Please note: This page has not been updated since 2018. Please check with your local courthouse for further information on your state's concealed carrying policies.

Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map

If you're wondering which states honor your carry permit, have a look at the Alien Gear Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map. Using the map below, you can find out which states honor the license you have or license you intend to obtain, should that be the case, and find out which states will honor your concealed pistol license.

Click on a state below to view license information.

CCW Map

To use our ccw reciprocity map, simply select the state and whether your license (or license you intend to get) is a resident or nonresident license. The map will then display which states honor the license.

Guide To Concealed Carry Reciprocity

State laws regarding concealed carry reciprocity vary between the various states, as does the criteria that each state uses to determine which state licenses it will reciprocate with. Some states will not reciprocate with any state that has licensing requirements less stringent than its own. Some states reciprocate with no licenses at all and some states reciprocate with all licenses. Some states decide on a case-by-case basis, and other states will only recognize licenses from states that recognize and reciprocate with their own.

This Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map Is Not Legal Advice. If You Need Legal Advice, Contact An Attorney. Consult With State Authorities For More Detailed Information.

As for the licenses themselves, handgun permit policies are issued on a may-issue or shall-issue basis. The exception is the state of Vermont, which does not require any licensure for citizens to carry a handgun so long as they are legally entitled to do so. Non-residents are not required to have a license to carry. Vermont also doesn't recognize any concealed carry permits nor does Vermont issue any licenses. On that basis, Vermont neither reciprocates or is reciprocated with concerning concealed carry permits.

Both may-issue and shall-issue states have minimum concealed carry permit requirements. Exact legal requirements vary, but applicants are typically required to be legally permitted to have a handgun in the first place, such as having attained at least 21 years of age, haven't been convicted of a felony or violent misdemeanor and aren't fugitives from justice. There may be a training requirement, and all permits require a background check and fingerprinting.

Additionally, a few states offer an enhanced concealed carry permit. These licenses typically require more extensive training than standard concealed carry permits and usually include a live fire component, though many training components for standard licenses do as well. Only a few states offer these licenses, but license holders typically enjoy greater reciprocity than standard licenses.

In shall-issue states, an applicant will be issued the license if the state's requirements for a concealed carry permit are met. In some shall-issue states, however, law enforcement officials can deny a license application at their discretion, if they have probable cause to do so.

In may-issue states, an applicant MAY be issued the permit if they meet the requirements; issuance is totally at the discretion of law enforcement. Licensure in may-issue states varies wildly. Connecticut is de jure may-issue, but is mostly shall issue with discretion for law enforcement in practice, as good cause must be shown to deny a permit. Rhode Island's permit policies are similar, as are those of Delaware.

In California, however, issuance of a permit is totally at the discretion of the issuing authority. Issuing authorities in California are local law enforcement, and each takes their own approach in deciding whether to issue or not. Hawaii is technically may-issue at law but is, for all intents and purposes, no-issue in practice. Applicants must prove a need to carry and are subject to extreme scrutiny. Only a few licenses are issued in Hawaii per year.

Additionally, some states will issue a concealed carry permit to non-residents. Often, non-resident permits will enjoy less reciprocity compared to resident licenses from the state that issued them. That said, many nonresident licenses are still very widely reciprocated with.

Please bear in mind that nothing contained in this guide up to this point or after constitutes legal advice of any kind in any way, shape, nor form. If you are currently licensed in one state and wish to carry in another state, the onus is on you to do the appropriate research to find out what constitutes legally carrying in that state. Consult with an attorney if you want to find out more.

Below, you can view reciprocity information for every American state.

If you find any discrepancies within this reciprocity map, please send a private message to our Alien Gear Holsters Facebook Team. Thank you in advance!