The number of Ohio residents renewing concealed carry licenses in 2021 set a new record.
County sheriffs issued 94,298 new handgun licenses in 2021–slightly fewer than the number issued the year before, according to an annual report on concealed carry by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
However, the number of licenses renewed was 50 percent higher than the 2020 total.
It went from 72,340 during 2020 to 108,622 renewals last year, the report stated.
Currently, permit holders who wish to renew their licenses must do so every five years.
The totals are based on statistics reported by county sheriffs to the attorney general, who is required by law to compile the annual report.
“Ohio’s concealed carry licensing system continues to succeed in both protecting the public and upholding Americans’ right to bear arms and safeguard themselves,” Mr. Yost said.
The attorney general also reports the number of regular licenses denied in 2021 rose significantly–50 percent–setting a record for the second consecutive year.
That number of denials went from 1,777 during 2020 to 2,668 last year.
The number of licenses renewed in 2020 dropped slightly from the year before, from 77,959 to 72,340, but it was still the third-highest annual total in the program’s history, Mr. Yost said.
Lucas County also saw an increase in renewals last year, as well as a demand for more new licenses.
Sheriff Mike Navarre’s office reported the following totals for 2021:
Licenses Issued–1,497
Licenses Renewed–1,730
Licenses Suspended–47
Licenses Revoked–5
Licenses Denied–202
In comparison, the categories for 2020 were:
Licenses Issued–1,119
Licenses Renewed–1,145
Licenses Suspended–44
Licenses Revoked–8
Licenses Denied–129
The 10 counties that issued the most new licenses last year were Franklin: 6,060; Lake: 6,047; Greene: 4,144; Ashland: 3,524; Portage: 3,441; Butler: 3,385; Stark: 3,183; Madison: 3,041; Geauga: 2,994; Clermont: 2,916.
Ohio residents can apply for a concealed carry license in their home county or a county sharing a border with their home, according to state law.
Statewide, the report showed 1,880 licenses were suspended across Ohio during 2021.
By law, sheriffs must immediately suspend a concealed handgun license upon notification that the licensee has been arrested or charged with certain offenses or if the licensee is the subject of a protection order issued by a court.
The license may be returned to the holder if he or she is found not guilty or the charges are dismissed.
Licenses were permanently revoked for 420 Ohioans last year–similar to 429 in 2020.
According to the attorney general’s office, a license may be revoked when the holder moves out of state, dies, cancels the license, is convicted of a disqualifying crime, or becomes subject to the law’s restrictions on mental illness or drug or alcohol dependency.
Sheriffs are not required to report the specific reason for a suspension or revocation.
New Safeguard on Stolen Guns
In 2021, Mr. Yost created the Ohio Stolen Gun Portal, a searchable website ohioat torneygeneral.gov/stolengun designed to increase public safety by helping to identify and recover stolen firearms.
“This new tool protects innocent buyers and traders, and provides opportunities to return stolen firearms to their rightful owners,” he said.
The portal, which contains information reported by law enforcement agencies throughout Ohio, updates every 24 hours to add the latest reports on stolen firearms and remove information on guns that were recovered.
“If you come across a gun listed in the database, notify your local law enforcement agency or the agency that originally reported the weapon stolen,” Mr. Yost said.
“This information should not be used as confirmation or probable cause that a firearm is stolen, nor should it be relied upon for any type of legal action.”
The identification number assigned to a particular gun by the manufacturer or owner may not be unique because duplicates may exist, he noted.
