The strategy behind holding multiple broad-based CCW permits like PA, UT & AZ has several dimensions, and the reasons to hold more than one CCW permit are as follows:
1) It broadens your carry map by adding unique states that are not covered under your other permits (UT, FL &AZ permits often add several states to your carry)
2) It reduces the possibility that you will lose carry privileges in a particular state if one or more of your permits loses reciprocity with that state. (States frequently add and drop other states permits from their CCW reciprocity maps.) By holding multiple permits that cover a particular state (say Ohio) you could still carry in Ohio under your UT and AZ permits if OH ever reversed the decision to honor your home state’s permit.)
3) It can increase the number of contiguous states available to the permit holder to carry in so they may conceal carry throughout most of the continental US without stopping, unloading, and securing guns for transport through states where they do not enjoy CCW reciprocity for states with limited reciprocity, like NY or OR.
4) It maximizes the benefit of your investment of time and money into your CCW training by getting the maximum number of permits available from one training session.
5) It increases your credibility regarding your concealed carry privileges during encounters with law enforcement. Presenting multiple valid CCW permits in encounters with law enforcement officers tends to smooth out those interactions, as they know you have been trained and vetted by multiple state agencies. Having multiple permits to carry in a particular state ensures that the officer knows you have the standing to carry from multiple authorities so he or she is the less likely to challenge the validity of a particular permit.
6) It minimizes your permit expiration risk. By holding multiple permits you can shield yourself from having your “single” permit expire and still carry legally under your other permits should you make a human mistake and forget to renew your permit(s) timely. This is also called “oops” insurance.
7) The more permits that are held by the public, the greater the political clout of concealed carriers in general. As more US citizens actively seek conceal carry permits is creates a tangible demonstration of responsible, law-abiding citizens who value the second amendment.
The benefit of adding the Arizona, Florida and/or Utah permits to (for example) your PA (or another home state) permit is that those permits are widely honored, have a relatively stable carry maps, add several states to the PA permit holder’s carry map (WA, NV, NM, NE, DE) and are also relatively inexpensive to obtain and maintain. We believe this is very a strong, broad and relatively economical combined permit strategy for most concealed carry permit holders.
