Concealed Carry in Illinois

No. Carrying a pistol, revolver or other firearm in a vehicle or concealed on the person (and carrying one on public streets or lands in a city, village or town) is unlawful except on one's own land, abode or fixed place of business, as an invitee in another's home or land with permission, or when carried under an Illinois concealed carry license. Carrying an uncased, loaded, immediately accessible handgun without a license is aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon. Residents must also hold a valid Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) card to acquire or possess firearms or ammunition.

Illinois Concealed Carry License, issued by the Illinois State Police (ISP). The statute says ISP 'shall issue' a license to an applicant who meets the qualifications, applies and pays the fee, and is not found by the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board to pose a danger to self or others or a threat to public safety. Qualifications: at least 21 years old; a valid FOID card and eligibility under the FOID Act and federal law; no conviction in the past 5 years of a misdemeanor involving the use or threat of physical force or violence, and no 2 or more DUI violations in the past 5 years; no pending arrest warrant, prosecution or proceeding that could disqualify; no residential or court-ordered alcohol or drug treatment in the past 5 years; and required training. Any law enforcement agency may object based on reasonable suspicion of danger; ISP must object if the applicant has 5 or more arrests in the prior 7 years, or 3 or more for gang-related offenses. Training: at least 16 hours, including a 30-round live-fire qualification (up to 8 hours of credit for approved prior training); renewal requires at least 3 hours. Fee: $150 for a new license or renewal ($300 for non-residents). A license is valid for 5 years. ISP must issue or deny within 90 days of a completed application (30 more days if submitted without fingerprints).

None. Illinois has no provision recognizing other states' carry licenses. Non-residents may transport a concealed firearm within their vehicle if eligible to carry under home-state law. ISP must allow non-resident license applications from states whose firearm laws are 'substantially similar' to Illinois's; ISP lists Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Virginia.

A licensee may not knowingly carry a firearm on or into: elementary and secondary schools; pre-schools and child care facilities; buildings and parking areas under the control of an officer of the executive or legislative branch (except Department of Natural Resources parks and hunting areas where allowed); court buildings; buildings of units of local government; jails, prisons and detention centers; hospitals, mental health facilities and nursing homes; publicly funded buses, trains and transit facilities; establishments where more than 50% of gross receipts in the prior 3 months come from alcohol; permitted public gatherings and special events, and premises during special-event liquor licenses; public playgrounds; municipal or park-district parks and athletic facilities; Cook County Forest Preserve property; colleges and universities; casinos, racetracks and off-track wagering sites; stadiums, arenas and collegiate or professional sporting events; public libraries; airports; amusement parks; zoos and museums; nuclear facilities; and areas where federal law bans firearms. Private property owners (other than residences) may ban carry by posting the ISP-approved 4 by 6 inch sign. Except at nuclear sites and federal no-gun areas, a licensee may carry in a vehicle into a prohibited location's parking area and store the firearm in a case in the locked vehicle.

Without a concealed carry license, a firearm may be carried in a vehicle only if it is broken down in a non-functioning state, not immediately accessible, or unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box or other container by a person with a valid FOID card. A licensee may keep or carry a loaded or unloaded concealed handgun within a vehicle and may store it in a case in a locked vehicle in most prohibited-area parking lots. A non-resident who is not barred by federal law and is eligible to carry in public under home-state law (with a home-state license, if applicable) may transport a concealed firearm within the vehicle; if the vehicle is left unattended, the firearm must be stored in the locked vehicle or a locked container within it.