Key changes to North Carolina gun laws & regulations in 2025

This collection of stories explores significant incidences, changes and debates around North Carolina's gun regulations in 2025.

The NC House advanced a bill that would create a lifetime concealed-carry permit, eliminating the need for repeated renewals. Another proposed measure would remove the current requirement for concealed-carry permits entirely, and would lower the legal age from 21 to 18.

Governor Josh Stein vetoed an effort to end the concealed permit mandate, citing safety and law enforcement concerns. Lawmakers also voted to let private-school teachers carry guns on campus, and addressed issues such as mental health interventions involving armed individuals.

Recent stories detail cases of teens charged with attempted murder after firing at troopers, as well as incidents involving armed carjackings and a man arrested for a series of armed robberies.

Read the stories below.

The shooting happened around 3:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, at the Walmart on Fayetteville Road in Lumberton, about a 95-mile drive south from Raleigh.

NO. 1: TEEN ACCUSED OF KILLING NC WALMART CUSTOMER ARRESTED NEARLY 900 MILES AWAY, COPS SAY

An informant told cops where to look, officials say. | Published January 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mark Price

Durham police say two people are now in custody after a search for suspects in a weekend incident where shots were fired at a state trooper in Orange County, Durham police said.

NO. 2: 2 YOUNG TEENS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER SHOTS FIRED AT TROOPER IN ORANGE COUNTY

It all began Saturday when hots were fired at a state trooper chasing teenagers in a stolen car going over 100 mph. | Published January 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by staff reports

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an officer-involved shooting on Feb. 4 after a man was shot by deputies as they were trying to deescalate a situation.

NO. 3: SUICIDAL MAN SHOT BY JOHNSTON COUNTY DEPUTIES WHEN HE REFUSED TO DROP GUNS, SHERIFF SAYS

Johnston County deputies were dispatched to the man’s home where they say he was found with multiple guns. | Published February 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Kristen Johnson

A Durham man was charged Friday with attempted murder and other offenses stemming from a Jan. 25 high-speed chase in Chapel Hill during which shots were fired at an N.C. Highway Patrol trooper.

NO. 4: 3RD YOUNG MAN CHARGED WITH TRYING TO KILL NC TROOPER IN CHAPEL HILL CHASE, SHOOTING

Two juvenile suspects were arrested in January, shortly after the I-40 chase involving a stolen car. | Published March 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Tammy Grubb

Police have arrested a juvenile suspect in connection with the April 5 armed carjacking involving a UNC student in downtown Chapel Hill and an April 2 carjacking in downtown Carrboro. More arrests are possible, police said.

NO. 5: 16-YEAR-OLD ARRESTED IN ARMED CARJACKINGS IN DOWNTOWN CHAPEL HILL, CARRBORO

The investigation is continuing and could result in more charges and arrests, Carrboro police said. | Published April 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Tammy Grubb

A man will spend years in federal prison after robbing multiple Wake County pharmacies with a handgun, federal officials said.

NO. 6: HE ROBBED DOZENS OF NC STORES. HOW WAKE COUNTY PHARMACIES LED TO HIS ARREST

Marvin Rashaad Cummings was convicted of robbing Walgreens and CVS stores. His sentence was announced Monday. | Published April 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Lexi Solomon

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 would require any state that issues permits for carrying concealed weapons to recognize concealed-carry permits issued by other states -- even if those states have different eligibility and training requirements and less stringent restrictions on gun ownership. By Vadym Sarakhan/Dreamstime

NO. 7: NC SENATE VOTES TO LET PRIVATE-SCHOOL TEACHERS CARRY GUNS. HOW IT WOULD WORK.

Republicans killed several Democratic amendments. One would have prevented private schools from requiring a concealed carry permit as a condition of employment. | Published May 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by T. Keung Hui

The North Carolina Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh on Oct. 19, 2023, where hundreds of people work. By Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan

NO. 8: NC HOUSE VOTES TO LOOSEN GUN RESTRICTIONS WITH LIFETIME CONCEALED-CARRY PERMIT

The House passed a lifetime concealed-carry permit bill on Wednesday, sending it to the Senate. | Published May 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan

House Bill 189 would repeal the concealed carry permit law and lower the age for when it becomes legal to carry a concealed weapon from 21 to 18. By Travis Long

NO. 9: IT’S LEGAL TO CARRY A HANDGUN IN NC WITHOUT A PERMIT, BUT ONLY IN SOME CASES

North Carolina has laws about who can carry guns, whether openly or concealed, and when. Here’s an overview. | Published June 12, 2025 | Read Full Story by Renee Umsted

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein says the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season starts with more uncertainty than usual because of questions around federal funding for NOAA, which predicts hurricanes, and FEMA, which helps pay for recovery after a storm hits. By Robert Willett

NO. 10: DEMOCRATIC NC GOV. JOSH STEIN VETOES BILL TO END CONCEALED GUN PERMIT MANDATE

Gov. Josh Stein vetoed a Republican bill allowing people to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. | Published June 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan

NO. 11: NC LAWMAKERS CONSIDERING REDUCING PUBLIC ACCESS TO AUTOPSIES IN CRIMINAL CASES

Prosecutors say limiting public release of death records could allow for fairer trials. News outlets contend the records could be sealed forever. | Published June 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dan Kane

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.