Why Can an 18-Year-Old Open Carry in Ohio But Not Get a Concealed Carry License? This Bill Would Change That

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COLUMBUS, OH — State Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, introduced Senate Bill 392 on March 23, 2026, a measure that would lower the minimum age to obtain a concealed weapons license in Ohio from 21 to 18. The bill, known as the Freedom to Carry Act, also addresses long gun transportation rules that currently expose hunters and sportsmen to felony charges.

The bill was introduced alongside co-lead sponsor Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, and six Republican co-sponsors.

18-Year-Olds Can Already Carry — Just Not Concealed

Under current Ohio law, adults aged 18 to 20 have the legal right to possess and openly carry firearms. What they cannot do is obtain a concealed weapons license. The Freedom to Carry Act would close that gap, giving adults who are already legally allowed to carry a firearm the option to do so concealed.

Cutrona framed the change as a matter of consistency. Adults aged 18 to 20 can vote, serve in the military, and legally own and openly carry firearms in Ohio. Requiring them to wait until 21 to carry concealed creates an uneven standard that the bill would correct.

Bringing Ohio in Line With Federal Law

The bill also tackles a separate but related problem with how Ohio handles long gun transportation. Under current state law, transporting a shotgun or rifle in a vehicle with ammunition in or near the gun can result in an improper handling charge, a fourth-degree felony carrying up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. That charge can apply even to licensed carriers.

According to the Review Online, Cutrona put the problem plainly: “If you’re pulled over going from one property to another to go hunting, it’s a felony if you are transporting long guns in a certain way.”

“We’re fixing an issue that law-abiding citizens are experiencing,” Cutrona told the Review Online. “We have a lot of outdated policies and we need to get them in sync with federal laws. We’re trying to avoid people unintentionally breaking the law.”

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NFA Weapons Also Addressed

The Senate bill goes further than a similar House bill introduced last October, which was referred to the Public Safety Committee and has not yet received a hearing. Cutrona’s version also addresses recent federal changes involving National Firearms Act weapons such as short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns. The bill aims to ensure Ohio does not punish lawful NFA owners beyond what federal law already requires.

Broad License Rename and Expansion

The Freedom to Carry Act also renames Ohio’s existing “concealed handgun license” to a “concealed weapons license” and expands it to cover legal deadly weapons beyond handguns. The change aligns the formal license with the broader carry rights that qualifying adults already exercise under Ohio’s permitless carry law.

Early Momentum in the Senate

Cutrona told the Review Online the bill has received “excellent feedback” from his Senate colleagues and that hearings are expected soon. “It’s getting a lot of good traction,” he said.

He added: “Updating state firearm laws ensures that Ohio’s Second Amendment rights will continue to be among the strongest in the nation. This piece of legislation protects law-abiding citizens and their Second Amendment rights while working to modernize Ohio’s gun laws and bring our state standards into harmony.”

The Second Amendment does not assign rights based on age brackets. An 18-year-old in Ohio can already carry a firearm openly and serve in uniform overseas. Requiring that same adult to wait three more years to carry concealed is an inconsistency that has no constitutional foundation. The Freedom to Carry Act corrects that and reinforces what Ohio’s gun laws should already reflect: that lawful adults deserve equal access to their rights.