Q: How many hours of training are required to obtain a Concealed Carry License?
A: Sixteen hours of training, including a session at a gun range, are required. Credit may be given for prior training as specified in the Prior Training Credit document.
Q: How long is the Concealed Carry License valid?
A: Your CCL is good for 5 years.
Q: How much does it cost to obtain a Concealed Carry License?
A: The total cost would include training, State fee, and, optionally, fingerprints.
The cost of the training can vary greatly, possibly up to $300 or so.
In addition, the State of Illinois charges $150 for the CCL for Illinois residents
($300 for out of state residents).
Obtaining fingerprints is an additional cost of possibly up to $60.
Q: What does that on-line application for CCL look like? Is it complicated?
A: The Illinois State Police website has an on-line process to apply for CCL.
It's hard to see what the pages look like unless you are actually in the process of applying,
but the ISP has a PDF document to show you what to expect:
ISP CCL Overview: ispfsb.com/Public/Firearms/CCLOverview.pdf
Q: How long does it take to obtain a Concealed Carry License after my application has been submitted?
A: The State is given up to 90 days to issue, or deny, the CCL. An additional 30 days is allowed if electronic fingerprints are not submitted with the application.
Q: Where am I not permitted to carry my firearm?
A: In addition to schools, playgrounds, and on public transportation, there is a fairly lengthy list of places where you can not legally carry a firearm. The “Prohibited Areas” are listed in Section 65 of the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.
Q: Does my Illinois Concealed Carry License allow me to carry a firearm in other states?
A: Your Illinois CCL will also allow you to carry in other states that recognize it, approximately 20 other states currently. This is generally termed reciprocity - although Illinois does not yet recognize any other states. A couple of sites with reciprocity maps are USA Carry and the United States Concealed Carry Association. Note that laws do change, so you would need to verify current laws within each state.
Even if your CCL is recognized in another state, you still need to know the restrictions in that state, such as:
Whether you can carry it concealed, or if the firearm has to be carried openly
Whether an officer has to be notified during a traffic stop that you are carrying
What are the prohibited/restricted areas
Are there firearm restrictions such as a maximum magazine capacity or whether lasers are permitted
If your CCL is not recognized in a particular state, then you still need to check the laws in that state with regards to transporting firearms, such as whether it can simply be locked in the trunk, or if it has to be unloaded and/or in a locked case.
Additional CCL questions are posted on the ISP web site.