Utah Concealed Firearm Permit: Requirements, Training, and Fees

To qualify for a Utah concealed firearm permit, you must be at least 21 years old (or 18 for a provisional permit), be legally allowed to possess a firearm under state and federal law, complete a firearms familiarity course taught by a BCI-certified instructor, and submit a complete application packet to the Bureau of Criminal Identification with a $25 fee if you live in Utah or $60 if you don’t.¹

Utah has allowed permitless concealed carry for anyone 21 or older since 2021, so the permit is not required to carry inside the state.² People apply anyway because the Utah permit is honored in roughly three dozen other states, many of which have no permitless carry law of their own. The permit can also streamline firearm purchases from a licensed dealer by substituting for the NICS check in some situations.¹

Who Qualifies

Utah Code 53-5-704 sets the eligibility rules. You must be 21 or older for a standard permit, and you must meet a “good character” standard that gives BCI discretion to deny an applicant it finds to be a danger to self or others.³

The following disqualify you:

A felony conviction in any jurisdiction.
A conviction for a crime of violence, including domestic violence.
A conviction involving the use of alcohol, such as DUI.
A conviction for unlawful use of a controlled substance.
A conviction for an offense involving moral turpitude, such as fraud or theft.
An adjudication of mental incompetence by a state or federal court that has not been reversed.
Any status that bars you from possessing a firearm under federal law, including being subject to an active protective order restraining you from threatening an intimate partner.

Even without a listed conviction, BCI can deny the permit based on a pattern of unlawful violence, threats of violence, or weapons-related convictions.⁴

Federal Disqualifiers

Federal law adds categories the state list doesn’t spell out. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(g), you cannot lawfully possess a firearm if you are a fugitive from justice, have been dishonorably discharged from the military, have renounced U.S. citizenship, or are unlawfully present in the United States. Anyone under indictment for a crime punishable by more than one year in prison is also barred from receiving a firearm, even before conviction.⁵

Marijuana Use

Regular marijuana use disqualifies you, no matter what Utah’s medical cannabis law allows. Marijuana remains a controlled substance under federal law, and ongoing users are prohibited persons under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3).⁶ If you use cannabis on a regular basis, you cannot lawfully hold a concealed firearm permit.

The Provisional Permit for Ages 18 to 20

Applicants between 18 and 20 can apply for a provisional permit using the same application, same training course, and same background check as a standard permit.⁷ The provisional version expires on your 21st birthday rather than running the usual five years, it does not authorize carry in primary or secondary schools, and it does not override the federal rule that bars anyone under 21 from buying a handgun from a licensed dealer. Once you turn 21, the provisional permit becomes invalid and you reapply for the standard permit.

The Required Training Course

Every applicant must complete a firearms familiarity course taught by a BCI-certified instructor before submitting an application. The course covers safe handling and storage of firearms along with Utah law on the use of force. There is no live-fire requirement. Your instructor completes the certification section of the application, and that signed section is your proof of training.⁸ BCI publishes a list of certified instructors, and courses are offered both in person and online through approved providers.⁹

What Goes in the Application

Your packet must include every item below. Missing or illegible pieces will delay processing because the 60-day clock does not start on an incomplete application.

The completed application form from the BCI website, with the instructor certification section filled out by your course instructor.
One fingerprint card with legible prints. You can have prints taken at BCI, a local law enforcement agency, or a private fingerprint service. Smudged or incomplete cards get returned.
One recent passport-quality color photograph.
A photocopy of your state-issued driver license.
For non-residents whose home state recognizes Utah’s permit or has reciprocity with Utah: a copy of your home-state concealed carry permit. You must obtain that permit first.⁸

Submit the packet by mail or in person to the Bureau of Criminal Identification at 4315 South 2700 West, Suite 1300, Taylorsville, Utah 84129. The office is open to walk-ins from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.⁸

Fees

Through June 30, 2026, the application fee for Utah residents is $25. Non-residents pay an extra $35, for a total of $60.¹⁰ Beginning July 1, 2026, BCI will set its own fee schedule, so check the bureau’s website before applying after that date. BCI accepts cash in person, as well as check, money order, or credit card.

How Long It Takes, and What Happens if You’re Denied

Once BCI has a complete application and payment, it has 60 days to issue the permit or send you a written denial.³ Your fingerprints are run through state and federal databases, including the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which pulls national criminal history, mental health adjudications, and protective order records.¹¹

A denial comes in writing with reasons. You have 60 days from receipt to file a petition for review. On appeal you can see the evidence BCI used, and the bureau carries the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that you don’t qualify.⁴ If you’re charged with a crime of violence while holding a permit, BCI will suspend it until you’re acquitted or the charges are dismissed.³

Renewing the Permit

A standard Utah permit is valid for five years. You can renew up to 60 days before it expires. The renewal packet is a renewal form with your current address, a copy of your home-state permit if you’re a non-resident, and a recent passport-quality photo if BCI doesn’t already have one on file from the last five years. Before you can renew, you must watch a firearm safety and suicide prevention video provided by BCI and confirm you’ve watched it.

Renewal costs $20 for residents and $25 for non-residents.¹² If your permit has been expired for more than 30 days but less than a year, you can still renew with a $7.50 late fee. If it’s been expired for more than a year, BCI will not accept a renewal, and you’ll have to start a new application from scratch.

One boundary worth knowing before you apply: holding the permit does not let you carry everywhere. Federal buildings, courthouses, secure areas of government buildings, correctional and mental health facilities, airport secure areas, and posted houses of worship or private residences remain off-limits regardless of what your Utah permit says.

1
Utah Department of Public Safety. Concealed Firearm Permit Requirements and Application
2
Utah Legislature. H.B. 60 Conceal Carry Firearms Amendments
3
Utah Legislature. Utah Code Title 53 Chapter 5 Part 7 Section 704
4
Utah Department of Public Safety. Suspensions, Revocations and Denials of Concealed Firearm Permits
5
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Identify Prohibited Persons
6
Federal Register. Revising Definition of Unlawful User of or Addicted to Controlled Substance
7
Utah Department of Public Safety. Provisional Firearm Permit Frequently Asked Questions
8
Utah Department of Public Safety. How Do I Apply for a Concealed Firearm Permit
9
Utah Department of Public Safety. List of Certified Concealed Firearm Instructors
10
Utah Legislature. Utah Code 53-5a-307 Concealed Firearm Permit Fees
11
FBI. About NICS
12
Utah Legislature. Utah Code 53-5-707 Concealed Firearm Permit Fees and Renewal