After years of efforts at passing concealed carry legislation (thwarted twice by then-Governor Doyle), my home state of Wisconsin was the second-to-last state (behind Illinois) to permit concealed carry in November of 2011. Applications—my own included—flooded the State Department of Justice, and before the law was yet a year in effect, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced hiring on additional staff to aid in processing permits.
The Wisconsin law establishes a shall issue system that allows residents of at least 21 years of age, able to pass a background check, and with proof of completing approved training, to pay a fee for their background check ($13) and their license (originally $50, that has since dropped to only $40), to receive a concealed carry permit valid for five years. It also established reciprocation, that is, recognizing CCW permits from other states, a list of which is maintained on the Wisconsin Department of Justice website.
After just under two years of concealed carry being in effect, Van Hollen announced that Wisconsin has issued over 200,000 permits—and that the DOJ continues to issue permits at a rate of 500-1,000 permits per day.
Sources: jsonline.com, doj.state.wi.us
