Alabama Gun Laws & Concealed Carry Guide (2026)

Yes, Alabama has permitless carry. Since January 1, 2023, adults who can legally own a handgun may carry it openly or concealed without a permit, including in a vehicle. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office puts the minimum age at 19, or 18 for military members, veterans and law enforcement.

That age is debated, as explained below. Alabama still issues concealed carry permits through county sheriffs, including a lifetime permit. This guide covers who can carry, how to get a permit, reciprocity, open carry, vehicles, off-limits places, church carry and Alabama’s castle doctrine.

Alabama Concealed Carry At A Glance

Permitless carry	Yes, since January 1, 2023
Minimum age to carry	19 (18 for military and law enforcement), per county sheriff guidance
Permit name	Concealed Carry Permit (pistol permit)
Issued by	County sheriff
Permit fee	Set by county; default $25 for 1 year, $125 for 5 years; lifetime $300 ($150 at 60+); free for military, veterans and law enforcement
Permit length	1 year, 5 years or lifetime
Training required	No
Online course counts?	Not applicable (no training required)
Non-resident permit	No (Alabama residents only; permit expires on moving out of state)
Lifetime permit	Yes
States that honor it	18 per AG list (more honor it with conditions)
Last verified	November 2, 2026

Do You Need A Permit To Carry In Alabama?

No. Act 2022-133 ended the permit requirement on January 1, 2023. The act states that the permit system “does not impose a general prohibition on the carrying of a pistol without a permit” (Act 2022-133, enrolled HB 272). It also repealed the old rule that a pistol in a car had to be unloaded and locked away.

How old do you have to be? The act does not list an age.

Alabama law bars minors from possessing a pistol except in narrow cases (Ala. Code § 13A-11-72(b)). Alabama’s age of majority is 19 (§ 26-1-1).

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and handgunlaw.us both give 19 as the permitless carry age. The sheriff adds an 18 floor for active, retired or honorably discharged military and law enforcement.

Some other sources say 18 for everyone. If you are 18, check with your county sheriff before you carry.

You cannot carry if state or federal law bars you from having a firearm. Since October 1, 2025, Alabama bars anyone with any felony conviction, not only violent ones, under SB 119, as Yellowhammer News reported. Domestic violence convictions, protection orders and some mental health findings also disqualify you (§ 13A-11-72(a)).

Why Get An Alabama Concealed Carry Permit Anyway?

Travel. Other states honor Alabama permits, but not permitless carry.
Private property. Without a permit, you need the owner’s consent to carry a pistol on private property that is not yours. A permit holder does not (§ 13A-11-52).
Athletic events. School, college and pro sporting events are off-limits without a permit (§ 13A-11-61.2(a)(5)-(6)).
Faster gun purchases. The ATF Brady permit chart lists the Alabama Concealed Carry Permit and the Lifetime Carry Permit as NICS alternatives. The permit must have been issued within the last five years.

How To Get An Alabama Concealed Carry Permit

You apply to the sheriff of the county where you live (§ 13A-11-75). You must be an Alabama resident and at least 19, or 18 if you are a service member or a retired or honorably discharged veteran.

Go to your county sheriff’s website. Many sheriffs take applications online through Permitium. One example is the Jefferson County Sheriff’s application portal.
Choose a 1-year, 5-year or lifetime permit and complete the application.
The sheriff runs a NICS check and a state prohibited-person check. Non-citizens also get an immigration check.
The sheriff must approve or deny a completed application within 30 days. A 30-day temporary paper permit may be issued if the card is not ready.

Cost: Each county can set its own 1-year and 5-year fees by local law. Without one, the default is $25 for one year and $125 for five years. The lifetime permit is $300, or $150 at age 60 or older.

Permits are free for active service members, retired or honorably discharged veterans, and law enforcement officers. Fees vary widely. Jefferson County, for example, charges $7.50 for one year and does not offer a 5-year permit.

Do You Need A Class For An Alabama Carry Permit?

No. Alabama has no training requirement for a permit or for permitless carry. Section 13A-11-75 sets no course, class or live-fire test for a new permit or a renewal.

That leaves the learning up to you.

A short online safety course is a good primer before you apply or before you start carrying. The course below is optional general training. It is not a permit, and Alabama does not require it.

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 Alabama, you apply for the Concealed Carry Permit (pistol permit) through the County sheriff.

Can Non-Residents Get An Alabama Carry Permit?

No. Only Alabama residents can apply, and a permit expires once the holder moves to another state (§ 13A-11-75).

Visitors rarely need one. The Alabama Attorney General says “Alabama recognizes any concealed carry permit issued by another state” (§ 13A-11-85). Visitors who can legally have a handgun can also use permitless carry, subject to the age rule above.

Which States Honor The Alabama Concealed Carry Permit?

The Alabama Attorney General’s reciprocity chart, current as of May 1, 2026, lists 18 states that recognize Alabama permits without conditions:

Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.

That list leaves out states that honor Alabama permits only with conditions, such as being 21 or older. So the real number is higher; Tennessee’s own chart, for example, lists Alabama permits as honored. Check every state on your route before you travel.

Going next door? See our guides for Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, or browse concealed carry laws by state.

Can You Open Carry In Alabama?

Yes. Open carry is legal without a permit for anyone who can legally carry. Alabama law says simply carrying a visible pistol, holstered or otherwise secured, without brandishing it is not disorderly conduct (§ 13A-11-7(c), as amended by Act 2022-133).

The same off-limits places apply to open and concealed carry. If a property owner tells you to leave, leave.

Can You Keep A Gun In Your Car In Alabama?

Yes. Since 2023, you do not need a permit to keep a loaded pistol in your vehicle. Act 2022-133 repealed the old unloaded-and-locked rule in § 13A-11-73.

Employer parking lots: An employer may not ban a lawfully possessed pistol in your private vehicle in a parking area. Keep it out of ordinary view. When you are not in the vehicle, lock it in a compartment, container or the vehicle interior.
Employer questions: An employer that thinks you pose a risk may ask whether you have a gun in the car (§ 13A-11-90).
Restricted buildings: At police stations, courthouses, some government offices and athletic venues, a gun left out of sight and locked in your vehicle is generally allowed (§ 13A-11-61.2(d)).
Colleges: The Jefferson County Sheriff says a firearm may be kept in your private vehicle on a 2-year or 4-year college campus if it is stored as state law requires.

Where You Can’t Carry A Gun In Alabama

Under § 13A-11-61.2, you may not carry in these places without permission from the person in charge:

Inside a police, sheriff or highway patrol station.
Prisons, jails, halfway houses and other detention facilities.
Inpatient psychiatric or mental health facilities.
Courthouses and courthouse annexes, buildings with a district attorney’s office, the primary office of an elected official, and buildings where a county commission or city council is meeting.
School, college and professional athletic events, unless you have a permit.
Buildings with guards plus access controls such as metal detectors or key cards. This applies to permit holders too.

Other limits:

K-12 schools: Carrying a deadly weapon on public school grounds or buses with intent to do bodily harm is a Class C felony (§ 13A-11-72(c)). Federal school zone law also applies.
Demonstrations: You may not have a firearm while taking part in or attending a public demonstration, according to Giffords Law Center (§ 13A-11-59).
Private property: Without a permit, you need the owner’s consent (§ 13A-11-52).

Duty to inform: Only if asked. If an officer asks whether you are armed, you must “immediately inform” them that you have a pistol or firearm (Act 2022-133, now listed by handgunlaw.us as § 13A-11-95).

During a traffic stop, do not touch your handgun unless the officer tells you to. That is a Class A misdemeanor. Officers may hold your gun during the stop for safety and must return it if you are not arrested.

Alabama Lifetime Concealed Carry Permit

Alabama is one of the few states with a lifetime carry permit (§ 13A-11-75).

Who qualifies: Residents who already hold a valid Alabama permit. Your sheriff may require up to five years of continuous permit history.
Cost: $300, or $150 at age 60 or older. Retired or honorably discharged veterans get it free, per the Jefferson County Sheriff.
Checks: The sheriff reruns your background check at least every five years.
Moving away: The permit ends if you move out of state. Service members who return after a military move can ask to have it reinstated.

Alabama Castle Doctrine And Stand Your Ground Law

Alabama has both, under Ala. Code § 13A-3-23.

Stand your ground: If you are not engaged in unlawful activity and you are where you have a right to be, you have “no duty to retreat” (§ 13A-3-23(b)).
Castle doctrine: Deadly force is presumed justified against someone committing burglary of a dwelling, or unlawfully and forcefully entering a dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle. A business that is closed to the public is also covered in some cases. The presumption does not apply against a lawful resident, a parent or guardian retrieving a child, or an officer on duty.
Limits: You lose the defense if you provoked the fight or started it and did not clearly withdraw.
Immunity: Justified force makes you “immune from criminal prosecution and civil action.” You can ask for a pretrial hearing, where you must show immunity by a preponderance of the evidence (§ 13A-3-23(d)).

Police may still investigate, and they can arrest you if they find probable cause that your force was unlawful. A defense after a self-defense shooting can cost tens of thousands of dollars, even if you win. Self-defense legal protection can help cover that cost.

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.

Compare CCW Safe Plans →

Alabama Gun Laws FAQ

Is Alabama A Constitutional Carry State?

Yes. Since January 1, 2023, adults who can legally have a handgun may carry it openly or concealed without a permit.

What Is The Concealed Carry Age In Alabama?

The permit age is 19, or 18 for service members and veterans. For permitless carry, the Jefferson County Sheriff gives 19, or 18 for military and law enforcement.

What States Recognize An Alabama Pistol Permit?

The Attorney General lists 18 states that honor it without conditions, including Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi and North Carolina. Other states, such as Tennessee, also honor it.

How Much Is An Alabama Concealed Carry Permit?

It depends on your county. The default is $25 for one year and $125 for five years, and a lifetime permit is $300 ($150 at 60 or older). Military, veterans and law enforcement pay nothing.

Does Alabama Have A Castle Law?

Yes. Section 13A-3-23 presumes deadly force is justified against an unlawful, forceful entry into a home or occupied vehicle, and you have no duty to retreat.

Can You Carry A Gun In Church In Alabama?

Alabama has no statute that bans guns in places of worship, according to Giffords Law Center.

A church is private property, though. Without a permit, you need the church’s consent to carry a pistol there (§ 13A-11-52), and any church can ask you to leave. Churches that want an armed safety team should look into legal protection for church security teams.

Alabama Gun Laws And Concealed Carry Guide