A new law took effect Jan. 1, 2017 allowing any person in Missouri over the age of 21 to conceal and carry a firearm without a required permit, background check or training on how to use a gun.
Kirksville Sheriff Robert Hardwick says the previous concealed carry weapons law was established around 2008 or 2009. Hardwick says the CCW permit made people go through gun training, a background investigation of criminal history and their application for a permit was either approved or denied by the sheriff. Hardwick says people in the public can now carry concealed firearms without the permission or investigation of a permit. Hardwick says CCW permits are still in effect and people can still go through training to obtain them if they choose to do so.
Something to understand about the new concealed carry weapons permit. Hardwick says, is that prior to Jan. 1, the CCW permits allowed an individual to go through the process to carry a concealed firearm in other states. However, Hardwick says the new law only allows an individual to carry concealed weapons within the state of Missouri because not all other states will honor the new CCW law.
Hardwick says the most important thing to know about the new permit is to be aware of how it can affect the individual who carries concealed weapons.
“I would say understand the law,” Hardwick says, “Read the law. There’s a lot of laws in regards to it, and look at the liability issues. There’s a lot of liability issues out there in regard to an individual that will be put in a situation that uses deadly force. They have to understand the law.”
The Adair County Sheriff’s Office states several different CCW permits can still be applied and bought. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says one of the options is a five-year permit which costs $100 as well as training and a background check, which allows a person to carry concealed weapons outside of Missouri as long as the state they travel to recognizes the CCW permit. Other permits that can be purchased are 10-year permits for $200, 25-year permits for $250, and lifetime permits for $500. These permits are only valid within the state of Missouri, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office says.