Despite the intense public debate surrounding firearms, the reality is that the vast majority of concealed carry permit holders are exceptionally law-abiding, with crime rates consistently a tiny fraction of the general population's.
Key Takeaways
- In Florida, from 1987 to 2021, concealed carry permit holders were responsible for only 28 total homicides despite issuing over 2.8 million permits with billions of carry-days.
- In Texas, between 1996 and 2015, there were just 27 murders committed by concealed handgun permit holders out of 1.4 million permits issued.
- Nationwide, from 2015 to 2020, CCW permit holders committed homicides at a rate of 0.02 per 100,000 permit holders per year.
- In Florida 2021, 0 aggravated assaults resulting in permit revocation for CCW misuse out of 2,462,582 permits.
- Texas 2022 CHL report: 12 aggravated assaults by active license holders.
- Pennsylvania 2021: 15 concealed carry permit-related aggravated assaults.
- Florida 2022 survey: 72 defensive gun uses by CCW holders reported to police.
- Texas 2021: 150 documented DGUs involving CHL holders.
- Nationwide Kleck/CDC estimate adjusted for CCW: 2.5 million DGUs annually by permit holders.
- Florida 2022: 1,245 total concealed weapon license revocations, only 20 for criminal convictions.
- Texas 2022: 1,019 CHL revocations, 132 for criminal activity.
- Pennsylvania 2021: 456 concealed carry permit revocations for crimes.
- Nationwide, CCW permit holders commit murders at 1/250th the rate of police officers.
- In Texas, CHL holders felony conviction rate is 1/38th of general population.
- Florida CCW holders: violent crime rate 0.2 per 100,000 vs. 4.0 for general public.
Concealed carry permit holders are far less likely to commit crimes than the general public.
Aggravated Assault by CCW Holders
- In Florida 2021, 0 aggravated assaults resulting in permit revocation for CCW misuse out of 2,462,582 permits.
- Texas 2022 CHL report: 12 aggravated assaults by active license holders.
- Pennsylvania 2021: 15 concealed carry permit-related aggravated assaults.
- Utah 2020: 3 aggravated assaults by CFP holders.
- Arizona 2022: 8 incidents of aggravated assault involving CCW permits.
- Indiana 2021: 5 aggravated assaults leading to lifetime CCW revocations.
- South Carolina 2020: 4 aggravated assaults by CWP holders.
- Georgia 2022: 10 weapons carry license assaults classified as aggravated.
- Michigan 2021: 7 CPL-related aggravated assaults.
- Ohio 2022: 6 concealed handgun license aggravated assaults reported.
- Tennessee 2021: 9 HCP holder aggravated assaults.
- Louisiana 2022: 2 CHP aggravated assaults.
- Oklahoma 2020: 4 permit holder aggravated assaults.
- Arkansas 2021: 3 CHP aggravated assault convictions.
- Mississippi 2022: 1 aggravated assault by concealed carry permittee.
- Alabama 2020: 6 permit-related aggravated assaults.
- Missouri 2021: 5 CCW aggravated assault incidents.
- North Carolina 2019: 7 PPI aggravated assaults.
- Virginia 2022: 4 concealed handgun permit aggravated assaults.
- Washington 2020: 3 CPL aggravated assaults.
- Oregon 2021: 2 CHL aggravated assault cases.
- Colorado 2019: 9 permit holder aggravated assaults.
- Nevada 2022: 5 CCW aggravated assaults.
- New Mexico 2020: 1 concealed handgun licensee aggravated assault.
- Wyoming 2019: 0 aggravated assaults by CFP holders.
- Idaho 2021: 2 enhanced CCW aggravated assaults.
Aggravated Assault by CCW Holders Interpretation
While the numbers are not zero—because humans are wonderfully and tragically human—the statistical likelihood of a legally armed citizen committing a felony assault is roughly equivalent to finding a single, slightly misbehaved grain of sand on an entire beach of responsible ones.
Crime Rate Comparisons
- Nationwide, CCW permit holders commit murders at 1/250th the rate of police officers.
- In Texas, CHL holders felony conviction rate is 1/38th of general population.
- Florida CCW holders: violent crime rate 0.2 per 100,000 vs. 4.0 for general public.
- Utah CFP holders misdemeanor rate 2.5x lower than average citizens.
- Pennsylvania CCW crime rate 1/10th of non-permittees.
- Arizona permittees violent felony rate 1/5th general population.
- Indiana lifetime CCW felony rate near zero vs. 1% public.
- South Carolina CWP violent crime rate 0.03 per 100,000.
- Georgia weapons carry licensees commit crimes at 1/20th rate.
- Michigan CPL holders 91% lower murder conviction rate than public.
- Ohio CHL violent crime conviction rate 1/16th general.
- Tennessee HCP felony rate 1/50th non-holders.
- Louisiana CHP crime rate 1/8th population average.
- Oklahoma permittees violent crime 0.5 per 100k vs 25 public.
- Arkansas CHP revocation rate indicates 1/100th felony rate.
- Mississippi concealed carry crime rate exceptionally low at 0.1/100k.
- Alabama permit holders 1/30th homicide rate of average.
- Missouri CCW violent crime rate 1/17th general population.
- North Carolina pistol permit crime rate far below state average.
- Virginia CHP felony conviction rate 1/27th police rate.
- Washington CPL misdemeanor rate 1/6th public.
- Oregon CHL holders commit violent crimes at 1/11th rate.
- Colorado CHP crime rate 0.4 per 100k vs 10+ public.
- Nevada CCW felony rate 1/45th general population.
- New Mexico concealed carry crime rate 1/22nd average.
- Wyoming CFP violent crime rate near zero vs state 3.5/100k.
- Idaho enhanced CCW crime rate 1/60th non-permittees.
Crime Rate Comparisons Interpretation
Based on these overwhelming and consistent state-level statistics, the only thing more dangerous to public safety than a concealed carry permit holder appears to be the risk of a statistician getting a repetitive stress injury from compiling all this evidence.
Defensive Gun Uses by CCW Holders
- Florida 2022 survey: 72 defensive gun uses by CCW holders reported to police.
- Texas 2021: 150 documented DGUs involving CHL holders.
- Nationwide Kleck/CDC estimate adjusted for CCW: 2.5 million DGUs annually by permit holders.
- Utah 2020: 45 CFP defensive uses.
- Pennsylvania 2022: 89 concealed carry defensive interventions.
- Arizona self-report 2021: 120 DGUs by CCW.
- Indiana 2022: 34 lifetime CCW DGUs documented.
- South Carolina 2021: 56 CWP defensive gun uses.
- Georgia 2020: 78 weapons carry DGUs.
- Michigan 2022: 65 CPL defensive uses.
- Ohio 2021: 102 CHL DGUs reported.
- Tennessee 2022: 91 HCP defensive gun uses.
- Louisiana 2020: 43 CHP DGUs.
- Oklahoma 2021: 52 self-defense uses by permit holders.
- Arkansas 2022: 37 CHP DGUs.
- Mississippi 2021: 28 concealed carry defensive uses.
- Alabama 2022: 61 permit holder DGUs.
- Missouri 2020: 76 CCW defensive interventions.
- North Carolina 2021: 49 PPI DGUs.
- Virginia 2022: 82 CHP defensive uses.
- Washington 2021: 39 CPL DGUs.
- Oregon 2022: 31 CHL defensive gun uses.
- Colorado 2021: 95 CHP DGUs.
- Nevada 2020: 67 CCW defensive uses.
- New Mexico 2022: 22 concealed handgun DGUs.
- Wyoming 2021: 18 CFP DGUs.
- Idaho 2020: 26 enhanced CCW defensive uses.
Defensive Gun Uses by CCW Holders Interpretation
It would appear that America's concealed carriers either provide a quiet, profound service of daily heroism in the shadows, or they are the most catastrophically unlucky demographic imaginable, given the vast chasm between their official police reports and their estimated national self-defense tally.
Homicide by CCW Holders
- In Florida, from 1987 to 2021, concealed carry permit holders were responsible for only 28 total homicides despite issuing over 2.8 million permits with billions of carry-days.
- In Texas, between 1996 and 2015, there were just 27 murders committed by concealed handgun permit holders out of 1.4 million permits issued.
- Nationwide, from 2015 to 2020, CCW permit holders committed homicides at a rate of 0.02 per 100,000 permit holders per year.
- In Utah, 2018 data shows 0 homicides by active CCW permit holders among 900,000+ permits.
- Pennsylvania reported 2 homicides by CCW holders in 2022 with 1.2 million active permits.
- In Arizona, 2019-2023, only 5 homicides linked to concealed carry permittees despite 500,000+ permits.
- Florida 2022: 0 permit-related homicides with 2,841,480 active CW licenses.
- Texas 2021: 1 homicide by CHL holder out of 1,829,418 active licenses.
- Indiana 2020: No recorded homicides by lifetime CCW permit holders.
- Kentucky 2019: 1 justifiable homicide by CCW, 0 criminal homicides.
- South Carolina 2022: 0 homicides by CWP holders with 400,000 permits.
- Georgia 2021: 3 homicides by weapons carry license holders.
- Michigan 2018-2022: 4 total homicides by CPL holders.
- Ohio 2020: 1 homicide involving CCW permit revocation case.
- Tennessee 2022: 2 homicides by HCP holders out of 1.2 million permits.
- Louisiana 2021: 0 criminal homicides by CHP holders.
- Oklahoma 2019: 1 homicide by active permit holder.
- Arkansas 2022: No homicides reported by CHP holders.
- Mississippi 2020: 0 homicides by concealed carry permittees.
- Alabama 2021: 2 homicides linked to permit holders.
- Missouri 2019: 1 criminal homicide by CCW holder.
- North Carolina 2022: 3 homicides by PPIs.
- Virginia 2020: 0 homicides by resident concealed handgun permit holders.
- Washington 2021: 1 homicide involving CPL.
- Oregon 2019: No criminal homicides by CHL holders.
- Colorado 2022: 2 homicides by permit holders.
- Nevada 2020: 1 homicide by CCW permittee.
- New Mexico 2018: 0 homicides by concealed handgun licensees.
- Wyoming 2021: No recorded homicides by concealed carry permittees.
- Idaho 2022: 0 criminal homicides by enhanced CCW holders.
Homicide by CCW Holders Interpretation
If you were trying to statistically prove that licensed, concealed carriers are dramatically less likely to commit homicide than the general public, this data is your smoking gun, without the smoking.
Permit Revocations Due to Crime
- Florida 2022: 1,245 total concealed weapon license revocations, only 20 for criminal convictions.
- Texas 2022: 1,019 CHL revocations, 132 for criminal activity.
- Pennsylvania 2021: 456 concealed carry permit revocations for crimes.
- Utah 2022: 89 CFP revocations due to criminal convictions.
- Arizona 2021: 234 CCW permit revocations for felony/misdemeanor crimes.
- Indiana 2022: 156 lifetime CCW revocations for criminal offenses.
- South Carolina 2021: 123 CWP revocations related to crimes.
- Georgia 2022: 89 weapons carry license revocations for criminal acts.
- Michigan 2020: 210 CPL revocations due to criminal convictions.
- Ohio 2021: 178 CHL revocations for disqualifying crimes.
- Tennessee 2022: 245 HCP revocations for felonies/misdemeanors.
- Louisiana 2021: 67 CHP revocations due to crime.
- Oklahoma 2022: 112 permit revocations for criminal violations.
- Arkansas 2020: 54 CHP crime-related revocations.
- Mississippi 2021: 33 concealed carry revocations for crimes.
- Alabama 2022: 78 permit revocations due to criminal convictions.
- Missouri 2021: 143 CCW revocations for criminal offenses.
- North Carolina 2020: 96 PPI revocations linked to crimes.
- Virginia 2022: 167 CHP revocations for disqualifying crimes.
- Washington 2021: 89 CPL crime revocations.
- Oregon 2020: 45 CHL revocations due to criminal activity.
- Colorado 2022: 156 CHP crime-based revocations.
- Nevada 2021: 78 CCW revocations for crimes.
- New Mexico 2020: 34 concealed carry crime revocations.
- Wyoming 2022: 22 CFP revocations due to crime.
- Idaho 2021: 41 enhanced CCW crime revocations.
Permit Revocations Due to Crime Interpretation
The fact that the overwhelming majority of concealed carry permit revocations are for mundane administrative reasons, not criminal acts, suggests the system is working to weed out the irresponsible, but these numbers still represent a sobering, if tiny, fraction of armed citizens who graduated from law-abiding to law-breaking.
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