Can I Carry?
Where is your concealed carry permit honored?
Pick your permit's home state on the map below. We show you the reciprocity for every other state — including which states are now permitless carry, which honor permits only for residents of the issuing state, and which honor zero out-of-state permits.
Hover (or tap on mobile) for state details. Your permit's home state is outlined in bronze. This is not legal advice. Reciprocity changes with state legislation — verify with the destination state's Attorney General before traveling.
What concealed carry reciprocity actually means
Reciprocity is a state-to-state agreement (or absence of one) about whether your permit is recognized as valid when you cross the state line. There's no federal reciprocity. Every state decides its own rules — and they change with new legislation.
As of 2026, the landscape splits into three groups:
- Permitless carry states (29). No permit required to carry concealed in these states. Most extend permitless carry to non-residents who meet the state's age threshold (typically 21+, sometimes 18+).
- Shall-issue states with broad reciprocity (~12). Require a permit but recognize most other states' permits. Includes North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
- Restricted states (~10 + DC). Honor no out-of-state permits at all. Includes California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Illinois (Illinois honors a tiny handful of "substantially similar" states).
FOPA — driving through a no-reciprocity state
The Firearm Owners Protection Act (18 USC § 926A) creates a federal protection for transporting an unloaded, locked firearm through a state where you can't legally possess one — provided you can legally possess and carry it at both your origin and destination.
FOPA protection requires:
- Firearm is unloaded
- Firearm is in a locked container, not the glove box or center console
- Ammunition is also locked, ideally in a separate container from the firearm
- You are merely passing through — not staying overnight, not detouring for tourism, not stepping outside the vehicle except for brief fuel/food stops
The moment you violate any of these (overnight stop in NJ, taking the gun out of the locked case, stepping into a NY rest stop with the gun on your hip) FOPA protection lapses and you can be charged under state law. NJ in particular has a documented history of charging transient travelers.
Recent reciprocity-affecting law changes
Most consequential changes since 2022:
- Bruen (June 2022) — U.S. Supreme Court struck down "may-issue" in NYSRPA v. Bruen. NY, NJ, MD, CA, HI, MA responded with extensive sensitive-place restrictions (the "Concealed Carry Improvement Act"-style laws). Practical effect on reciprocity: minimal — most restrictive states still honor zero out-of-state permits.
- Florida HB 543 (July 2023) — Florida went permitless carry for residents and non-residents 21+. FL CWL still valuable for wider reciprocity.
- South Carolina HB 3594 (March 2024) — Permitless carry effective for residents and non-residents 18+.
- Louisiana (July 2024) — Permitless carry effective for residents and non-residents 18+ eligible to possess.
- Colorado (2023) — Tightened reciprocity to honor only resident permits from other states (non-resident permits no longer recognized).
- Nebraska LB 77 (Sept 2023) — Permitless carry for 21+.
- Tennessee 2024 — Expanded permitless carry from 21+ to 18+.
If you carry, do these things
- Re-check reciprocity quarterly if you travel — laws change.
- Know federal facility rules. Post offices, courthouses, military bases, federal buildings are off-limits regardless of state law (18 USC § 930).
- Carry a paper copy of your permit + state ID. If you're asked, you produce both.
- For multi-state road trips, plan stops in permit-friendly states. Avoid overnighting in NY, NJ, MD, MA, CT, HI, CA, IL.
- Don't volunteer information. If you're pulled over and you're not asked, you don't need to disclose. (State requirements vary on duty to inform — verify your destination state.)
Frequently asked
Why is my Texas/Florida/Utah permit not honored in California or New York?
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California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Oregon, and DC do not have reciprocity agreements with any other state. These states require you to obtain THEIR permit to carry concealed inside their borders. Post-Bruen (2022 Supreme Court decision) most of these states became technically shall-issue but layered on extensive 'sensitive places' restrictions, training requirements, and review processes that make practical permit acquisition difficult — especially for non-residents.
What does 'permitless carry' mean for visitors?
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Many states with permitless / constitutional carry extend that right to non-residents — meaning you can carry concealed in those states without any permit at all (as long as you're age-eligible and not federally prohibited). The age threshold varies by state — typically 18+, 19+, or 21+. Even if your home state's permit isn't honored in a permitless state, you can usually still carry there if you meet the age + eligibility requirement.
What does 'resident permits only' mean?
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Some states (Colorado being the most prominent example after 2023) honor an out-of-state permit ONLY if the permit holder is a resident of the issuing state. So a Texas resident with a TX LTC is fine — but a non-Texan with a Texas non-resident LTC is not. This is usually a deterrent to 'permit shopping' (getting a non-resident permit from a state with looser requirements just for reciprocity benefit).
Can I carry on a road trip across multiple states?
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Federally, FOPA (Firearm Owners Protection Act, 18 USC § 926A) protects you while transporting an unloaded, locked firearm through a state where you can't legally possess it — but only when 'merely transporting,' i.e. passing through. The moment you stop to stay overnight or step outside the vehicle in a no-reciprocity state, FOPA protection ends. Plan routes that avoid extended stops in restrictive states, or research that state's specific transport laws (NY, NJ, MD have all been known to charge transient travelers).
Is this reciprocity data current?
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Last verified May 17, 2026. Reciprocity changes regularly — Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Florida, Nebraska, Louisiana, and South Carolina all rolled out permitless carry in the 2021-2024 window. Always verify with the destination state's Attorney General before traveling, especially if it's been more than 3 months since you last checked. We re-verify quarterly.
Do federal post offices, schools, and federal buildings have special rules?
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Yes — and they apply regardless of state reciprocity. Federal facilities (post offices, federal courthouses, federal property generally) prohibit firearm possession under 18 USC § 930. K-12 schools have federal Gun-Free School Zones Act restrictions (with a state CCW exception for residents of that state — but NOT for out-of-state permit holders in many readings). National parks allow firearms per state law (since the 2010 reform) but federal buildings WITHIN parks (visitor centers, ranger stations) do not. Sensitive-place restrictions in CCIA-style state laws (NY, NJ, MD, post-Bruen) add yet another layer.
What's the difference between this map and the CCW Permit Guide page?
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Different question. This map answers 'I HAVE a permit — where can I carry it?' The Concealed Carry Permit guide answers 'I want to GET a permit — how do I do that in my state?' If you don't have a permit yet, start there.