CWPU

P.O. Box 6488

Phoenix, AZ 85005

The renewal application is shorter than the new permit application. It is meant to check that the applicant has not become a prohibited possessor since the last CCW permit issuance.

Call our Arizona law firm for legal advice on your case. We offer free consultations on Arizona state law and federal law.

See our related article on restoring Arizona gun rights following a conviction.

Legal References

Arizona Revised Statute 13-3112.
Arizona Senate Bill 1108 (2010) (“Constitutional Carry Law”).
ARS 13-3112, subsection E.
ARS 13-3102, et seq. See also State v. Holmes, (2020) Ariz. Ct. App. Dec. 3, 2020). See also State v. Johnson, (2017, Ariz Ct. App.) 243 Ariz. 41, 401 P.3d 504, 770 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 4.