Kentucky’s license to carry concealed deadly weapons law became effective October

1, 1996 and is contained in KRS 237.110 through 237.136. The following summarizes

the main provisions of the current law and includes the 1998, 2000 and 2002 amendments.

I. Deadly Weapons

The term includes items such as bombs, handguns and other firearms, knives (other than ordinary pocket knives and hunting knives), police batons, clubs, blackjacks, slapjacks, nunchaku karate sticks, shurikens or death stars, and artificial knuckles. (See KRS 500.080.)

II. License Requirements

To get a license a person must:

• Be at least 21 years old; and
• Have been a Kentucky resident for at least the last six months before applying.

A person is not eligible to get a license if that person:

• Is ineligible to possess a firearm under KRS 527.040 (Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon).

• Is ineligible to possess a firearm under federal law (18 U.S.C. sec. 922(d)(1) or (g)), which applies to any person who:

(1) is under indictment for or has been convicted of any felony;
(2) is a fugitive from justice;
(3) is an unlawful user of or is addicted to controlled substances;
(4) has been judged by a court to be mentally defective or has been involuntarily committed to a mental institution;
(5) is an illegal alien;
(6) has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions;
(7) has renounced United States citizenship;
(8) is currently subject to a domestic violence protective order; or
(9) has been convicted by any court of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

For this law to apply, the possession must be in, or affecting, interstate or foreign commerce. Most firearm possession situations meet this requirement.

Within the preceding three years:

• Has been committed for abuse of controlled substances or has been convicted of a misdemeanor involving controlled substances;
• Has two or more convictions for motor vehicle DUI or has been committed for alcoholism;
• Has been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent or has been involuntarily committed to a mental institution; or
• Has been convicted of the misdemeanor of Assault in the Fourth Degree or Terroristic Threatening

After a license has been issued, if any of the above takes place, the license will be suspended or revoked.