Omar Bennett
Oregon has relatively relaxed gun laws, and the Oregon Constitution protects the right to bear arms. However, the state does not allow for permitless concealed carry, and therefore it is not considered a full constitutional carry state. In Oregon, the concealed carry of a handgun is only legal with an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL), for which applicants must be at least 21 years old and able to demonstrate competence with a handgun. In 2024, an initiative to amend the Oregon Constitution to add a right to carry concealed firearms without a permit was not on the ballot due to an insufficient number of signatures.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Concealed carry laws | Legal only with an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL) |
| Open carry laws | Legal without a permit for those 18+; local regulations may apply |
| CHL requirements | Applicant must be at least 21 years old and demonstrate competence with a handgun |
| CHL reciprocity | Oregon does not honor permits from any other states |
| Constitutional carry | Not legal; the Oregon Right to Permitless Concealed Carry Initiative was not on the ballot in November 2024 |
| Right to bear arms | Protected by the Oregon Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Oregon does not honour permits from other states
Oregon is a "shall-issue" state, with concealed carry applications processed at the county level by the local sheriff's office. The sheriff has some discretion if there are reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant has been or is likely to be a danger to themselves or others.
Oregon does not recognise any out-of-state concealed carry permits. This means that if you are carrying a firearm in Oregon, you must adhere to the state's laws, including the age requirement for concealed carry. The Oregon Constitution protects the right to bear arms, and the state generally allows for the open carry of firearms without a license. However, local cities and counties are authorised to place restrictions on who may open carry in public places, including vehicles.
While Oregon does not honour out-of-state permits, it does offer both resident and non-resident CHLs. Non-resident permits are issued to those who can demonstrate a legitimate need to carry a concealed firearm. To obtain a non-resident CHL, you must live in a contiguous state.
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Oregon requires a CCW permit for concealed carry
In Oregon, a CCW permit is required for concealed carry. The state requires an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to carry a concealed firearm. Oregon is considered a "shall-issue" state, with concealed carry applications processed at the county level by the local sheriff's office. The sheriff has some discretion and may deny an application if there are reasonable grounds to believe the applicant may be a danger to themselves or others.
To obtain a CHL in Oregon, applicants must be at least 21 years old and demonstrate competence with a handgun. This can be done through an approved firearms training course, participation in an organized shooting competition, or military experience. Non-residents from contiguous states may also apply for a CHL. However, Oregon does not honor permits from any other states, and CHL holders from outside Oregon are not granted reciprocity within the state.
Oregon's gun laws allow for open carry without a license, although local cities and counties can restrict who may open carry in public places, including vehicles. The minimum age for open carry is 18 years old. Additionally, Oregon law prohibits the possession of a concealed and readily accessible handgun within a vehicle unless the individual has a CHL.
In 2024, an initiative called the Oregon Right to Permitless Concealed Carry aimed to amend the state constitution to allow the carrying of concealed firearms without a permit. However, this initiative did not make it onto the ballot, and as of 2025, Oregon still requires a CCW permit for concealed carry.
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Oregon's open carry laws
Oregon gun laws allow for the open carrying of handguns and long guns without a permit. However, Oregon bans the open carrying of firearms in certain areas, including schools, courthouses, and government buildings. Cities and municipalities are also allowed to regulate firearms possession in public areas. For example, in Portland, it is illegal to carry a loaded gun in public, including inside your vehicle, but it is permissible if the gun is unloaded and the owner is at least 18 years old. Beaverton is another city that prohibits the carry of a loaded firearm.
While Oregon is an open-carry state, concealed carry is only legal with an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL). To obtain a CHL, applicants must be at least 21 years old and demonstrate competence with a handgun through an approved firearms training course, participation in an organized shooting competition, or military experience. Non-residents from contiguous states may also apply for a CHL. Oregon does not recognize concealed carry permits from other states.
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Oregon's Supreme Court on the right to bear arms
The Supreme Court of Oregon has interpreted the state's constitutional right to bear arms in several key cases.
In State v. Kessler, the court held that a state statute prohibiting the "mere possession" of certain weapons, including billy clubs and other bladed and blunt weapons, violated an individual's constitutional right to bear arms under Article 1, Section 27 of the Oregon Constitution. The court interpreted the term "arms" to include weapons commonly used for defending the state as well as those used for individual self-defense. However, the court emphasised that the right to bear arms is not absolute and does not grant individuals an unrestricted right to carry or use weapons in all circumstances.
In State v. Delgado, the Supreme Court of Oregon considered whether a ban on a particular weapon, in this case, a switchblade knife, violated Article 1, Section 27. The court held that the constitutionality of the ban depended on whether the weapon was commonly used for personal defense during the revolutionary and post-revolutionary era. While the court found that the ban on switchblades violated Article 1, Section 27, it also stated that individuals' right to bear arms is subject to reasonable regulation by the legislature in the interest of public safety.
In State v. Smoot, the Court of Appeals of Oregon upheld a law prohibiting the possession of concealed switchblades, finding that the regulation was reasonably related to public safety and did not interfere with the right to bear arms. Similarly, in State v. Boyce, the Court of Appeals of Oregon rejected an Article 1, Section 27 challenge to a Portland ordinance banning the possession of loaded firearms in public or in vehicles, as it only regulated the manner of possession rather than possession itself.
In Oregon State Shooting Ass'n v. Multnomah County, the Court of Appeals of Oregon held that the "right to bear arms" did not apply to a local ordinance banning assault weapons, as these weapons were not in common use or designed for personal defense when Article 1, Section 27 was adopted in the mid-19th century.
More recently, in March 2025, the Oregon Court of Appeals ruled on the constitutionality of Measure 114, a voter-approved gun control law. The court found that the law's permit-to-purchase program and high-capacity magazine ban did not "'unduly frustrate' the right to armed self-defense under the state constitution. This ruling was made despite gun owners' claims that the law violated their right to bear arms under the Oregon Constitution. The lead counsel for the gun owners, Tony Aiello Jr., intends to appeal the ruling to the Oregon Supreme Court.
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Oregon's 2024 ballot on permitless carry
In Oregon, the right to keep and bear arms is protected by the state constitution. However, the state typically prohibits the possession of a concealed and readily accessible handgun within any vehicle unless one has an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL). To obtain a CHL, an applicant must be at least 21 years old and demonstrate competence with a handgun through military experience, an approved firearms training course, or participation in an organized shooting competition.
In 2024, Oregon voters were expected to decide on the Oregon Right to Permitless Concealed Carry Initiative, which sought to amend the state constitution to allow the concealed carry of firearms without a permit. The initiative was filed on March 3, 2023, by Joel Pawloski, Kerry McQuisten, and Jean Sampson. To qualify for the ballot, the campaign needed to gather 156,231 valid signatures by the deadline of July 5, 2024. However, the campaign failed to submit a sufficient number of signatures by the deadline, and the initiative was not on the ballot for the November 5, 2024, election.
Oregon has specific requirements for initiatives to be placed on the ballot. For an initiated constitutional amendment, the number of signatures required is equal to 8% of the votes cast for the governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. These signatures must be submitted four months before the next general election, and Oregon law mandates that paid signature gatherers submit any signatures they obtain every month. The state uses a random sample method to verify signatures. If the initial submission contains at least the minimum number of raw, unverified signatures, and verification reveals an insufficient number of valid signatures, additional signatures can be submitted before the final deadline.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Oregon does not have constitutional carry. Concealed carry is only legal with an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL). However, Oregon does allow for the unlicensed carrying of handguns openly.
Applicants for an Oregon CHL must be at least 21 years old and demonstrate competence with a handgun. This can be done through an approved firearms training course, participation in an organized shooting competition, or military experience.
Yes, there have been initiatives to amend the Oregon Constitution to allow for the right to carry concealed firearms without a permit. The Oregon Right to Permitless Concealed Carry Initiative was proposed for the 2024 ballot but did not qualify due to insufficient signatures.
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