This is not legal advice.Concealed-carry reciprocity changes frequently and carries serious legal consequences. Verify current law with the destination state's official source before you carry.
ArkansasConcealed Carry Permit & Reciprocity
Arkansas allows permitless carry: under Act 746 of 2013 (and later clarification) a person 18 or older who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry it, openly or concealed, without a license. Arkansas still issues a Concealed Handgun Carry License (CHCL) through the Arkansas State Police in two classes: the standard CHCL and the Enhanced CHCL (E-CHCL). The Enhanced license requires about 8 hours of additional classroom and live-fire training and allows carry in places the standard license does not — public colleges and universities, most public buildings, non-secure areas of airports, and churches (unless the church prohibits it). Licenses are issued to residents 21 or older (18 for military), require fingerprints, cost $50 ($25 for applicants 65+), and are valid for five years. Arkansas recognizes all concealed handgun carry licenses lawfully issued by any other state (§5-73-321). A license holder must present the license on an officer's demand; permitless carriers should verify Arkansas's inform-on-contact expectations.
Arkansas Arkansas Concealed Handgun Carry License (CHCL)
- Issuing authority
- Arkansas State Police
- Carry regime
- constitutional
- Minimum age
- 21
- Fee
- $50
- Training
- Required
- Validity
- 5 years
Permit classes
Concealed Handgun Carry License (CHCL)
For reciprocity travel- Minimum age
- 21
The standard Arkansas CHCL.
Enhanced Concealed Handgun Carry License (E-CHCL)
- Minimum age
- 21
Requires ~8 hours of additional training + live-fire; permits carry in public colleges/universities, most public buildings, non-secure airport areas, and churches — places closed to the standard license. The enhancement is an in-state privilege, not a separate reciprocity class.
Carry practicalities
Permitless carry
Allowed — minimum age 18
Arkansas allows permitless carry: under Act 746 of 2013 (which removed the 'intent to unlawfully employ' element from the carry offense) and subsequent clarification, a person 18 or older who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry it openly or concealed without a license. A CHCL remains useful for reciprocity and (in its Enhanced form) for carry in additional locations.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Open carry
Permitless
Open carry of a handgun is lawful in Arkansas without a license for a person who may lawfully possess a handgun (Act 746 of 2013). Open carry remains subject to the prohibited-place restrictions of §5-73-306 and to private-property rules.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Duty to inform
Not required
A CHCL holder is not required to proactively announce that they are armed but must present the license on the demand of a law enforcement officer (Ark. Code §5-73-315). NOTE: several sources state that a person carrying WITHOUT a license (permitless carry) should immediately inform an officer that they are armed on contact — verify before relying on the no-proactive-duty rule if carrying without a license.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Off-limits locations
- courthouses and courtrooms
- police, sheriff, and state police stations and detention facilities
- K-12 public school property and school events
- public colleges and universities (permitted for Enhanced-license holders)
- most public buildings and government meetings (permitted for Enhanced-license holders)
- bars and establishments serving alcohol for on-premises consumption
- the secured (past-screening) areas of airports
- places of worship that prohibit carry (Enhanced-license holders may carry unless the church prohibits it)
- places where carrying a firearm is prohibited by federal law
Curated key categories, not exhaustive. Prohibited places are enumerated in Ark. Code §5-73-306; the Enhanced CHCL (E-CHCL) lifts many of these restrictions (public colleges, most public buildings, churches, non-secure airport areas). Private-property owners may prohibit carry.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Arkansas reciprocity summary
Arkansas honors 49 states' permits · honored by 36 states
Where a Arkansas permit is honored →Whose permits Arkansas honors →
Last verified 2026-07-10 against Arkansas State Police — Concealed Handgun Carry Licensing.
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Get notified when your state's reciprocity changes.
Arkansas FAQ
- Does Arkansas have constitutional carry?
- Yes. Arkansas is a constitutional (permitless) carry state — eligible adults may carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The CHCL remains available and is still worth holding for reciprocity in states that don't recognize permitless carry.
- How much does a Arkansas CHCL cost?
- The CHCL application fee in Arkansas is $50. The nonrefundable license fee is $50 ($25 for applicants 65 or older); there is no age-based reduction for renewals. The Enhanced license involves additional training costs.
- Does Arkansas honor out-of-state concealed-carry permits?
- Arkansas honors concealed-carry permits from 49 other states, subject to the qualifiers (resident-only or permit-class restrictions) noted on each reciprocity pair. See the full inbound list on the "who Arkansas honors" page.
- Where is a Arkansas CHCL honored?
- A Arkansas CHCL is honored by 36 other states. See the full outbound reciprocity list for exactly which states and any resident-only or class restrictions.
- How long is a Arkansas CHCL valid?
- A Arkansas CHCL is valid for 5 years before renewal is required.