Is firearms legal in Illinois?

Q: Is firearms legal in Illinois?

Firearms in Illinois is restricted. Illinois requires a Concealed Carry License to carry concealed, and there is no permitless carry. It is shall-issue with 16 hours of training, a FOID card is also required to possess, and the minimum age is 21.

Back

ILLINOIS · FIREARMS

Firearms

Restricted: Illinois requires a Concealed Carry License to carry concealed, and there is no permitless carry.

Restricted

Summary

Illinois requires a Concealed Carry License to carry concealed, and there is no permitless carry. It is shall-issue with 16 hours of training, a FOID card is also required to possess, and the minimum age is 21.

Source: https://isp.illinois.gov/Foid/Ccl · Updated July 2, 2026

Illinois Firearms topics

Concealed Carry in Illinois →Restricted
Illinois requires a Concealed Carry License to carry concealed, and there is no permitless carry.
Open Carry in Illinois →Restricted
Open carry of a handgun is prohibited in Illinois.
Magazine Capacity in Illinois →Restricted
Illinois restricts handgun magazines that hold more than 15 rounds and long-gun magazines that hold more than 10, classing them as large-capacity feeding devices.
Gun Possession in Illinois →Restricted
Illinois has a Firearms Restraining Order (red-flag) law (430 ILCS 67), bans "assault weapons" (with registration of those owned before the ban), and requires a FOID to possess a firearm.
Transporting Firearms in Illinois →Restricted
In Illinois, without a Concealed Carry License (CCL) a firearm must be unloaded and enclosed in a case, and the person must have a valid FOID; a non-resident may keep it unloaded and not immediately accessible.
Duty to Inform Police in Illinois →Conditional
Illinois has no requirement to volunteer that you are armed, but if an officer initiates an investigative stop — including a traffic stop — then at the officer's request the licensee must disclose that they are carrying, present the FCCA license, identify the firearm's location, and permit the officer to secure it for the stop (430 ILCS 66/10(h)); vehicle passengers are included.
Suppressors & Silencers in Illinois →Restricted
Firearm silencers are banned in Illinois: 720 ILCS 5/24-1(a)(6) makes possessing one "unlawful use of weapons," a Class 3 felony, regardless of registration under the federal National Firearms Act (NFA).
Reciprocity — where is my Illinois permit honored? →
State-by-state map of which states honor a Illinois concealed-carry permit.

Other Illinois laws

Firearms in nearby states

Browse all state laws →

Don't get caught off guardGet a push the moment Illinois law changes — or when you cross into a state where it's different. Free.Get the free app