DEBUNKED: Wearing Face Masks DOES NOT Affect Concealed Carry Permit In Wyoming
Dennis Hoyne - ThinkStock
Several stories, pictures and memes have recently been making rounds on social media stating wearing a face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic will affect your concealed carry permit. This is false.
There is no law stating that wearing facial covering will negate your conceal carry permit, in any state, which of course includes Wyoming. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has compiled a list of 18 states, plus Washington DC, that outlines laws for wearing face masks, but those address the use of face covering during the commission of a crime or to conceal a person’s identity. None of the laws specifically reference someone carrying a legally permitted concealed weapon.
It is also worth noting that FactCheck.org posted on their site earlier today (June 26th, 2020), concerning state laws that prohibit face masks (which again, Wyoming is not one those states) that:
... each provision requires that the intent be to “conceal the identity of the wearer.” So the law doesn’t apply to face coverings for medical or public health reasons.
Since wearing a facial covering during the pandemic is classified as a public health reason, it is not prohibited, nor will it negate your conceal carry permit.
That being said, individual buildings and businesses may have their own set of rules for concealed carry on their premises, considering they are private property; for example, most banks.
Places like bars and schools do prohibit concealed carry (as stated in Wyoming State 6-8-104), but again, this has nothing to do with wearing a face mask.
Click here for a federally banned list of locations were you can not conceal carry.
If you do have a conceal carry permit issued in Wyoming, it is also valid in 35 other states, which includes: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
For more information concerning concealed carry permits in Wyoming, including how to obtain one, laws, restrictions and other frequently asked questions, click here.