Many Virginia Concealed Carry Permits Going To Out-Of-State Residents

Virginia is issuing a growing number of concealed-carry gun permits to people who live in other states.

Many of the permits are being issued to people who take an online gun class. Users are required to correctly answer 15 out of 20 true false questions. Pass the test, and a certificate is issued that's mailed to Virginia state police who then run a background check on the applicant.

Critics charge that the commercial course allows applicants to seek a permit without having to meet tougher requirements, such as firing a gun with an instructor. The permit is valid in 26 states.

Virginia State Police issued 1,632 concealed-carry permits to nonresidents through the first half of this year, topping last year's total of 1,321 nonresident permits.

Officials admit there are no accurate numbers on how many of the permits are issued through the online course because right now state police don't record what type of training is used to obtain the license.

The Virginia General Assembly amended the state conceal carry law in 2009 to allow the online training, overriding a veto on the measure by then-Governor Tim Kaine.