Oregon does not prohibit a person from knowingly carrying a concealed firearm if he or she has a license to do so.¹ The license requirement does not apply to, inter alia, a person owning, possessing, or keeping a handgun within his or her residence or place of business, including a recreational vessel or recreational vehicle while used as residential quarters.²

Under state law, local law enforcement generally must issue a concealed handgun license if the applicant meets certain qualifications.³ Oregon provides law enforcement some discretion in issuing or denying such licenses, however. A sheriff may deny a license if the sheriff has reasonable grounds to believe that the applicant has been or is reasonably likely to be a danger to himself or herself or others, or to the community at large, as a result of the applicant’s mental or psychological state, as demonstrated by a past pattern of behavior or participation in incidents involving unlawful violence or threats of unlawful violence.⁴ Any act or condition that would prevent the issuance of a license is also cause for revoking a license.⁵

The county sheriff shall issue a license if the applicant:

• Is a citizen of the United States or is a legal resident alien who can document continuous residency in the county for at least six months and has declared in writing to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services the intent to acquire citizenship status and can present proof of the written declaration to the sheriff at the time of application for the license;

• Is at least 21 years of age;

• Is a resident of the county;

• Has no outstanding warrants for arrest;

• Is not free on any form of pretrial release;

• Demonstrates competence with a handgun by completing a course or class meeting the necessary specifications (see the Firearms Safety Training subsection, below);
• Has never been convicted of a felony or found “guilty, except for insanity” of a felony;
• Has not been convicted of a misdemeanor or found “guilty, except for insanity” of a misdemeanor within the four years prior to the application;
• Has not been committed to the Oregon Health Authority;
• Has not been found to be mentally ill and is not subject to an order that the person be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm as a result of that mental illness;

• Has been discharged from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for more than four years if, while a minor, the person was found to be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court for having committed an act that, if committed by an adult, would constitute a felony or a misdemeanor involving violence;

• Has not been convicted of an offense involving controlled substances or participated in a court-supervised drug diversion program including a misdemeanor conviction for the possession of marijuana unless it is the person’s first conviction or drug diversion;

• Has not received a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces;

• Is not required to register as a sex offender in any state; and

• Is not subject to a citation for stalking or a protective order issued pursuant to certain statutory provisions.⁶

The application for a concealed handgun license also requires two character references in support of the applicant.⁷

Firearms Safety Training

An applicant for a concealed handgun license must demonstrate competence with a handgun by completing a state-authorized course, class or competition, including:

• Completion of any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or a similar agency of another state if handgun safety was a component of the course;

• Completion of any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course if handgun safety was a component of the course;

• Completion of any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by law enforcement, community college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or a law enforcement agency if handgun safety was a component of the course;

• Completion of any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, reserve law enforcement officers or any other law enforcement officers if handgun safety was a component of the course;

• Completion of any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a firearms instructor certified by a law enforcement agency or the National Rifle Association if handgun safety was a component of the course;

• Presenting evidence of equivalent experience with a handgun through participation in an organized shooting competition or military service; or

• Being licensed or having been licensed to carry a firearm in Oregon, unless the license has been revoked.⁸

Duration and Renewal Requirements

An Oregon concealed handgun license is valid for four years from the date of issue, unless revoked.⁹ A license is renewable by undergoing the same procedures for issuance of an original license, except for the fingerprint and character reference requirements.¹⁰ An otherwise expired license continues to be valid for up to 45 days after the licensee applies for renewal, provided the licensee applies for renewal before the original license expires, has proof of the application for renewal, and the renewal has not been denied.¹¹ The fee for renewal is $50.¹²

Disclosure or Use of Information

Immediately upon acceptance of an application for a concealed handgun license, the sheriff shall enter the applicant’s name into the state Law Enforcement Data System indicating that the person is an applicant for a concealed handgun license or a license holder.¹³ The sheriff must keep a record of each license issued or renewed.¹⁴ The sheriff also must submit annually to DSP a report containing the number of concealed handgun licenses revoked during that period and the reasons for the revocations.¹⁵

DSP may retain a record of the information obtained during a request for a criminal records check for no more than five years.¹⁶

Generally, a public body may not disclose records or information that identifies a person as a current or former holder of, or applicant for, a concealed handgun license, unless:

• The information is used for law enforcement;
• The public body determines that a compelling public interest requires disclosure in the particular instance and the disclosure is limited to the name, age and county of residence of the holder or applicant; or
• The disclosure is limited to confirming or denying that a person convicted of a crime involving the use or possession of a firearm is a current holder of a concealed handgun license; and d  isclosure is made to a bona fide representative of the news media in response to a request for disclosure that provides the name and age of the person convicted of the crime involving the use or possession of a firearm.¹⁷

A public body may also disclose concealed carry permittee information to certain domestic violence victims.¹⁸

Reciprocity

Oregon has no laws addressing the ability of concealed weapons license holders from other states to carry their concealed firearms in the state. A county sheriff may waive the residency requirement for a resident of a contiguous state who has a compelling business interest or other legitimate demonstrated need for an Oregon concealed handgun license.¹⁹

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1. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.250(1)(a). Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not considered concealed. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.250(3).[↩]
2. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.250(2)(b).[↩]
3. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291(1).[↩]
4. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.293(2).[↩]
5. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.293(3).[↩]
6. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291(1). See Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 30.866 (actions for issuance or violation of stalking protective order), 107.700 to 107.735 (the Family Abuse Prevention Act) or 163.738 (court provisions regarding a stalking protective order).[↩]
7. See Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291.[↩]
8. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291(1)(f)(A)-(G).[↩]
9. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.292(4).[↩]
10. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.295(1)(a).[↩]
11. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.295(1)(b).[↩]
12. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291(5)(a)(B).[↩]
13. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291(7).[↩]
14. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.292(5).[↩]
15. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.297(1).[↩]
16. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.412(7)(a).[↩]
17. Or. Rev. Stat. § 192.448.[↩]
18. Id.[↩]
19. Or. Rev. Stat. § 166.291(8).[↩]