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KIRKSVILLE, MO --     
New laws are in place when it comes to carrying a concealed weapon.
    
The age to apply for a CCW permit was lowered from 23 to 21.
    
In addition to taking the already required eight hour training course, applicants must now complete 50 rounds of live exercise from a revolver and a semi-automatic handgun.
    
All concealed carry permits are issued or denied through the sheriff's office.

“We go over every one of them and look at every one of them in depth and determine if this meets the state statute requirements and if they do then we're obligated by state statute to issue it, and if they don't meet the state criteria, then we always notify the applicant of the circumstances if it was denied,” said Adair County Sheriff Robert Hardwick.

Providing false information on your application about past training is now considered a class C misdemeanor.

Hardwick says his office has issued more than 500 permits over the last year and a half.