Key Takeaways
- As of June 12, 2026, West Virginia allows adults 18 and older to carry a concealed deadly weapon without a license.
- House Bill 4106, signed into law on April 1, 2026, amended previous laws and eliminated the age restriction for concealed carry.
- Individuals under 18 still cannot carry firearms, except for hunting with parental permission or in specific situations.
- The law maintains existing prohibitions for those with felony convictions, mental incompetency, or protective orders.
- You no longer need a license to carry concealed if you are 18 to 20 years old in West Virginia, but optional licenses remain available.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The change I wrote about this spring is now the law. As of June 12, 2026, any West Virginia adult 18 and older can carry a concealed deadly weapon without first getting a license.
That date marked 90 days from the passage of House Bill 4106, which Governor Patrick Morrisey signed on April 1, 2026. Both chambers cleared the final version on March 14.
Under the new statute, any West Virginian who is at least 18, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may now carry concealed without a permit. The state’s permitless carry framework used to start at 21.
HB 4106 did this by amending Section 61-7-7 of state code and repealing Section 61-7-3, the provision that had made it a crime for someone under 21 to carry concealed without a license. That offense no longer exists.
The law keeps every existing prohibition in place. Anyone convicted of a felony, subject to a qualifying domestic violence protective order, found mentally incompetent, or barred under federal law still cannot possess or carry a firearm. The federal bars in 18 U.S.C. 922(g) and (n) are written directly into the statute.
More from USA Carry:
Rules for those under 18 also stay intact. Minors who are not married or emancipated still cannot carry, with the long-standing exceptions for hunting, family property, and carrying with both parental and property-owner permission. A minor who violates that section can be adjudicated delinquent.
I see this as a straightforward correction. A 19-year-old adult has the same right to defend himself or herself as anyone older. Federal law already lets this age group buy and possess long guns, and West Virginia has now stopped treating young adults as second-class carriers.
If you are 18 to 20 and carrying in West Virginia, the change is live right now. You no longer need a license to carry concealed. Optional licenses are still available, and I would still recommend one if you travel, since reciprocity in other states depends on holding a permit.
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