Ohio Attorney General sees decline in issued CCW permits

MUSKINGUM CO., Ohio – The number of concealed carry permits issued in Ohio last year reached the lowest count in nearly a decade.

In 2019, 54,400 new licenses were issued. This is a 22% drop in comparison to 2018, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Sheriff Matt Lutz says the number has also decreased in Muskingum County.

“Starting in 2019, we issued 458 new permits compared to 669 the year before in ’18. So ours are down as well as far as newly issued permits. Our renewals were also down. We had a big number in ’18 of 1,026 and this year we only had about 718 of those that were renewed.”

Sheriff Lutz says if you have a license make sure to check the card for the expiration date. It expires based on when you were certified — not on your birthday.

“There’s a 30-day grace period there. That, you know, you want to be careful of. It’s just almost like your driver’s license. If you don’t renew that permit then you don’t have the right to carry that weapon concealed under current law.”