Concealed carry in Philadelphia is legal, but only if you hold a valid Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) or a permit from a state that Pennsylvania recognizes through reciprocity. The rules inside city limits are stricter than in the rest of the state, and carrying without a license is charged as a felony by default.
Why Philadelphia Treats Carry Differently
Across Pennsylvania, carrying a concealed firearm or any firearm in a vehicle requires an LTCF.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania Outside Philadelphia, openly carrying a holstered handgun on your hip is legal without a license. Inside Philadelphia, that exception disappears. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6108, no one may carry a firearm on any public street or public property in a city of the first class without a valid LTCF or a specific statutory exemption.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6108 – Carrying Firearms on Public Streets or Public Property in Philadelphia Philadelphia is Pennsylvania’s only city of the first class, so the license requirement covers concealed and open carry alike within the city.
Who Qualifies for a License to Carry
You must be at least 21 and live in Philadelphia to apply through the city. Pennsylvania residents who live elsewhere apply through their county sheriff.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania Beyond age and residency, the issuing authority evaluates character and reputation. An application can be denied on public-safety grounds even without a criminal conviction.3Philadelphia Police Department. Gun Permits Unit
Several factors automatically disqualify you under the Uniform Firearms Act:4Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6109 – Licenses
- Any controlled substance conviction within the past ten years.
- Any conviction for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, or any conviction that prohibits firearm possession under state law.
- Being found mentally incompetent or having been involuntarily committed to a mental institution.
- Being a habitual drunkard or unlawful user of controlled substances.
- Being a fugitive from justice.
- A dishonorable discharge from the armed forces.
These track closely with federal prohibitions under 18 U.S.C. § 922. If a federal background check would stop you, a Pennsylvania LTCF will too.
How to Apply Through the Philadelphia Police Gun Permit Unit
Philadelphia residents apply exclusively through the Philadelphia Police Department’s Gun Permit Unit. The application asks for personal information, two character references who are at least 21 and not related to you, and your residential address history. You schedule an appointment through the city’s permit portal.
Bring a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license or state-issued photo ID, plus one acceptable proof of residence: a utility bill from the past 90 days, a current vehicle registration, a voter registration card, or a bank statement. The name and address must match your photo ID.3Philadelphia Police Department. Gun Permits Unit At the appointment, the Gun Permit Unit will photograph and fingerprint you. Your background is then reviewed through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) along with a broader investigation.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania
Fees and Timeline
The application fee is $20, with additional service and processing charges bringing the total to roughly $27.5City of Philadelphia. NEW License to Carry Firearms Application The Gun Permit Unit has up to 45 calendar days to complete its investigation and notify you of the decision.3Philadelphia Police Department. Gun Permits Unit An approved license is valid for five years.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania
If You Are Denied
Denials happen. A PICS check can return a false match when your information resembles someone else’s, and the police commissioner can deny an application on public-safety grounds.3Philadelphia Police Department. Gun Permits Unit Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109, you can appeal a denial to the court of common pleas within 30 days.6Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6109 – Licenses If a PICS error caused the denial, you can also challenge the criminal records check directly through the Pennsylvania State Police. The 30-day window is firm.
Visiting With an Out-of-State Permit
Pennsylvania recognizes concealed carry licenses from states with active reciprocity agreements, but only if you are a resident of the issuing state and at least 21. Non-resident permits from reciprocity states are not honored.7Pennsylvania Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity
As of 2026, Pennsylvania has agreements with roughly 15 states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming.7Pennsylvania Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity The list changes, so check the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s website before traveling. If your state isn’t on the list, your permit does not authorize carry in Philadelphia. Non-residents without reciprocity can apply for a Pennsylvania non-resident LTCF through any county sheriff’s office; Philadelphia’s Gun Permit Unit only processes city residents.3Philadelphia Police Department. Gun Permits Unit
Places Your License Does Not Cover
An LTCF is not an all-access pass. Several locations remain off-limits regardless of your license status, and violations bring separate criminal charges.
Schools
Carrying a firearm on the grounds or inside the buildings of any K-12 school, public or private, is a first-degree misdemeanor under 18 Pa.C.S. § 912.8Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 912 – Possession of Weapon on School Property The prohibition applies to LTCF holders and extends to vehicles providing transportation to or from the school.
Courthouses
The same statute restricts court facilities, covering the courtroom, judges’ chambers, and adjoining areas of any Pennsylvania court facility.8Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 912 – Possession of Weapon on School Property
Federal Buildings
Federal law makes it a crime to bring a firearm into any building owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work, including post offices, Social Security Administration offices, VA facilities, and federal courthouses. Penalties range from up to one year in prison for a general federal building to up to two years for a federal court facility.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities
Airports and Aircraft
Federal law prohibits carrying a concealed weapon on any aircraft or attempting to board with one. Violations carry up to 10 years in prison, or up to 20 if the conduct shows reckless disregard for human life.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 U.S. Code 46505 – Carrying a Weapon or Explosive on an Aircraft At Philadelphia International Airport you can legally transport an unloaded firearm in checked luggage as long as you declare it at the airline counter and follow TSA packing requirements, but carrying past security screening is a federal crime.
Private Property Signs and Alcohol Establishments
Pennsylvania “no firearms” signs do not carry the force of law by themselves. Walking past one while carrying is not automatically a crime the way it is in some other states. However, the owner or an employee can ask you to leave, and refusing turns the situation into criminal trespass. Pennsylvania also has no statute prohibiting LTCF holders from carrying inside a bar or restaurant that serves alcohol, and no statute barring consumption while carrying. Carrying while intoxicated invites other criminal exposure and destroys any self-defense claim, so the absence of a specific ban is not an endorsement.
Penalties for Carrying Without a License
Getting caught carrying in Philadelphia without a valid LTCF is serious. The default charge under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6106 is a third-degree felony, carrying up to seven years in prison.11Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6106 – Firearms Not to Be Carried Without a License Because of Philadelphia’s § 6108 requirement, this applies to open carry inside the city as well as concealed.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6108 – Carrying Firearms on Public Streets or Public Property in Philadelphia
One narrow exception exists. If you would otherwise qualify for an LTCF but simply didn’t have one, and you weren’t committing any other crime at the time, the charge drops to a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to five years in prison.11Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 18 6106 – Firearms Not to Be Carried Without a License Don’t count on it. Prosecutors charge the felony by default, and proving you were “otherwise eligible” means establishing that no disqualifying factor exists, at the worst possible moment to be doing that work. The cheaper path is $27 and 45 days on the application.