Wyoming no longer requires her citizens have a special permit in order to legally carry a concealed handgun. Alaska, Arizona and Vermont also allow their citizens to carry without going through a permit process, which means that no background check or firearms training is required in these four states for the residents who carry.
While this may seem like a boon to gun owners, it can actually backfire and get you into hot water with the police in the rest of the country.
Many states have concealed carry reciprocity, either by agreement or by statute. Although there may be some stipulations and limits, this basically means that states will honor one another’s concealed carry permits. In most cases if you do not have a permit, even if your home state does not require that you have one, you will not be able to legally carry when you cross the border into another jurisdiction.
This is one reason that it may still be advantageous for people who live in Wyoming to get a concealed-weapon permit. Without the Wyoming permit, unless you have a non-resident permit issued by another state you can only legally carry in Alaska and Vermont. On the other hand, at this writing, the Wyoming permit is recognized by 34 states.
Whether you travel across state lines or not, the firearms training that is required to get a concealed carry permit is still valuable. This training includes how to use handguns in a variety of self-defense situations, which is distinctly different from knowing how to handle a rifle for hunting. Of course this training is available to any gun owner, whether they are intending to acquire a concealed-weapon permit or not.
The fact that you no longer must have a concealed-weapon permit does not alter the fact that it is still illegal to carry a concealed weapon in certain places, such as schools, public buildings, courthouses, churches, and bars. Without a permit, you may not legally carry in any business that posts a notice prohibiting firearms. Since the new law passed, more businesses are posting such signs, so in effect, many gun owners can now carry legally in fewer locations.
If you plan on buying a gun at a store or gun show, you might also want to get your concealed-weapon permit just to save yourself some time and to make the process go more quickly. Without a permit, you have to get a background check for each weapon purchase. With a permit, you merely fill out a form.
Concealed carry reciprocity agreements change quickly as new legislation is enacted. It is not clear how, or if, this new law will affect you if you are planning on visiting Wyoming and want to conceal and carry guns.
For people who reside in Wyoming, do some traveling within the U. S., and want to take advantage of concealed carry reciprocity agreements, or for those gun owners who want to maximize where they can legally carry within the state, it may be worth the fee to apply for a permit. On the other hand, if you don’t regularly travel outside the state with your weapon and are not in the market for a new weapon, you may find that not having to involve the government in your decision to concealed carry is to your liking. Either way, you can rest easy knowing you can legally carry without getting a permit.