Bill Passes to Extend Expired Concealed Handgun Licenses During Pandemic Shutdown

House Bill 197, with an amendment to address Concealed Handgun License expirations, has unanimously passed in the House and Senate and now goes on to the Governor for his signature.

The legislation extends the expiration date of Ohio Concealed Handgun Licenses for 90 days if the expiration falls during the state of emergency in Ohio, declared by Executive Order 2020-01D, issued on March 9, 2020, but not beyond December 1, 2020.

Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) immediately alerted Governor DeWine and House and Senate leadership to this problem during the week of March 16 when we received reports of Sheriff offices shutting down due to health concerns over the coronavirus. BFA leaders got commitments from all parties to address the issue quickly as the state prepared to issue orders to shut down businesses and instruct people to stay home.

BFA thanks House Speaker Householder and Senate President Obhof for their leadership in addressing this problem quickly. We also appreciate Gov. DeWine's statement today that he looks forward to signing the bill soon.

Even with the extension for license deadlines, we advise you to renew your license as soon as possible. Don't wait for the last minute and face possible delays.

Some things to keep in mind:

• If the Sheriff in your county has temporarily suspended processing applications and renewals due to health concerns, or has limited hours for license processing, check with Sheriffs in adjacent counties.
• Remember that law enforcement in other states may not be aware of the expiration date extension for Ohio licenses. Use caution when traveling out of state with an expired Concealed Handgun License.
• Check out our Ohio CCW Information Center for additional information about applying for or renewing a license.