Texas and Wisconsin to recognize Ohio concealed handgun licenses issued on or after 3/23/15

Editor's Note: This article has been corrected to reflect the latest information on New Hampshire.

On March 23, 2015, the date House Bill 243 went into effect, Attorney General Mike DeWine issued a press release announcing that Ohioans with concealed handgun licenses will be able to use those licenses "in five additional states."

Pursuant to changes adopted in House Bill 234 of the 130th General Assembly, Ohio now has concealed carry permit reciprocity with Colorado, Georgia, New Hampshire, Texas, and Wisconsin.

But the devil is, as they say, in the details.

Some states, such as Colorado, Georgia and New Hampshire automatically accept another state’s license, as long as the other state accepts their license. Therefore, since Ohio began accepting those states' licenses beginning March 23, 2015, those states automatically began accepting Ohio licenses as well.

However, those concerned about following the law have been reticent to travel to Texas and Wisconsin on their Ohio license until the formal reciprocity agreements were made public, especially given the knowledge that Ohio's previous background check had been considered inadequate by those states. Many had been cautioning that it was likely that only licenses issued after March 23, 2015 would be accepted by these states, and indeed, that is now confirmed to be the case for both Wisconsin and Texas.

A signed letter from Wisconsin, dated March 24 and posted on the Attorney General's website, confirms the Badger State will only accept Ohio CHLs issued on or after March 23, 2015:

We have reviewed the legislation you attached and are pleased to announce that Ohio's CCW licenses issued on or after March 23, 2015 are comparable to the Wisconsin background check for concealed carry licenses. Ohio licenses issued on or after March 23, 2015 will be honored in Wisconsin pursuant to s. 165.25 (16) Wis. Stats.

Buckeye Firearms Association is now in receipt of the signed Texas reciprocity agreement dated April 28, 2014, and the Lone Star State, like Wisconsin, has announced that it will only accept Ohio CHLs issued on or after March 23, 2015:

The State of Texas shall give full faith and credit to a valid concealed handgun license issued by the State of Ohio on or after March 23, 2015.

The agreement is expected to be made public on the Attorney General's website in the near future.

Gun owners must comply with the laws of the state they are living or visiting. As always, it is the responsibility of each individual to know, understand and follow all applicable laws relating to the ownership, transportation, and use of firearms.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary, BFA PAC Vice Chairman, and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.

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