(KAIR)--The number of Kansans applying for new concealed carry licenses declined in the recently ended 2022 fiscal year, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Tuesday.  

Between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, the attorney general’s Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 4,544 new applications, a decline from 7,717 applications received in the previous fiscal year.

The licensing program began in 2006, and a legislative change in 2015 allows eligible Kansans age 21 and over to carry concealed without a license.  

The 2021 Kansas Legislature authorized a new provisional license available for individuals between 18-20 years of age. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit issued 305 provisional licenses to applicants aged 18-20 during the 2022 fiscal year.  

Most Kansans who already have licenses are choosing to keep their licenses active. The Concealed Carry Licensing Unit received 15,169 renewal applications during the 2022 fiscal year.  

Licenses are still required in most states, and Kansas licenses are currently recognized in 40 states.