(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray today announced that Ohio’s county sheriffs issued a record number of concealed handgun licenses last year.

In 2009 the total number of handgun licenses issued to Ohioans was 56,691, well above the previous high of 45,497, set in 2004 when the concealed handgun law first went into effect.

“If there's something to take away from these numbers, it is that more and more Ohioans are comfortable exercising the right to carry concealed handguns,” said Attorney General Cordray. “We are pleased that we have a strong partnership with the county sheriffs who issue concealed handgun licenses, and we will continue to work together to help eligible Ohioans take advantage of this law.”

The number of licenses issued each year since Ohio’s concealed carry law went into effect in April 2004 is as follows:
 
2004:  45,497
2005:  22,487
2006:  18,781
2007:  22,103
2008:  33,864
2009:  56,691
 
The Attorney General’s Office compiles a summary report about the number of licenses issued each year based upon data provided by county sheriffs as required by law. Each sheriff must report concealed handgun license statistics quarterly to the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

To read the 2009 report, which includes county-by-county concealed handgun statistics, visit www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/2009ConcealedHandgunReport.

The Attorney General’s Office maintains these statistics online in addition to other resources such as a description of states that have concealed carry reciprocity agreements with Ohio, copies of license applications and a manual on the concealed carry law. To learn more about Ohio’s concealed carry laws, go to www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/ConcealedCarry.
 

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