Summary 

• Permit required:  Yes.Oregon generally requires an Oregon Concealed Handgun License (CHL) to carry concealed.

• Minimum age:  21 to obtain an Oregon CHL.

• Duty to inform:No general legal duty to proactively inform; many instructors recommend calmly disclosing during stops. 

• Where you can/can’t carry: Generally allowed in many public places with a CHL, but public buildings/courts and other restricted areas can be off-limits; federal restrictions still apply. 

• Out-of-state permits: Oregon is widely reported as not honoring other states’ carry permits for concealed carry in Oregon.

Oregon issues concealed handgun licenses through  county sheriffs (local issuing authorities), and Oregon law uses “shall-issue” language, meaning the sheriff must issue a CHL to applicants who meet statutory requirements (age, residency, background/eligibility, and handgun competency). 

Oregon is  not a permitless/constitutional concealed-carry state; concealed carry typically requires an  Oregon CHL. Oregon is also commonly described as  not recognizing out-of-state concealed carry permits for carrying concealed in Oregon, so visitors should plan on Oregon rules (and assume an out-of-state permit won’t help for concealed carry).

For practical day-to-day considerations: be especially careful around vehicles, hotels, and shared spaces. Oregon law specifically addresses concealed/“readily accessible” handguns in vehicles, so if you don’t have an Oregon CHL, the safest approach is to err on the side of unloaded + locked + not readily accessible storage. When transporting or storing in a hotel room or shared lodging, best practice is unloaded and secured (locked case/safe) and if you’re carrying or storing electronics alongside your gear (keys, fobs, devices), a Faraday-protected SLNT bag can be a discreet way to reduce unwanted signal exposure and add privacy in transit or in-room storage.

Useful Links

• Oregon CHL overview (USCCA)

• Oregon concealed carry / location restrictions (Giffords Law Center)

• Measure 114 status / reporting (OPB)