Yes, Idaho is a permitless carry state. Any U.S. citizen or current member of the armed forces who is 18 or older and not disqualified can carry a concealed handgun without a license. Idaho first allowed statewide permitless carry for adults 21 and older on July 1, 2016, then lowered the age to 18 in 2019.
This guide covers Idaho gun laws in plain terms: the standard and enhanced Idaho concealed carry permit, training rules, reciprocity, open carry, guns in cars, off-limits places and self-defense law. Each section points to the official source.
Idaho Concealed Carry At A Glance
| Permitless carry | Yes, since July 1, 2016 (21+); 2019 (18+) |
|---|---|
| Minimum age to carry | 18 (U.S. citizens and armed forces members) |
| Permit name | Idaho Concealed Weapons License (standard) and Enhanced Concealed Weapons License |
| Issued by | County sheriff (forms from Idaho State Police) |
| Permit fee | $20 new / $15 renewal plus fingerprint and processing costs (Ada County: $61 new, $38 renewal) |
| Permit length | 5 years |
| Training required | Yes: Standard: proof of firearm familiarity (hunter ed, NRA course, certified instructor, military and other listed options). Enhanced: 8 hours face to face with at least 98 rounds fired. |
| Online course counts? | Unclear, check with the issuing agency |
| Non-resident permit | Yes (Enhanced license is available to non-residents who hold a carry license from their home state; some sheriffs may not issue standard licenses to non-residents.) |
| Lifetime permit | No |
| States that honor it | Varies by license; many states honor only the enhanced license (see ISP state sheets) |
| Last verified | November 2, 2026 |
Do You Need A Permit To Carry In Idaho?
No, not for most adults. Idaho Code § 18-3302(4)(f) lets a person carry a concealed weapon without a license if they are over 18, a U.S. citizen or current member of the U.S. armed forces, and not disqualified. That covers visitors from other states too.
The disqualifications in § 18-3302(11) track the license rules. They include pending felony charges, felony convictions, unlawful drug use, certain mental health findings, dishonorable discharge and certain protection orders. Anyone barred by federal law is also disqualified.
Non-citizens who are lawfully in the U.S. do not qualify for permitless concealed carry under § 18-3302(4)(f). They need a license to carry concealed in most places.
Why Get An Idaho Concealed Weapons License Anyway?
Idaho offers two licenses. The standard license (§ 18-3302) is cheap and easy to get. The enhanced license (§ 18-3302K) takes more training but is more widely honored.
Real reasons to get one:
- Travel. Many states that honor Idaho licenses honor only the enhanced license, mainly because of age rules (handgunlaw.us). Check the Idaho State Police sheet for each state.
- College campuses. Under § 18-3309, schools cannot ban enhanced license holders from carrying concealed on campus, except in dorms and posted venues seating 1,000 or more.
- Gun purchases. § 18-3302(23) says license holders 21 and older are exempt from the NICS check when buying from a dealer. Federal rules control this, so confirm with your dealer.
- Non-citizen residents. Lawful permanent residents and other lawfully present non-citizens can carry concealed with a license.
How To Get An Idaho Concealed Weapons License
Both licenses are issued by your county sheriff and last five years.
- Pick a license. The standard license needs proof of firearm familiarity. The enhanced license needs an 8-hour in-person course and you must be over 21.
- Complete the training (see the next section).
- Fill out the application. The form is on the Idaho State Police concealed weapons page. Some sheriffs, such as Ada County, work by appointment only.
- Apply at the sheriff’s office. You will be fingerprinted and pay the fee. State law sets the license fee at $20 new and $15 renewal, plus fingerprint and processing costs.
- Wait for the background check. The sheriff must issue or deny within 90 days.
Total cost varies by county. For example, the Ada County Sheriff charges $61 for a new standard license (effective January 7, 2026) and $38 to renew. Applicants 18 to 20 can get a standard license that expires on their 21st birthday.
Do You Need A Class For An Idaho Carry Permit?
Yes, but the rules differ by license.
Standard license: You must show familiarity with a firearm, with no hour or live-fire minimum.
Under § 18-3302(9), the sheriff must accept any one of these: an approved hunter education course, an NRA safety or training course, a course using NRA- or state-certified instructors, certain law enforcement training, shooting competition or military experience, or a course taught by a state- or NRA-certified instructor. The sheriff may also accept “other training that the sheriff deems appropriate.”
Online acceptance for the standard license is partial and depends on the county. The Ada County Sheriff accepts the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association online concealed weapons course. Other online courses count only if they fit one of the listed categories or your sheriff accepts them, so ask your sheriff first.
Enhanced license: § 18-3302K(4)(c) requires a course of at least eight hours, “taught face to face and not by electronic or other means.” You must fire at least 98 rounds, and finish the course within 12 months before applying. No online course qualifies.
Idaho law for the enhanced course must be taught by an Idaho State Bar member or a law enforcement officer with an intermediate or higher POST certificate. A 2026 law (House Bill 573) added experienced NRA-certified or equivalent instructors who have taught an approved enhanced course for at least eight years.
A short online safety course can be a good primer before either path. It is not the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association course and does not meet the enhanced license requirement. Do not count on it for the standard license either, and remember its certificate is not a license.
Get Started On Your Permit Online
Watch a short instructional video on firearm safety and responsible carry, take a 10-question quiz, and download your certificate of completion.
Start The Free Online Safety Video →
The certificate is a training record, not a license or permit. In Idaho, you apply for the Idaho Concealed Weapons License (standard) and Enhanced Concealed Weapons License through the County sheriff (forms from Idaho State Police).
Can Non-Residents Get An Idaho Carry Permit?
Yes, in some cases. Under § 18-3302K, you can get an enhanced license if you have lived in Idaho for six consecutive months, or if you hold a current carry license from your home state.
The standard license statute does not spell out a residency rule. Some sheriffs reportedly will not issue it to non-residents (handgunlaw.us), so call the sheriff first.
Most visitors do not need an Idaho license. U.S. citizens 18 and older who are not disqualified can carry without one, and Idaho honors every other state’s license.
Which States Honor The Idaho Concealed Weapons License?
It depends on which license you hold. The Idaho State Police publishes a separate reciprocity sheet for each state on its concealed weapons license page. According to handgunlaw.us, most states honor only the enhanced license.
Two official lists we checked include Idaho: the Kansas Attorney General’s list and the Alaska Department of Public Safety’s list. Always check the destination state’s rules before you travel.
Idaho, in turn, honors all other states’ concealed weapons licenses, according to the Idaho State Police. The Idaho Attorney General says non-residents carrying under an out-of-state license must have it on them.
Going next door? See our guides for Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and Montana, or compare every state on our concealed carry laws by state hub.
Can You Open Carry In Idaho?
Yes. Idaho’s license requirement does not apply to weapons “in plain view” (§ 18-3302(4)(a)). Open carry is generally legal from age 18 (handgunlaw.us).
Cities and counties cannot make their own carry rules. Under § 18-3302J, the state “wholly occupies” the field of firearms regulation. The current version, last amended in 2026, includes a $10,000 civil penalty for local governments that knowingly break it.
Places that are off-limits to licensees, such as schools and courthouses, are also off-limits for open carry. A private owner can ask you to leave.
Can You Keep A Gun In Your Car In Idaho?
Yes. Under § 18-3302(4)(c), the license requirement does not apply to a deadly weapon concealed in a motor vehicle. The Idaho Attorney General says the same age and citizenship rules as permitless carry apply.
Employer parking lots: Idaho does not force employers to allow guns in employee cars. Employers keep the right to restrict carry (§ 18-3302(25)), but § 5-341 shields employers from lawsuits if they allow employees to store firearms in their personal vehicles.
School parking lots: § 18-3302D(4)(e) lets an adult over 18 who is not enrolled in a K-12 school keep a lawfully possessed weapon “secured and locked” in their vehicle on school property. You may also have a weapon in a private vehicle while dropping off or picking up students (§ 18-3302D(4)(f)).
Where You Can’t Carry A Gun In Idaho
- Courthouses (§ 18-3302C).
- Jails and juvenile detention facilities (§ 18-3302C).
- Public and private K-12 schools, including school buildings, grounds, events and school buses (§ 18-3302C and § 18-3302D). Exceptions include the vehicle rules above and people authorized by the school board.
- College campuses for most carriers. Boards may regulate firearms, but enhanced license holders may carry concealed except in dorms and posted venues seating 1,000 or more (§ 18-3309).
- Anywhere while intoxicated, if carrying concealed (§ 18-3302B).
- Private property where the owner, tenant or employer bans carry (§ 18-3302(25)).
- Federal property where federal law bans firearms, such as federal courthouses and post offices.
State and local public property that is normally open to the public can restrict carry only for invitation-only events, paid commercial events, or other events without open public access (§ 18-3302(25)).
Duty to inform: No. Idaho law does not require you to tell an officer you are carrying, according to handgunlaw.us. Telling the officer calmly is still a good practice.
Idaho Castle Doctrine And Stand Your Ground Law
Idaho has both. Idaho Code § 18-4009 makes a homicide justifiable when resisting a felony or great bodily injury, or when defending your home, place of business or employment, or occupied vehicle. A person who unlawfully enters those places by force or stealth is presumed to intend a felony.
Idaho Code § 19-202A(3) says a person defending themselves or others “need not retreat from any place that person has a right to be.” You may stand your ground and use the force a reasonable person would find necessary. When you defend your home, business or occupied vehicle against an unlawful forced entry, you are presumed to have acted reasonably (§ 19-202A(5)).
The prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your force was not justified (§ 19-202A(4)). Idaho Code § 6-808 adds civil immunity for justified force, plus attorney fees and costs if a court finds you immune. The immunity does not cover force against someone you knew or should have known was a police officer acting officially.
These laws do not prevent an arrest or charges. A self-defense case can still lead to an investigation and an expensive legal defense.
Protect Yourself After A Self-Defense Incident
CCW Safe is a self-defense legal protection membership. It pays criminal and civil defense costs upfront for members involved in a self-defense incident, so you aren't paying for a defense lawyer out of your own pocket.
Idaho Gun Laws FAQ
Is Idaho A Constitutional Carry State?
Yes. U.S. citizens and current armed forces members 18 and older who are not disqualified can carry concealed or openly without a license.
What Is The Difference Between Idaho’s Standard And Enhanced License?
The standard license needs only proof of firearm familiarity, and 18 to 20 year olds can get one. The enhanced license needs an 8-hour in-person course with 98 rounds fired, and you must be over 21. The enhanced license is honored in more states and allows campus carry.
Can You Take An Idaho Concealed Carry Class Online?
Only for the standard license, and only in some cases. The Ada County Sheriff accepts the Idaho Sheriffs’ Association online course, while other online courses depend on the statute’s categories and your sheriff. The enhanced license course must be face to face.
How Much Is An Idaho Concealed Carry License?
State law sets the fee at $20 new and $15 renewal, plus fingerprint and processing costs. Totals vary by county. Ada County charges $61 new and $38 renewal.
Can You Carry A Gun In A Car In Idaho Without A Permit?
Yes, if you are 18 or older, a U.S. citizen or current armed forces member, and not disqualified (§ 18-3302(4)(c)).
Can You Carry A Gun In Church In Idaho?
Idaho has no statute that bans carry in places of worship. A church is private property, so it can ban guns under § 18-3302(25), and you must leave if asked. Church-run K-12 schools are covered by the school ban.
If your church is building a volunteer safety team, look into legal protection for church security teams.
Sources
- Idaho Code § 18-3302 (Concealed Weapons, Standard License)
- Idaho Code § 18-3302K (Enhanced License)
- Idaho Code § 18-3302B (Carrying While Intoxicated)
- Idaho Code § 18-3302C (Prohibited Places)
- Idaho Code § 18-3302D (School Property)
- Idaho Code § 18-3302J (Preemption)
- Idaho Code § 18-3309 (College Campuses)
- Idaho Code § 18-4009 (Justifiable Homicide)
- Idaho Code § 19-202A (Self-Defense)
- Idaho Code § 6-808 (Civil Immunity)
- Idaho Code § 5-341 (Employer Immunity)
- Idaho Legislature: S1389 (2016)
- Idaho Legislature: HB 573 (2026) Statement Of Purpose
- Idaho State Police: Concealed Weapons Licenses And Reciprocity
- Idaho Attorney General: Concealed Weapons
- Ada County Sheriff: Concealed Weapons Licenses
- Kansas Attorney General: Out-Of-State License Recognition
- Alaska DPS: Concealed Handgun Permits
- America’s 1st Freedom: 2019 Idaho Permitless Carry Expansion (secondary)
- Handgunlaw.us: Idaho (secondary source)