Get a load of this. Maybe I should move back to my birthplace, St. Louis, Mo. (OK, OK, don't everybody chime in at once or chip in with $1 for gas...)
I called the Missouri State Police this morning to inquire about concealed carry reciprocity in Missouri, since I'm planning a trip there to meet a friend from Seattle, who is on his way to Florida to teach sailing for the winter.
The website for the Missouri Attorney General explains, in easy-to-understand terms, that Missouri concealed carry law "provides recognition of concealed weapons endorsements from every state that issues them."
The site lists states that honor a Missouri permit (37) and states that do not (11). Illinois, its neighbor to the east, sticks out like a sore thumb as the state that does "not issue (any) endorsements to carry a concealed weapon".
Because the Missouri AG's webpage did not state that Missouri honors the permit from another state but, instead, lists states that honor Missouri permits, I called the Missouri State Police this morning and reached a trooper who was very helpful on the phone. She answered my questions in a thorough and friendly manner and was not at all suspicious as to why I was asking.
Her summary was that a concealed carry permitholder from any other state can carry concealed in Missouri. You can't carry in certain places or past a sign prohibiting concealed carry. A businessowner can say "No Guns Allowed" by posting signs at the entrance. (He won't get my business.) You can carry into a restaurant that serves alcohol.
I remember one of my first phone calls after moving to Woodstock in 1996. An officer at the Woodstock PD passed the buck, when I called to ask how to get a concealed-carry permit and suggested that I call the McHenry County Sheriff's Department.
A deputy there actually laughed when I asked my question and said that I'd "never" get a concealed carry permit in Illinois. Sure wish I'd written down his name. He has been right so far, but he might not always be right.
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6 comments:
So you believe that a resident of Illinois can carry in Missouri if he has a Missouri permit? Let me know where you are going so I can alert local law enforcement.
What I believe is that a resident of Illinois can carry in Missouri if he has a valid concealed carry permit.
Since I do, I shall.
I bet if you held an Arizona or Utah concealed permit Missouri would recognize it and you would have no problem. In fact Utah issues non-resident permits and so does Arizona. You take a course and submit prints and a photo as does Utah. Those courses are available at Cabela’s every once in a while.
Thanks for the suggestion, M.U.G.
Missouri will recognize and honor the CWP that I hold.
The courses popularize the states where there is reciprocity with Utah and Florida. However, it's important to find out whether the state in which you will travel will honor the permit from Utah and/or Florida. That state may not recognize a non-resident's Utah or Florida permit.
I thought Florida would, because the state that issued it grants reciprocity with Florida. But, when I checked with Florida, I learned that my non-resident permit wasn't valid in Florida.
Gus, there was a reciprocity agreement law passed months ago that requires all 49 states must recognize each others lawfully possessed permits, however, when you moved to Illinois, your state considers your CCDW revoked, you must reside where the permit was issued. When you moved, you lost your right to carry. So be careful in Missouri, Mr. Nygren may follow you again and call you in personally once you cross the border and walk in public. Here is the paste of the law.
Non-residents are not eligible for a CCDW license. Consequently, the license of an individual that moves out of state is subject to revocation. Licensees that move out of state may voluntarily surrender their CCDW license by mailing it with a letter to the following address explaining that they are moving out of state:
Thank you for taking the time to write and explain the national reciprocity law and whether it might affect me.
I hold a non-resident, concealed-carry permit that was issued to me as an Illinois resident, so it wasn't a case that I had had a permit elsewhere and moved to Illinois.
As strongly as I feel about concealed-carry, frankly I cannot believe that I still live in this state.
I am confident that my permit is valid in a number of (but not all) states that issue them. Thank you again for your concern and for expressing it professionally and politely. I appreciate that very much.
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