Is it legal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit in downtown Chicago?

In downtown Chicago, as in the rest of Illinois, it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Illinois requires individuals who wish to carry concealed firearms to obtain a Concealed Carry License (CCL) from the Illinois State Police. This license is issued only after the applicant has completed a mandatory 16-hour training course that covers firearm safety, handling, and the legal aspects of firearm use in the state. Furthermore, the City of Chicago has additional ordinances that regulate firearms rigorously, reflecting its efforts to control gun violence and ensure public safety.

Trivia: Illinois was the last state in the United States to allow public concealed carry of firearms. It wasn’t until a 2012 federal appeals court ruling that the state’s ban on concealed carry was deemed unconstitutional, leading to the establishment of the Concealed Carry License system in 2013.