It cost my Wife and I $6879.00 to Carry a Handgun in 42 States!

Do I have your attention? Good, because the Carry Permit Process can be a convoluted, laborious, and expensive process depending on where you live. Depending on the State/Jurisdiction, the Carry Permit Process is nearly impossible for those with limited budgets, busy schedules, and/or no means of transportation.

Some States have adopted Permitless Carry, also known as “Constitutional Carry”, whereas some States require Permits to Carry Concealed, but allow Unlicensed Open Carry.

Constitutional Carry States Include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota (Residents Only/ Concealed Carry Only), Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee (Handguns Only), Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming

Some States only accept their own Carry Permits, while other States have Reciprocity Agreements with various States. Some States accept only RESIDENT Permits, whereas other States accept Resident or Non-Resident Permits.

Reciprocity Agreements change quite often so keeping up can be a challenge. Some Carry Permit Holders find comfort in having “Reciprocity Overlap” by acquiring multiple Carry Permits in case Reciprocity Agreements change.

We use the USCCA Carry Reciprocity Gun Laws App for a quick glance at Reciprocity and various Gun Laws.

Now more on our story…

My Wife and I have, or are in process to acquire Carry Permits from Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Utah, Florida, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. We chose these particular Carry Permits to maximize the States/Places we can Carry. As I mentioned above, this can change based on your Home State (Residence) and where you would like to Carry. Some of these Permits have “Reciprocal Overlap”. For example, our Non resident Florida and Non resident Utah Permits have very similar Reciprocity Agreements with other States, but we can't Carry in Florida with a Non Resident Utah Permit. The Non Resident Utah Permit allows us to Carry in Washington State, whereas the Florida Non Resident Permit does not. This is why you need to do thorough research.

Below are the requirement breakdowns and costs for each Permit we applied for. I added the process for renewals but those totals are not included in our totals.

Resident Maryland (May Issue) Total Cost $1260.00
NOTE: Maryland issues Permits to Residents and Non Residents if they have “cause”.
Good for 2 Years
16 Hour Class $350 x2 (This can vary)
Live Fire Qualification Ammo $25 x 2 (This can vary depending on ammunition selected)
Travel/Expenses for Class $150 (This can vary)
Livescan Fingerprints Only $60 x2 (This can vary)
Digital Passport Photo x2 (This can vary)
Must Show "Cause" x2 (Ours were approved as Business Owners)
Online Application $75 x2
State Police will Schedule an In Person Interview x2
Travel/Toll Cost for In Person Interview $90 (This can vary)
Processing Time can vary between 2 - 4 Months
Maryland Permit Renewals (May Issue)
Good for 3 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 90 days prior to expiration.
8 Hour Renewal Class
Live Fire Qualification Ammo
Travel/Expenses for Class
NO FINGERPRINTS REQUIRED
Digital Passport Photo to Upload
Must Show "Cause"
Online Application (Must Upload Supporting Documents)
State Police will Schedule an In Person Interview
Travel/Toll Cost for In Person Interview
Processing Time can vary between 2 - 4 Months

Non Resident Pennsylvania (Shall Issue) Total Cost $104.00
Good for 5 Years
Must Have Home State/Resident Carry Permit x2 (If your Home State Carry Permit Expires, the Issuing Agency will REVOKE your Non Resident Pennsylvania Permit)
Online Application with Local Sheriff $27 x2 (Do Research - Not all Sheriff Departments Issue Non Resident Permits)
Must Schedule Appointment to Pick Up Permit In Person and get Photo Taken x2
Travel/Toll/Parking Cost $50 (This can vary)
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 14 Days (Depending on Agency)
Non Resident Pennsylvania Renewals (Shall Issue)
Good for 5 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 30 days prior to expiration.
Must Have Home State/Resident Carry Permit (If your Home State Carry Permit Expires, the Issuing Agency will REVOKE your Non Resident Pennsylvania Permit)
Online Application with Local Sheriff $27 (Do Research - Not all Sheriff Departments Issue Non Resident Permits)
Must Schedule Appointment to Pick Up Permit In Person and get Photo Taken
Travel/Toll/Parking Cost (This can vary)
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 14 Days (Depending on Agency)

Non Resident Washington D.C. (Shall Issue) Total Cost $1220.00
Good for 2 Years
16 Hour Class $350 x2 (This can vary)
Travel/Expenses for Class $150 (This can vary)
Live Fire Qualification Ammo $25 x2 (This can vary)
Must Apply In Person x2
Paper Application/Photo/Fingerprints $110 x2
Must Register ANY Handgun/s you plan to Carry in D.C. X2 (One Handgun Registration is Included, additional Handgun Registrations are $15 each)
Travel/Toll/Parking Cost $100
Processing Time can vary between 3 - 6 Months
Non Resident Washington D.C. Renewals (Shall Issue)
Good for 2 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 90 days prior to expiration.
8 Hour Renewal Class
Travel/Expenses for Renewal Class
Live Fire Qualification Ammo
NO FINGERPRINTS REQUIRED
Digital Passport Photo to Upload
Online Application $75 (Must Upload Supporting Documents)
ANY Handgun/s you plan to Carry in D.C. MUST be registered with the M.P.D.C. (Registrations are $15 each and must be done IN PERSON)
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 3 Months

Non Resident Florida (Shall Issue) Total Cost $284.00
Good for 7 Years
NRA Basic Class $0 (Our Maryland & D.C. Classes Satisfied this Requirement)
Paper Application $87 x2
Passport Photo $10 x2 (This can vary)
Fingerprints $30 x2 (MUST BE TAKEN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY)
Postage/Insurance for Application $15 x2 (This can vary)
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 3 Months
Non Resident Florida Renewals (Shall Issue)
Good for 7 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 90 days prior to expiration.
Paper Application $87
Passport Photo
Fingerprints (MUST BE TAKEN BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY)
Postage/Insurance for Application
Processing Time can vary between 2 - 4 Months

Non Resident Utah (Shall Issue) Total Cost $376.00
Good for 5 Years
4 Hour Utah Class $75 x2 (This can vary)
Travel/Expenses for Class $50 (This can vary)
Paper Application $63 x2
Passport Photo $10 x2 (This can vary)
Fingerprints $10 (This can vary. We purchased a “Fingerprint Kit” from Amazon and rolled our own Fingerprints)
Postage/Insurance $15 x2
Processing Time can vary between 2 - 3 Months
Non Resident Utah Renewals (Shall Issue)
Good for 5 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 60 days prior to expiration.
NO FINGERPRINTS REQUIRED
Online Application $25
Passport Photo (The Online Application can use your Mobile Device to take a Passport Photo)
Postage/Insurance
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 2 Months

Non Resident Rhode Island (May Issue or Shall Issue) Total Cost $780.00
Good for 4 Years
The Application Process and Fees for a Non Resident Rhode Island Permit can vary depending on where you apply. Attorney General Permits are May Issue and have a fixed price whereas Local Departments can vary between $40 and $340. Some Departments are Shall Issue and some are May Issue, so do your research before selecting a Department. Some Departments require you to apply “In Person”, yet some have a “Mail In Process”. The Departments who allow “Mail in Applications” charge on the high end of the spectrum, whereas the Departments who require “In Person Applications” charge $40. Basically, if you choose a Department that allows “Mail In”, you pay for that convenience. Rhode Island Statutes say the maximum fee allowable is $40, but not all Departments follow the Statute. Some Departments refuse to deal with or accept Non Resident Applications. If you want to save a trip to Rhode Island, Johnston P.D. does accept “Mail In Applications” for $340, but you will have to provide Fingerprints and a Passport Photo in the Application.

We chose the East Greenwich Rhode Island Police Department, but I must caution you, E.G.P.D. only accepts 25 Permit Applications a month and East Greenwich Resident Applicants get priority. After all interested East Greenwich Residents have gotten their Interview Appointments, the remainder are given to qualified Non Resident Candidates on a first come, first served basis. Due to the extremely large number of people trying to secure those remaining Interview Appointments, E.G.P.D. has created a call in process once a month @ 9 A.M. EST, where callers can leave their information and the E.G.P.D. will schedule In Person Interviews for the following month on a first come, first served basis until the month's calendar is full. It's a phone lottery and may take several months to successfully grab an Appointment.

Departments who offer a “Mail In” option do not have a phone lottery, so again you have to carefully decide which route to take.

This was our process for East Greenwich Rhode Island Police Department:
Request Paper Application via email (This can vary per Department as mentioned above)
NRA Basic Class $0 (Our Maryland & D.C. Classes satisfied this requirement)
NRA Instructor must Live Fire Qualify Applicant @ 75', 50 Shots, on Army L Target. Applicants MUST score 195 or better. (This Test can be extremely difficult for casual shooters) $50 x2
Ammo $25 x2 (This can vary)
Schedule Appointment for In Person Interview and Application Submission (Via Phone, but this can vary per Department as mentioned above)
Application and Supporting Documents (Must be Notarized) $0 x2
3 Reference Letters (Must be Notarized) $0 x2 (This can vary per Department as mentioned above)
Write Letter showing "Need/Cause" x2 (This can vary per Department as mentioned above)
Must have Home State Permit x2
Travel/Expenses for Live Fire Test $50 (This can vary per Department as mentioned above)
Application/Photo/Prints $40 x2 (This can vary per Department as mentioned above)
Travel/Toll/Parking/Hotel Cost $500 (This can vary per Department as mentioned above)
Processing Time can vary between 3- 6 Months (Depending on Department/Agency)
Non Resident Rhode Island Renewals (May Issue or Shall Issue)
The Renewal Process varies from Department to Department and Agency. Our understanding of the E.G.P.D. Renewal Process is unknown at this time. In the future, the E.G.P.D. may require In Person Renewals, or they may allow Mail Order Renewals, but we are uncertain. I will update this section when we are due for our E.G.P.D. Renewal.
Automatic Renewal Application notification is UNKNOWN, but we plan to restart the process at least 150 days prior to expiration.
UNKNOWN Processing Time

Non Resident Connecticut (Shall Issue) Total Cost $424.00
Good for 5 Years
MUST Have a Carry Permit from ANY State
NRA Basic Class (Our Maryland & D.C. Classes satisfied this requirement)
Must send an email to the Connecticut State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit and Request Application to be sent via Mail (This may take a long time)
Online Background Check and Fingerprint Processing Fees $87 x2 (Instructions included with Application)
Paper Application Must Be Notarized $0 x2 (This can vary)
Application $70 x2
Passport Photo $10 x2 (This can vary)
Livescan or Ink Fingerprints $30 x2 (This can vary)
Postage/Insurance $15 x2 (This can vary)
Processing Time can vary between 3 - 9 Months
Non Resident Connecticut Renewal (Shall Issue)
Good for 5 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Send an email to the CT State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit and Request Renewal Application to be sent via Mail. Apply 6 months prior to expiration.
Online Background Check and Fingerprint Processing Fees $87
Paper Application Must Be Notarized $0 x2 (This can vary)
Application $70
Passport Photo
NO FINGERPRINTS
Postage/Insurance
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 6 Months

Non Resident New Hampshire (Constitutional Carry & Shall Issue) Total Cost $230.00
NOTE: A Permit is not required to carry in New Hampshire, but a Permit is required to carry in/on an RV/Trailer, Snowmobile, ATV, or Off-Road Vehicle, so we decided to get one since we like to travel, camp, and do outdoor activities.
Good for 5 Years (NO FINGERPRINTS
NO PASSPORT PHOTO
Paper Application $100 x2
Postage/Insurance $15 x2
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 3 Months
Non Resident New Hampshire Renewals (Constitutional Carry & Shall Issue)
Good for 5 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 90 days prior to expiration.
NO FINGERPRINTS
NO PASSPORT PHOTO
Paper Application $100
Postage/Insurance
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 3 Months

Non Resident Maine (Constitutional Carry & Shall Issue) Total Cost $320.00
NOTE: A Permit is not required to carry in Maine, but a Permit is required to carry in Acadia National Park, so we decided to get one since we like to travel, camp, and do outdoor activities.
Good for 5 Years
Paper Application $60 x2
NO FINGERPRINTS
Passport Photo $10 x2
Postage/Insurance $15 x2
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 3 Months
Non Resident Maine Renewals (Constitutional Carry & Shall Issue)
Good for 5 Years
You may receive an automatic Renewal Application, but don't rely on this. Apply 90 days prior to expiration.
NO FINGERPRINTS
Passport Photo
Paper Application $60
Postage/Insurance
Processing Time can vary between 1 - 3 Months

Non Resident Massachusetts (May Issue) Total Cost $1431.00
Good for 1 Year (Massachusetts State Police Temporary Permit)
Massachusetts Basic Handgun Class $100 x2 (May vary)
Must Have Home State Permit x2
Must Show "Cause" x2
Travel/Expenses for Class $500 (May vary)
Paper Application $100 x2
Self Addressed Stamped Envelope $0.50 x2
Postage/Insurance $15 x2 (May vary)
In Person Interview/Photo/Prints in Chelsea Massachusetts x2
Travel/Toll/Parking/Hotel Cost $500 (May vary)
Processing Time can vary between 3 - 9 Months
Non Resident Massachusetts Renewals (May Issue)
Good for 1 Year (Massachusetts State Police Temporary Permit)
You WILL NOT receive an automatic Renewal Application. Apply 180 days prior to expiration.
Renewals can be performed via mail each year with Supporting Documents and Passport Photograph. You will only be required to appear In Person to Apply once every 6 years.
Must Have Home State Permit
Must Show "Cause"
Paper Application $100
Self Addressed Stamped Envelope $0.50
Postage/Insurance
Processing Time can vary between 3 - 6 Months

Carry/Self Defense Insurance Annual Cost $450 (Cost varies)
Self Defense Insurance is not required but it's wise if you can afford it. Some States do not allow Self Defense Insurance.

There are other great Non Resident Permits such as Texas, Arizona, Virginia, and West Virginia, but we felt they were unnecessary based on our existing Permit Overlap Coverage.

Due to Reciprocity Agreements, the above Carry Permits allow us to Carry in 43 States, Washington D.C, and Puerto Rico.

We still can't get Permits to Carry for HI, NJ, NY, and CA due to May/No Issue Policies. We can't Carry in Colorado because they don't honor Non Resident Permits, and they don't issue Permits to Non Residents. We can't get a Permit to Carry in Oregon or Illinois because they only issue to Non-Residents of “particular” States, and Maryland Residents are not one of them.

When you add up all the above, which does NOT include Range Time/Practice, Photocopies/Digital Scanning of Required Documents, Time away from Work/Family, we have spent $6879.00. This averages to approximately $10.00 per day for my Wife and I to Carry in 43 States, Washington D.C, and Puerto Rico. That's $304.17 a Month or $3650.00 per year!

$6879.00 is not a typo. That number does not include the cost of our Carry Firearms, Purchase Licensing/Paperwork Fees, or Carry Equipment.

You can save on hundreds if not thousands on Mandatory Training if you find Instructors who offer COMBINED Classes. Plan your Trips and Training out, and do your research.

Insane isn't it?

U.S. Supreme Court, are you listening?