Young adults in Kentucky will be able to apply for concealed carry permits for the first time under a new law taking effect Tuesday, expanding gun rights to 18- to 20-year-olds who previously were barred from obtaining such licenses.

The law allows individuals in that age range to apply for provisional concealed carry licenses, marking a significant shift in Kentucky's firearms regulations. Previously, concealed carry permits in the state were limited to adults 21 and older.

Kentucky has long maintained some of the nation's most permissive gun laws. The state allows constitutional carry, meaning residents can carry concealed weapons without a permit, though many still obtain licenses for reciprocity purposes with other states.

The provisional license expansion comes as debates over gun rights continue across the country. Kentucky lawmakers have consistently moved to broaden access to firearms, with the state having no waiting periods for gun purchases and relatively minimal restrictions on who can carry weapons.

Individuals seeking the new provisional concealed carry licenses will need to meet the application requirements established by Kentucky law enforcement authorities. The specific restrictions or requirements for 18- to 20-year-old permit holders, if any, were not immediately detailed in the law's implementation announcement.

The expansion represents one of the few remaining age-based restrictions Kentucky has placed on concealed carry rights, bringing the state closer to allowing unrestricted access to permits across a broader age range of adults.