Getting a CCW in Illinois (2026)

Requirements, costs, and steps for a Illinois concealed carry permit · Updated October 18, 2026 · Not legal advice

This guide is general legal information, not individualized legal advice. Rules change; verify every step with the Illinois State Police (ISP) before you apply. Prepared 2026-10-16.

Quick facts

Drawn from the site's live reciprocity data (ccw.workmanfirearms.com/data/reciprocity.json, retrieved 2026-10-16):

• Permit type: Shall-issue — Illinois Concealed Carry License (CCL) under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, 430 ILCS 66, issued by the Illinois State Police. Local law enforcement may object under § 66/15, sending contested applications to the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board (which tolls the processing deadline).
• Constitutional carry: No. Carrying concealed in Illinois requires a CCL (plus a FOID card for residents to possess firearms/ammunition at all).
• Minimum age: 21 (430 ILCS 66/25; ISP FAQ, accessed 2026-10-16).
• Duty to inform: No proactive duty. You must have your CCL in your possession at all times while carrying (430 ILCS 66/10(g)), and if an officer initiates an investigative stop you must, upon request, disclose that you're carrying and present the license (430 ILCS 66/10(h)).
• Open carry: Prohibited. Illinois licenses concealed carry only; openly carrying a loaded handgun in public is unlawful.

Who can apply

Under 430 ILCS 66/25 and the ISP eligibility rules (accessed 2026-10-16), an applicant must:

• Be at least 21 years of age;
• Have a currently valid FOID card (Illinois residents);
• Not be prohibited under federal law from possessing or receiving a firearm;
• Not have been convicted or found guilty in Illinois or any other state of a misdemeanor involving the use or threat of physical force or violence (within the statutory look-back), nor be subject to the Act's other prohibitions;
• Not have been in residential treatment for mental illness within the past 5 years (or be otherwise disqualified under the Act's mental-health criteria);
• Submit a completed application and the required training certificate(s).

Non-residents: ISP may issue to residents of states deemed "substantially similar" (20 Ill. Admin. Code 1231.10/1231.110) — currently a short list; out-of-state applicants pay $300 and must file a notarized eligibility affidavit (ISP CCL checklist, accessed 2026-10-16).

Step-by-step application process

Issuing authority: Illinois State Police (statewide; applications online).

1. Get your FOID card first (residents) through the ISP Firearm Services Bureau.
2. Complete 16 hours of ISP-approved training (see below) and keep the electronic certificate.
3. Get fingerprinted electronically (optional but "expedites" — ISP) at a Live Scan vendor; specify ORI IL920707Z, Purpose Code CCW. Retain your Transaction Control Number (TCN).
4. Take a head-and-shoulders photo within the last 30 days.
5. Apply online at the ISP portal with your training certificate, photo, TCN, and fee.
6. Receive the license by mail if approved; denials come with appeal rights.

Costs

From the ISP CCL pages (accessed 2026-10-16):

• New CCL (resident): $150 (non-refundable; 430 ILCS 66/60). Renewal is also $150 — the statute sets one fee for new licenses and renewals (the $75 figure is the replacement-license fee under § 66/60(d)).
• New/renewal CCL (non-resident): $300.
• FOID card: $10 (residents need this first).
• Fingerprints: vendor fee (~$60 at Live Scan vendors) — optional but recommended.
• Service fee: ISP e-pay adds 2.25% (min $1) for card payments.

Training requirement

Yes — 16 hours minimum from an ISP-approved instructor, including range qualification (430 ILCS 66/75, accessed 2026-10-16):

• Classroom: firearm safety; marksmanship; care/cleaning/loading/unloading; state and federal carry/transport law; interaction with law enforcement.
• Range: live-fire qualification (B-27 silhouette target; 30 rounds at 5 yards, 30 at 7 yards, 10 at 10 yards; must hit with 70% of rounds fired).
• Credit for 8 hours if you are an active/retired/honorably discharged member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or with prior ISP-approved training (e.g., 4-hour Illinois-approved courses, law-enforcement training) — remaining hours must still cover the law and range portions (§ 66/75(g)-(j)).
• Renewals: a 3-hour ISP-approved refresher course (§ 66/75(d)).

Timeline & renewal

• Processing: ISP has 90 days (with electronic fingerprints) or 120 days (without) from a complete application to issue or deny (430 ILCS 66/30(b); ISP CCL pages). The deadline is tolled while the Review Board considers a law-enforcement objection.
• Validity: 5 years from issuance.
• Renewal: apply online in the final months of validity with the 3-hour refresher certificate and the $150 renewal fee; renewals use the same portal and don't require new fingerprints (ISP renewal instructions, accessed 2026-10-16).

Where to apply

• ISP Concealed Carry License page: https://isp.illinois.gov/Foid/Ccl
• Online application (ISP Firearm Services): https://www.ispfsb.com/
• FOID card page: https://isp.illinois.gov/Foid/Foid

Sources

• 430 ILCS 66 (Firearm Concealed Carry Act) — § 66/25 (eligibility), § 66/60 (fees/processing), § 66/75 (training), § 66/65 (prohibited areas) — Illinois General Assembly, https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs (accessed 2026-10-16)
• Illinois State Police — Concealed Carry License — https://isp.illinois.gov/Foid/Ccl (accessed 2026-10-16)
• ISP FSB — CCL checklist & FAQ ($150/$300 fees; 16-hour requirement; TCN) — https://www.ispfsb.com/public/ccl.aspx (accessed 2026-10-16)
• Site reciprocity data — ccw.workmanfirearms.com/data/reciprocity.json (retrieved 2026-10-16)