Illinois became the last state to allow carrying ready-to-use guns outside the home when the Firearm Concealed Carry Act (430 ILCS 66) became law on July 9, 2013. The state operates a shall-issue system, meaning the ISP must issue a Concealed Carry License (CCL) to any applicant who meets the statutory qualifications, unless a law enforcement objection is sustained through the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board.[1]
Who Is Eligible for an Illinois CCL?
To qualify for an Illinois CCL, you must meet all of the following criteria under 430 ILCS 66/25:[1]
- Be at least 21 years of age
- Illinois residents must have a valid FOID card before license issuance but may apply while obtaining one. Eligible non-residents must submit the documentation and affidavit required by ISP in place of a FOID card
- Have no felony conviction
- Have not been convicted or found guilty of a misdemeanor involving the use or threat of physical force or violence to any person within the 5 years preceding the date of the license application
- Have no more than one DUI conviction within the past 5 years (two or more DUIs within 5 years disqualifies you)
- Not have been adjudicated as a person with a mental disability or involuntarily admitted into a mental health facility. Having been a patient in a mental health facility within the past 5 years, including by voluntary admission, also disqualifies you, and a person who was a patient more than 5 years ago must submit the certification required under subsection (u) of Section 8 of the FOID Card Act
- Not be addicted to narcotics
- Not be intellectually or developmentally disabled
- Not be the subject of a pending arrest warrant, prosecution, or proceeding for an offense or action that could lead to disqualification to own or possess a firearm (430 ILCS 66/25(4))
- Not have been in residential or court-ordered treatment for alcoholism, alcohol detoxification, or drug treatment within the preceding 5 years (430 ILCS 66/25(5))
- Have completed the required ISP-approved firearms training, generally 16 hours, subject to statutory training credits and exemptions
What Does the 16-Hour Training Requirement Involve?
Under 430 ILCS 66/75, the training must be conducted by an ISP-approved instructor and must cover:[1]
- Firearm safety and safe handling practices
- Principles of marksmanship
- Care, cleaning, loading, and unloading of a concealable firearm
- All applicable State and federal laws relating to the ownership, storage, carry, and transportation of a firearm, including prohibited locations and use-of-force principles
- Appropriate and lawful interaction with law enforcement while transporting or carrying a concealed firearm
- Live-fire range qualification
Prior Training Credit
The ISP and certified firearms instructors recognize up to 8 hours of training already completed toward the 16-hour requirement if the training course is submitted to and approved by the ISP. Active, retired, or honorably discharged members of the United States Armed Forces receive credit for 8 hours of training. A former law enforcement or corrections officer may receive up to 8 hours of credit for ISP-approved training completed in that employment if he or she separated from employment in good standing. Any remaining hours must at least cover the applicable State and federal laws relating to the ownership, storage, carry, and transportation of a firearm, and the range qualification. Instructors verify the prior training and decide on a case by case basis whether further training is needed.[2]
What Does the Live-Fire Qualification Require?
The live-fire component requires you to fire 30 rounds total on a B-27 silhouette target at three distances:[1]
- 10 rounds at 5 yards
- 10 rounds at 7 yards
- 10 rounds at 10 yards
Under 430 ILCS 66/75(e), you must achieve a minimum 70% accuracy overall. At least 21 out of 30 total rounds must hit the scoring area of the target across all three distances combined.[5] The statute requires 70% of all rounds fired and sets no separate minimum for each distance.
How Do You Apply for an Illinois CCL Step by Step?
Step 1: Complete the 16-Hour Training Course
Locate an ISP-approved training course and instructor. A list of approved instructors is available through the ISP Firearms Services Bureau. Complete all classroom and live-fire components. Your instructor will provide you with a certificate of completion. For every certificate you submit, you must include the instructor's name and contact number, the name of the approved curriculum, and the identification numbers the ISP assigned to the instructor and the curriculum.
Step 2: Log In to the ISP Portal
Access the ISP Firearms Services Bureau portal at ispfsb.com. Sign in with your Illinois State Police User ID and password.[2]
Step 3: Submit Your CCL Application
Select the option to apply for a Concealed Carry License and complete the application. You will need to enter:
- Your FOID card number, or notice that you are applying for a FOID card in conjunction with the license application
- An electronic copy of your training certificate from the completed 16-hour course, which you upload during the application
- Personal information and eligibility responses
- A head and shoulder electronic photograph taken within the last 30 days
Step 4: Submit Fingerprints
Fingerprint submission is optional for the CCL application, because the ISP may accept an application submitted without a set of fingerprints. The ISP states that electronic fingerprints will expedite your application. Fingerprints are submitted electronically through a Live Scan vendor licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or a law enforcement agency registered by the ISP. Without fingerprints, the ordinary processing deadline is 120 days, excluding time tolled for an objection referred to the Licensing Review Board. With fingerprints, the ordinary deadline is 90 days, excluding that review time.[2] If you have a set of fingerprints on file with your CCL application, the ISP automatically renews your FOID card upon a Firearm Transfer Inquiry Program approval, so long as the card is not subject to revocation or suspension.
Step 5: Pay the Application Fee
The CCL application fee is $150 for Illinois residents. Non-residents from states with substantially similar firearms laws pay $300. This fee covers the 5-year license period.[2]
Step 6: Wait for Processing
Except as otherwise provided in the Act, the ISP has 90 days from receipt of a completed application with fingerprints or 120 days without fingerprints to issue or deny the CCL. Referral of an objection to the Review Board tolls the deadline during review and until the Board issues its decision. Track your application status through the ISP portal.[1]
How Does the Law Enforcement Review Work?
No later than 10 days after receipt of a completed application, the ISP enters the relevant information about the applicant into a database that is accessible by law enforcement agencies. A law enforcement agency may submit an objection based upon a reasonable suspicion that the applicant is a danger to himself or herself or others, or a threat to public safety. If the agency submits the objection within 30 days after the entry of the applicant into the database, ISP submits the objection and all available information to the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board within 10 days of completing all necessary background checks. Applicants disqualified under Section 25 of the Act are not referred to the Board. The Review Board reviews each objection and determines by a majority of commissioners whether the applicant is eligible for a license. If the Board determines by a preponderance of the evidence that the applicant poses a danger to himself or herself or others, or is a threat to public safety, it affirms the objection and notifies the ISP that the applicant is ineligible, and the ISP denies the license. A denial issued after the Board affirms an objection is reviewed directly by the circuit court under the Administrative Review Law (430 ILCS 66/87), with a 35-day window to seek review, rather than through a hearing before the ISP Director.[1]
What Does an Illinois CCL Allow?
Once issued, your CCL permits you to:[3]
- Carry a loaded or unloaded concealed firearm on or about your person
- Carry a concealed firearm within a vehicle
- Store a firearm in your vehicle in the parking area of most prohibited locations (the firearm must be concealed in a case within a locked vehicle or locked container, out of plain view)
The CCL does not authorize open carry. Illinois generally prohibits open carry in public places, but statutory exceptions include lawful hunting and shooting at established target ranges. A FOID card or CCL does not remove those restrictions.[4]
How Long Is an Illinois CCL Valid?
An Illinois CCL is valid for 5 years from the date of issuance. Unless exempt under 430 ILCS 66/75(h), you must complete at least 3 hours of ISP-approved renewal training. Submit your renewal application before the license expires to maintain continuous concealed carry privileges.[2]