COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s county sheriffs issued 77,159 concealed handgun licenses and renewals in 2025, according to the state’s annual concealed carry report released Friday by Attorney General Dave Yost.
The report shows that sheriffs issued 13,876 new licenses and processed 63,283 renewals during the year. Concealed handgun licenses in Ohio must be renewed every five years.
Ohio law changed on June 13, 2022, to allow qualifying residents to carry a concealed handgun without obtaining a permit. The law, often referred to as “constitutional carry,” did not eliminate the state’s licensing system, which remains in place for those who choose to obtain or maintain a permit.
County sheriffs are responsible for issuing, renewing, suspending and revoking concealed handgun licenses. Under state law, each sheriff must submit quarterly reports on concealed carry statistics to the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission, which operates within the attorney general’s office.
The attorney general’s office is required to compile and publish the statewide statistics annually.
Ohio sheriffs began issuing concealed handgun licenses in 2004, following the enactment of the state’s concealed carry law that year.