With no law requiring them, gun permits plummet
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The number of handgun owners obtaining a new permit in Ohio has plummeted since it became legal to carry without one in 2022, state data shows.
By the numbers: Around 14,000 Ohioans obtained a new permit in 2024 — a 85% drop from 2021, when about 92,000 did.
- This year's licensees include 1,154 people in Franklin County, the most of any Ohio county.
Between the lines: While a license is no longer required, the report notes some people still obtain one so they can travel to other states or receive the 8 hours of safety, legal and shooting training it entails.
- Currently, 29 states allow permitless carry.
The big picture: Crime involving firearms decreased in six of Ohio's eight largest cities since the new law took effect, including in Columbus.
- That's per a report released last month by the Center for Justice Research, a partnership between the Ohio Attorney General's Office and Bowling Green State University.
The other side: Critics of the report say the decline is part of a broader trend following record-high crime during the pandemic. The study only covered 2021-2023.