Louisiana Carry Laws: Permitless, Open, and Permit Rules

Louisiana’s carry laws let anyone 18 or older who can legally possess a firearm carry it openly or concealed without a permit. The state’s permitless carry law took effect in 2024. Concealed Handgun Permits are still issued and still useful, mostly for out-of-state travel, but they are no longer required to carry inside Louisiana.¹

Who Can Carry Without a Permit

Since 2024, any person 18 or older is exempt from Louisiana’s general prohibition on carrying a concealed firearm, provided they are not otherwise barred from possessing a firearm under state or federal law.¹ Residency is not required. Training is not required. There is nothing to apply for.

The whole rule turns on the phrase “not prohibited from possessing a firearm.” You are disqualified if you have a felony conviction that bars firearm possession under federal law or Louisiana’s felon-in-possession statute, are subject to a domestic violence restraining order, have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution, or fall under any other state or federal prohibition.¹

Open Carry

Louisiana has no statute prohibiting the open carry of firearms. Anyone 18 or older who can legally possess a firearm may carry one openly. The prohibited-location rules that apply to concealed carry apply here too.

Where You Still Cannot Carry

Permitless carry does not override any of Louisiana’s location-based restrictions. A permit does not override them either. These places are off-limits regardless of how you carry:²

Law enforcement offices, stations, and buildings
Jails, prisons, and detention facilities
Courthouses and courtrooms (a judge may carry in his or her own courtroom)
Polling places
The state capitol building
Public buildings used as meeting places of a local governing authority
Airport areas where federal law prohibits firearms

School Firearm-Free Zones

A firearm-free zone under Louisiana law is any school campus, the area within 1,000 feet of that campus, and the interior of any school bus. “School” covers public and private elementary, secondary, and high schools, as well as colleges and universities. Privately owned vocational-technical schools are excluded.³ These zones are supposed to be marked with signs indicating the 1,000-foot boundary. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act imposes a parallel restriction.⁴ A violation can bring a fine of up to $2,000 and imprisonment.

Bars and Alcohol Establishments

Possessing a firearm on the premises of a business that sells alcohol for on-site consumption is a separate offense, punishable by a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail.⁵ There is a narrow exception for restaurants that hold a Class A-Restaurant permit, where a person with a Concealed Handgun Permit or someone carrying under permitless carry may still be armed. A sit-down restaurant that serves drinks is treated differently from a bar.

You Must Tell Any Police Officer You’re Armed

This is the rule that surprises people most. If a police officer approaches you in an official capacity, you have to tell the officer you are carrying a firearm. You must also submit to a pat-down and allow the officer to temporarily disarm you. The obligation applies whether you hold a permit or are carrying under permitless carry.²

The consequences depend on your status. A permit holder who fails to notify faces an automatic six-month suspension of the permit. Someone carrying under permitless carry commits a criminal violation, with a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail. Inside the French Quarter Management District in New Orleans, the fine runs from a minimum of $500 to a maximum of $1,000.²

Firearms in Your Vehicle

Anyone who lawfully possesses a firearm may transport or store it in a locked, privately owned motor vehicle in any parking lot, garage, or other designated parking area.⁶ A person 18 or older who is not prohibited from possessing firearms may also carry a loaded, concealed firearm on their person in the vehicle under the permitless carry law. Non-residents passing through Louisiana are additionally covered by the federal Firearms Owners’ Protection Act, which permits interstate transport of a lawfully possessed firearm as long as it is unloaded and not readily accessible.

Why Still Get a Concealed Handgun Permit

The Concealed Handgun Permit has one function that permitless carry cannot replace: reciprocity. Louisiana’s permit is honored in 37 other states. Permitless carry stops at the state line.⁷ If you travel with a firearm, the permit is close to essential. It also documents formal training, which can matter in any legal proceeding after a self-defense incident.

Eligibility and Training

Requirements are stricter than for permitless carry. You must be at least 21, a Louisiana resident, and free of disqualifying factors including felony convictions, substance abuse history, and mental health adjudications.⁸ You must also complete a state-approved firearms training course covering handgun safety, legal use of deadly force, conflict resolution, and child access prevention. Active-duty military and recent veterans with qualifying small-arms training records can satisfy the competence requirement through their service record.⁹

Applications go through the Louisiana State Police at chp.la.gov. You submit the application online, provide electronic fingerprints through the Louisiana Applicant Processing Solution, attach proof of training, and pay the fee.¹⁰

Fees

Fees depend on age and military status:¹¹

Five-year permit, ages 21–64: $125
Five-year permit, 65 and older: $62.50
Lifetime permit, ages 21–64: $500
Lifetime permit, 65 and older: $250
Active-duty or reserve military: $62.50 for a five-year permit, $250 for a lifetime permit
Honorably discharged veterans: exempt from all permit fees

All fees are nonrefundable. Fingerprinting through an authorized vendor costs extra, typically between $10 and $35.

Renewal

A five-year permit expires on its printed date. The State Police mail a reminder about 120 days before expiration. To renew, complete an additional educational training course within one year before applying, then file the renewal with proof of training and the fee.⁸ Miss the deadline by more than 60 days and you cannot renew; you must start over with a full original application. Expired permits must be returned to the department.

Penalties for Carrying When You Shouldn’t

Carrying a concealed handgun in violation of state law when you do not qualify for permitless carry, for example because you are under 18 or federally prohibited from possessing a firearm, is a misdemeanor. It carries a fine of up to $500 and up to six months in jail.²

Possessing a firearm after a conviction for a violent felony, certain drug offenses, burglary offenses, or a sex offense is far more serious: 5 to 20 years at hard labor without probation, parole, or sentence suspension, plus a fine between $1,000 and $5,000. There is no judicial discretion below the five-year floor.¹²

Local Ordinances Cannot Add Restrictions

Cities and parishes in Louisiana cannot enact firearm regulations that are more restrictive than state law. This covers possession, carry, sales, storage, and registration.¹³ Any conflicting local ordinance is void. Local governments may still levy sales taxes and permit fees on firearms, and they retain authority to prohibit firearms in the specific government buildings and commercial establishments listed in state law. The rules described above apply the same way in every parish.

1
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 – RS 14:95 Illegal Carrying of Weapons
2
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 40 – RS 40:1379.3 Statewide Permits for Concealed Handguns
3
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 – RS 14:95.6 Firearm-Free Zone Notice Signs Crime Penalties
4
Office of Justice Programs. Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990
5
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 – RS 14:95.5 Possession of Firearm on Premises of Alcoholic Beverage Outlet
6
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 – RS 32:292.1 Transportation and Storage of Firearms in Privately Owned Motor Vehicles
7
Louisiana State Police. Reciprocity
8
Louisiana State Police. Concealed Handgun FAQs
9
Louisiana State Police. Louisiana Concealed Handgun Permit Laws and Administrative Rules
10
Louisiana State Police. CHP Application
11
Louisiana State Police. CHP Fees
12
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 14 – RS 14:95.1 Possession of Firearm or Carrying Concealed Weapon by a Person Convicted of Certain Felonies
13
Louisiana State Legislature. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 40 – RS 40:1796 Preemption of State Law