What Is Concealed Carry Reciprocity? A Plain-English Guide

If you have a concealed carry permit, you've probably wondered: does this thing work if I drive into the next state?

The honest answer is: it depends on where you're going. That's what reciprocity is all about. Here's a plain-English look at how it works, why it changes, and what to check before you go.

The short version

Reciprocity is when one state agrees to honor a carry permit issued by another state.

Your permit comes from your home state. Every other state decides for itself whether to recognize it. There's no national permit. Each state sets its own rules, and each state decides whose permits it will honor.

People often compare a carry permit to a driver's license. But they work very differently. Every state honors every other state's driver's license. Carry permits don't work that way. Some states honor yours. Some don't. And the list changes.

How states decide whose permits to honor

States generally take one of a few approaches:

• Mutual agreements. Two states agree to honor each other's permits. These are what people usually mean by "reciprocity agreements."
• One-way recognition. A state may honor your permit even if your state doesn't return the favor. People lump this in with reciprocity, but technically it's "recognition."
• Honoring all valid permits. Some states honor any valid permit from any state.
• Honoring none. Some states don't honor out-of-state permits at all. In those states, a visitor generally can't carry concealed unless they get that state's own permit, if the state issues them to non-residents.

Many states also attach conditions. A state might honor permits only from holders who are at least 21, or only permits issued by the state where the holder actually lives. (That second rule matters if you hold a non-resident permit. See resident vs. non-resident permits.)

Why the map keeps changing

Reciprocity isn't set in stone. Legislatures pass new laws. State agencies and attorneys general update agreements. Courts rule on cases. A state that honored your permit last year might not this year, and the other way around.

That's why reciprocity maps online usually have a date on them. A map is a good starting point. It's not the final word. Before you travel, check the official site for each state you're going to. That's usually the state police, the department of public safety, or the attorney general's office.

Honored doesn't mean their rules are your rules

This is the part that trips up a lot of good, honest people. When another state honors your permit, you generally have to follow that state's carry laws while you're there. Not your home state's.

That can include:

• Where you can and can't carry. Schools, government buildings, some places that serve alcohol, and posted private property are common examples, but the list varies by state.
• Rules for carrying in a vehicle.
• Whether you have to tell an officer you're carrying if you're pulled over.
• Rules about what you're allowed to carry.

So "my permit is honored there" only answers half the question. The other half is "what are the rules there?"

What about states that don't require a permit?

More than half the states now allow some form of permitless carry, often called "constitutional carry." That's a big change from a decade or two ago.

But permitless carry is a state law. It covers you in that state. It doesn't follow you across the line. Some permitless states extend it to visitors, and others limit it to residents or add conditions. Reciprocity between states still runs mostly on permits, which is a big reason many people in permitless states get one anyway. We explain more in permit vs. permitless carry.

What about national reciprocity?

You may have heard about a federal bill that would make carry permits work across state lines, more like a driver's license. As of this writing, that's pending legislation, not law. We break down what it would and wouldn't do in national reciprocity explained.

Three questions to ask before you carry in another state

1. Does this state honor my permit? Check the state's official site.
2. Are there conditions? Age, residency, or the type of permit you hold.
3. What are this state's rules? Where you can carry, vehicle rules, and what to do during a traffic stop.

If you can't get a clear answer from an official source, the safe move is not to carry there until you can.

The bottom line

Reciprocity is just states deciding whose permits they'll respect. It's patchy, it changes, and the responsibility for knowing the rules is on you. But it's not complicated once you know what to ask.

Check before you go, every time. Our road-trip checklist makes it easy.