Ohio and New Mexico Sign Concealed Carry Reciprocity Agreement

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and New Mexico Department of Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Gorden E. Eden, Jr. have signed an agreement that permits reciprocity between their states for citizens who have valid concealed carry permits.

"I am pleased that this agreement between Ohio and New Mexico will allow Ohioans who have concealed carry permits the same rights to carry a concealed handgun in the State of New Mexico, as well as New Mexicans who have concealed carry permits to do the same in Ohio," said Attorney General DeWine.

Secretary Eden reiterated those remarks. "As proponents of the Second Amendment, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety is happy to extend concealed carry rights to licensed Ohioans, as those same rights are extended to licensed New Mexicans who visit Ohio."

Ohio law permits the Attorney General to enter into written agreements with other states whose laws are "substantially comparable" to Ohio's eligibility requirements for a license to carry a concealed handgun. In New Mexico, this authority falls under the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.

New Mexico's and Ohio's concealed carry laws are very similar to one another. Both states require a background check for long-term residents of their state or an FBI III check for short-term residents of their states, and both require training in order to be eligible for a concealed carry license.

Concealed carry permit holders will be required to comply with all of the other state's laws regarding possession, transportation, storage and use of concealed weapons and all other applicable laws except those regarding issuance, suspension, revocation and renewal of concealed weapons licenses, which remain within the power of the issuing state.

Each state will make its verification system available to the other to be able to check the status of the other state's concealed carry licenses.

The agreement remains in force unless statutory authority for it is withdrawn by either of the state's legislatures or terminated in writing by either party upon 30 days notice.

With this signing, Ohio and New Mexico each now have reciprocity agreements with 22 states.