Can a person get a concealed carry gun permit 100 percent online by just answering six simple questions? No, that's not true: To get the promoted New Hampshire Non-resident Pistol/Revolver License, the customer must still fill out the application and pay for one. Ads promising a Concealed Carry Permit "100% online" are misleading, actually offering an unnecessary "pre-qualifying" service. The terms and conditions page of the website associated with the ads spells it out: "WE DO NOT ISSUE CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS. YOU MUST APPLY FOR SUCH PERMITS SEPARATELY."
One example of this advertisement was published on Facebook on October 18, 2024, by the page Trusted Local. It said:
Tap Here To Get Your CCW Now >>>We didn't believe it until we tried it for ourselves! Being able to protect in an unpredictable world is a blessingThey're tightening up the rules for this, so make sure to get it done as soon as you can.
The first comment under the ad is a link to https://trustedlocalguide.com (archived here) with the caption:
For more information visit:https://trustedlocalguide.com/concealed
This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:
(Source: Facebook screenshot taken on Tue Nov 19 19:16:10 2024 UTC)
What is a CCW Permit?
There is no standardized name or abbreviation for the permit to carry a concealed weapon (CCW) among states. The state of Alabama issues a Pistol Permit, In Massachusetts it's a License to Carry (LTC), in Colorado it's a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP), Kansas issues a Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL), in Michigan it's a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) and in Montana it's a Concealed Weapon Permit (CWP). In the U.S., the abbreviation CCW is understood to refer to this type of permit or license. New Hampshire's is called a Pistol/Revolver License.
People seeking a concealed carry permit should carefully research their state's regulations before falling for a sales pitch promising a "100% online" permit. The nonresident license from New Hampshire may be honored in about 25 states offering reciprocity, but there are some restrictions.
In the ad, the 52-second-long video features a man dressed for cool weather walking up a street in a town, who says:
Just last month I found out that you can get your concealed carry permit online by entering your zip code and answering six simple questions. I didn't go to a class or gun range either. As a matter of fact I did the training and qualification 100% online from home. And the best part is my state-issued concealed carry permit arrived in the mail a week later and I'm good for a full five years. Then it's just a simple mail-in renewal after that, no having to pay to requalify or go to expensive classes.
Here's the deal though, they're shutting down this easy way to do it by the end of the year so it won't be possible anymore in 2025. Make sure you qualify now before it gets backlogged and get grandfathered in. Tap the link I shared to see how it works and thank me later.
What is 'Trusted Local/Certified Conceal Carry' Offering?
At the time of writing Trusted Local was also running ads targeting residents in California, Texas, North Carolina, Florida and several ads that do not specify a state. At the trustedlocalguide.com website (archived here), the user is prompted to "Tap Here - Get Your CCW Permit Now." This will redirect to a new website: www.certifiedconcealcarry.com (archived here). Here they are prompted to enter their ZIP code and then answer six true or false questions:
- I have never had a permit to carry denied in any state.
- I have never been convicted of a felony in any state.
- I am not an unlawful user or addicted to any controlled substance.
- I have never been adjudicated as mental defective or committed to an institution by any court.
- I have never been convicted by any court for domestic violence.
- I have not been discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States under dishonorable conditions.
If all the answers are true, the next page (pictured below) offers a 50 percent discount to "expedite your concealed carry application." It urges "Do it from Home" and "Avoid government agencies." It finishes with an urgent push -- "Take advantage before laws change."
(Source: certifiedconcealcarry.com screenshot taken on Thu Nov 14 21:55:33 2024 UTC)
The heading banner at the top of this website (pictured above) has some small print that is not announced in the video. It says:
Apply for your New Hampshire Application Pre-Qualification and Assistance in less than 30 minutes!
As the timer starts counting down, the next step at certifiedconcealcarry.com is to buy a CCW package that is purportedly marked down from $190 to $95 along with a $19 "advanced training portal."
(Source: certifiedconcealcarry.com screenshot taken on Thu Nov 14 21:55:33 2024 UTC)
At the bottom of the certifiedconcealcarry.com page there is more fine print, notably Terms & Conditions (archived here), FAQ (archived here) and State Acceptance (archived here). On the terms and conditions page, it states:
*WE DO NOT ISSUE CONCEALED CARRY PERMITS. YOU MUST APPLY FOR SUCH PERMITS SEPARATELY.
Through your use of this Service, Certified Conceal Carry offers information on requirements for obtaining a New Hampshire concealed carry permit through a series of pre-qualifying questions, assistance with completing the required application and information on state reciprocity. Upon successful completion and the payment of the required fee for the issuance of the Application Form DSSP260, you will be able to apply separately for a New Hampshire concealed carry permit.
What is reciprocity?
Each state has unique laws and regulations regarding the carrying of concealed firearms. Twenty-nine states have what is called permitless carry or "constitutional carry." Although they do not require a permit to carry, these states (except for Vermont) do still issue permits to carry, and those permits may be honored in other states in what is called reciprocity. Some states may only honor out-of-state permits that have background checks or training requirements similar to their own. The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), described on the about page as providing membership benefits, education, training and self-defense liability insurance, has a clear interactive map of reciprocity and gun laws by state.
The certifiedconcealcarry.com "State Acceptance" page has a list of states, which, when expanded, has information about which states recognize "this permit" -- the New Hampshire permit.
(Source: certifiedconcealcarry.com screenshot taken on Fri Nov 15 00:21:30 2024 UTC)
The first question in the CertifiedConcealCarry.com FAQ:
What does Certified Conceal Carry provide me with?
CertifiedConcealCarry.com provides an online training course taught by a certified instructor and an online application service center that helps get its users on the fast track to obtaining their concealed carry permit. The course is optional but is certainly helpful information for anyone. After completion of the course, Certified Conceal Carry users will receive a guide outlining the submission process and final documents required to obtain your New Hampshire State Concealed Carry Permit.
What does New Hampshire have to say?
Lead Stories reached out to Tyler Dumont, the strategic communications administrator with the New Hampshire Department of Safety, to see if we could get some answers. He responded to our email on November 14, 2024:
We encourage people to submit their application directly to the New Hampshire State Police and to consult our website for official information.
To our question if there were any anticipated changes coming in 2025 that would warrant the urgency expressed in the ad -- was there a loophole or something that might be grandfathered in? Dumont said, "Not that we are aware of." And if there was any requirement in New Hampshire for a training course, either online or in person? Dumont said, "No."
The New Hampshire State Police webpage on Pistol and Revolver Licensing contains links to the .PDF forms for the New Hampshire Pistol/Revolver License application for residents and for nonresidents, who must also include a $100 payment for a five-year permit. The New Hampshire State Police webpage has a list of 28 states offering reciprocity with New Hampshire -- this means that a New Hampshire resident's Concealed Carry permit will be honored in those other states when the person travels.
Several states (.PDF map here) offer reciprocity for New Hampshire resident permits but not nonresident permits. There are some exceptions. For example: some states will not offer reciprocity to a person under 21 years of age, and the footnote at the bottom of the page emphasizes that nonresidents must be aware of the law.
Additional Lead Stories fact checks on claims associated with concealed carry permits can be found here.
