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In 2016, Mississippi enacted a law allowing individuals to carry loaded, subconscious handguns on their person in a sheath, belt holster or shoulder holster without offset obtaining a permit,1 as long every bit they are non:

  • Engaged in criminal activity (other than a misdemeanor traffic offense);
  • Prohibited from possessing a firearm under land or federal police force; or
  • Conveying the handgun into a prohibited location, defined to include:
    • Any place of nuisance;2
    • Any police, sheriff or highway patrol station;
    • Whatsoever detention facility, prison or jail;
    • Any courthouse or courtroom, except that a judge may carry a concealed weapon and decide who may deport a curtained weapon in a courtroom;
    • Any polling place;
    • Any government meeting identify, including whatsoever coming together of the legislature or a legislative committee;
    • Any school, college or professional athletic event not related to firearms;
    • Any portion of an institution, licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, that is primarily devoted to dispensing alcoholic beverages; and whatever portion of an establishment in which beer or low-cal vino is consumed on the premises, that is primarily devoted to such purpose;
    • Any elementary or secondary school, and whatsoever inferior higher, customs college, college or university facility (unless for the purpose of participating in any authorized firearms-related activeness);
    • Inside the rider terminal of any airport (except that no ane shall exist prohibited from carrying a legal firearm into the terminal if the firearm is encased for lawful shipment as checked baggage);
    • Any church or other identify of worship, except that churches or places of worship may choose to establish a security program by which designated members are authorized to deport firearms for the protection of the congregation;iii
    • Whatsoever place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal police;
    • Any identify where a person or entity exercises command over the physical location of such place (e.g., private property), if that person or entity has chosen to exclude firearms and posted written find clearly readable at a distance of not less than ten (x) anxiety that the "carrying of a pistol or revolver is prohibited";
    • A parade or demonstration for which a allow is required to deport a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver.4

Pursuant to an earlier law, Mississippi as well allows people to carry loaded handguns inside a bag, handbag, satchel, other similar bag or briefcase or fully enclosed case without a allow, subject to the above restrictions.five

Although Mississippi allows "permitless" concealed deport in the above circumstances, the state all the same issues concealed comport permits. As described below and on our folio on Other Location Restrictions in Mississippi, if a permit-holder voluntarily completes an approved safety grooming course, Mississippi exempts such allow-holders from the prohibition on carrying concealed firearms into many of the locations listed above, including schools, polling places, regime meetings, bars, and churches.

Mississippi is a "shall issue" land, meaning that local police force enforcement must outcome a curtained handgun license if the applicant meets certain qualifications. A license to deport concealed handguns must be issued past the Department of Public Safety (DPS), if the applicant:

  • Is a resident of the country (this requirement may be waived if the applicant possesses a valid permit from another land, is on active military duty and stationed in the state, or is a retired law enforcement officer residing in the state);
  • Is 21 years of historic period or older;
  • Does not suffer from a physical infirmity which prevents the rubber treatment of a pistol or revolver;
  • Has not been bedevilled of a felony in a court of any country or of the United States without it having been pardoned or expunged;
  • Does not chronically or habitually employ alcoholic beverages or corruption controlled substances to the extent that his or her normal faculties are dumb;vi
  • Desires a legal means to acquit a concealed handgun to defend himself or herself;
  • Has not been adjudicated mentally incompetent, or has waited v years from the date of his or her restoration of mental capacity by courtroom order;
  • Has non been voluntarily or involuntarily committed to a mental institution or mental health treatment facility, unless he or she possesses a certificate from a psychiatrist licensed in Mississippi stating that he or she has non suffered from inability for a menstruum of five years;
  • Has not had arbitrament of guilt withheld or imposition of sentence suspended on any felony unless three years have elapsed since probation or whatsoever other conditions set by the court have been fulfilled;
  • Is non a fugitive from justice; and
  • Is not disqualified from possessing or owning a weapon under federal law.seven

Withal, DPS may deny a license if the applicant has been found guilty of 1 or more crimes of violence constituting a misdemeanor unless three years have elapsed since any conditions set by the court take been fulfilled.8

Except equally permitted under state law, Mississippi penalizes the concealed carrying of any "pistol, revolver, or any rifle with a barrel of less than sixteen (sixteen) inches in length, or any shotgun with a butt of less than eighteen (xviii) inches in length, car gun or any fully automatic firearm or deadly weapon, or any muffler or silencer for any firearm, whether or not it is accompanied by a firearm…."9 Withal the foregoing, it is not a violation of land law for any person over the age of 18 to carry a concealed firearm:

  • Within the confines of his or her own abode, place of business organization, on real property associated with the habitation or business or within any motor vehicle; or
  • If the possessor of the weapon is then engaged in a legitimate weapon-related sports activity or is going to or returning from such activity. For purposes of this subsection, "legitimate weapon-related sports activity" means hunting, angling, target shooting or whatever other legal sports activity which ordinarily involves the apply of a firearm or other weapon.x

Mississippi'south curtained deport permit does non ordinarily allow permit-holders to bring a concealed firearm into any of the locations listed every bit beingness prohibited for "permitless" concealed behave, including places of nuisance, law stations and jails, courthouses, schools, polling places, government meetings, bars, churches, and individual belongings.11 Nonetheless, if a concealed carry permit-holder voluntarily completes a certified or approved firearms safety preparation class, the allow-holder may behave his or her concealed firearm into all of these otherwise prohibited locations except for places of nuisance, police stations and jails, and courthouses.12 In other words, Mississippi permit-holders who voluntarily complete a safety training course may comport concealed firearms into schools, polling places, regime meetings, bars, churches, and private belongings. Notation that under Mississippi constabulary, permit-holders may nonetheless be barred from bringing concealed firearms to these locations if they are privately owned and the possessor has called to exclude all firearms from his or her property.13

Firearm Safety Training

Mississippi does not require firearm prophylactic training as a prerequisite to possessing, purchasing or carrying a firearm.

However, in Mississippi a concealed weapons licensee may bear his or her curtained weapon in locations in which curtained weapons are mostly prohibited if he or she completes a firearms safety training form taught past a certified, nationally-recognized system that normally offers such courses, or by any other organization approved past the state police.xiv

Duration & Renewal

Mississippi licenses to carry concealed handguns are valid for 5 years.xv However, newly enacted legislation in 2021 allows concealed behave permits to exist combined with drivers' licenses that can be valid for up to eight years, or identification cards that can be valid indefinitely.16

Xc days prior to the expiration date of a license, DPS shall post to a licensee a written notice of the upcoming expiration and a renewal form.17 The licensee must renew his or her license on or before the expiration appointment by filing a renewal form, a notarized affidavit stating that the licensee remains qualified to carry a concealed weapon nether state law,18 a full gear up of fingerprints, a renewal fee, plus costs of processing the fingerprints.19 If a licensee fails to file a renewal application on or before the license's expiration date, he or she must renew the license by paying a late fee.20

A license volition be deemed "permanently expired" if it is not renewed half-dozen months after its expiration date.21 A person whose license has permanently expired may reapply for licensure, but is required by state law to complete a new application and submit to a new background investigation.22

Disclosure or Utilise of Information

DPS maintains an automatic listing of license holders that is available on-line, upon asking, at all times, to all law enforcement agencies through the Mississippi Crime Information Center.23 Records relating to applications for licenses or license holders, nevertheless, are exempt from the provisions of the Mississippi Public Records Deed of 1983.24 Specifically, the name, home address, any telephone number or other private information of any person who possesses a weapon permit issued shall be exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Deed of 1983.25

Reciprocity

If a person holds a valid license to carry a curtained handgun issued in another land, that license volition exist recognized as valid in Mississippi, provided the issuing land authorizes Mississippi license holders to acquit concealed handguns in that state and has communicated that fact to DPS.26

Brady Exemption

Under federal law, persons who have been issued country permits to purchase or possess firearms are exempt from background checks if those permits were issued: i) within the previous five years in the state in which the transfer is to take place; and 2) later on an authorized authorities official has conducted a background investigation, including a search of the NICS database, to verify that possession of a firearm would not exist unlawful.27 Holders of concealed handgun licenses in Mississippi are exempt from background checks when purchasing a firearm according to the Bureau of Booze, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) chart  that outlines those permits that qualify equally alternatives to the federal Brady Act. Please note that ATF'southward exempt status determination is field of study to alter without notice.

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  1. 2016 Miss. H.B. 786, signed by the Governor April 15, 2016, amending Miss Code Ann. § 97-37-7(24).[↩]
  2. Place of nuisance" is divers under Miss. Code Ann. § 95-3-1 as any place where lewdness or prostitution is conducted or permitted or where controlled substances are unlawfully used, possessed, sold or delivered more than than one time.[↩]
  3. SeeMiss. Code. Ann. § 97-37-7(two).[↩]
  4. 2016 Miss. H.B. 786, signed by the Governor Apr 15, 2016, amending Miss Lawmaking Ann. § 97-37-7(24); Miss Code Ann. § 97-37-7(13).[↩]
  5. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-9-101(24).[↩]
  6. See Miss. Code Ann. § 45-9-101(1)(due east), (f) for crimes or events that qualify.[↩]
  7. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-ix-101(2).[↩]
  8. Miss. Code. Ann. § 45-nine-101(three). Additional application and background check requirements, besides as permit pause or disqualification data, are outlined in land police force. Miss. Code. Ann. § 45-nine-101.[↩]
  9. Miss. Code. Ann. § 97-37-1; run across also Miss. Code Ann. § 45-nine-101.[↩]
  10. Miss. Code. Ann. § 97-37-1(2), (3).[↩]
  11. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-nine-101(13).[↩]
  12. Miss. Code Ann. § 97-37-7(2).[↩]
  13. Op. Miss. Att'y Gen. No. 2013-00023 (Oct. one, 2013), 2013 Miss. AG LEXIS 248, *viii-9 ("An enhanced permit cannot constitutionally take away the rights of property owners to exclude persons from their property if that is their wish. …Therefore, individual belongings owners, including but not limited to owners or custodians of those types of property listed in section 45-nine-101(13) (east.thousand., bars, churches, restaurants serving alcohol, private schools, professional athletic consequence property) may exclude from their premises persons carrying weapons.").[↩]
  14. Miss. Code Ann. §97-37-7(2).[↩]
  15. Miss. Code. Ann. § 45-9-101(1)(a).[↩]
  16. Miss. Code Ann. §45-ix-101(22)(a).[↩]
  17. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-9-101(12)(a).[↩]
  18. See Miss. Code Ann. § 45-9-101(ii) and (3).[↩]
  19. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-9-101(12)(a).[↩]
  20. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-ix-101(12)(c).[↩]
  21. Id. [↩]
  22. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-9-101(12)(c), (5).[↩]
  23. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-ix-101(eight).[↩]
  24. Id. [↩]
  25. Miss. Code Ann. § 25-61-11.1.[↩]
  26. Miss. Code Ann. § 45-ix-101(19).[↩]
  27. 18 U.S.C. § 922(t)(3), 27 C.F.R. § 478.102(d).[↩]