Concealed Weapons

One of the many duties of the Jerome County Sheriff is issuing Concealed Weapon Licenses. You will need to fill out an application, have your fingerprints taken and pay the fee. A background check will be ran on you (this could take up to 6 weeks) and then a letter will be mailed to you letting you know whether you have been approved or not.

The Jerome County Sheriff will only accept CWL’s or ECWL’s from Jerome County.

As of July 1, 2019, if you are over 18 years of age, an Idaho resident, and not disqualified from owning or possessing firearms or disqualified under section 11 of Idaho Code 18-3302, subject to restrictions per Idaho Code, you will not need a concealed weapons license to carry concealed in Idaho.

Because of the number of CWL’s being processed, an appointment will need to be made for your application and fingerprints. Click on the link below or here to download the application. You can contact Vicki Liles at (208) 595-3308 to make an appointment for fingerprinting or if you have any questions.

New Standard CWL - $56.50

Make an appointment. Bring in the completed unsigned application, proof of firearms training and your driver’s license or ID card.

New Enhanced & Underage CWL - $56.50

Make an appointment. Bring in completed unsigned application, certificate of training from an Enhanced CWL class and driver’s license or ID card.

Renewal for any CWL - $38.00

No appointment is necessary. Bring in a completed, unsigned application and your old CWL. Your application will still need to be processed and another background check will be run.

Restrictions for Carrying a Concealed Weapon

Idaho Code 18-3302C (1) shall not: Carry a concealed weapon in a courthouse, juvenile detention facility or jail; public or private school, except as provided in subsection (4)(f) of section 18-3302D. Concealed weapons, per U.S. Code 930, are not allowed in Federal facilities, including the Post Office. The Enhanced Concealed Weapons License will still be needed to carry on a college campus, subject to restrictions (see Idaho Code 18-3309-2-a).

Do I need a Concealed Weapons License?

Idaho has two different concealed weapons licenses: The Standard Concealed Weapons License (CWL) and the Enhanced Concealed Weapons License (ECWL). As stated, you will still need the ECWL to carry on a college campus. When you travel out of state you will still need either the CWL or ECWL. The ECWL offers the carrying ability in more states. To see the list of states where each concealed permit is honored, click on the following link. A person twenty-one (21) years of age or older who presents a valid CWL or ECWL are exempt from any requirement to undergo a records check at the time of purchase or transfer of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer.

What are the age limits to get a Concealed Weapons License?

You have to be 21 years of age to obtain a concealed weapons license. Persons 18 - 20 years of age can obtain a Standard Underage CWL with the required training. 

The required training is the same as the Enhanced Concealed Weapons License training. The Underage CWL will be “easily distinguishable” from a Standard or Enhanced CWL, and will expire on their 21st birthday and renewal will be able to transfer to an Enhanced CWL. The underage CWL does not have the same reciprocity as a CWL or ECWL. Again, for college campuses you MUST have an ECWL to carry. The majority of other states do not honor concealed weapons licenses issued to those under 21, so you cannot use the Underage CWL outside of the state of Idaho.

Side note about Underage Concealed Permit: The underage concealed was developed and went into effect July 1, 2016. It was developed so those 18 to 20 could carry inside city limits in the state of Idaho. Since permit-less carry for those 18 to 20 years of age went into effect July 1, 2019, it has effectively rendered the underage concealed license useless. It cannot be used in firearms purchase, does not have the same reciprocity in other states as the standard or enhanced CWL, and is no longer needed to carry within the city limits. 

Which Concealed Weapons License Should I Get?

We have two different concealed weapons licenses in Idaho, Standard and Enhanced. Most people are applying for the Enhanced CWL. It is honored in more states than the Standard CWL and allows carrying on a college campus here in Idaho. Another consideration; if things likely become more stringent in state for residents, you are less likely to lose abilities with the enhanced vs. the standard. For those who have the standard CWL, you may want to consider upgrading to the enhanced so you have the most abilities in most places. The vast majority who hold the standard CWL are upgrading.