Is an Alabama Non-Resident Permit Valid in Arkansas?

Why

• Alabama does not issue carry permits to non-residents (alea: alabama issues concealed carry permits only to alabama residents, via the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence).

Since Aug 16, 2013 Arkansas 'acknowledges all concealed handgun carry licenses lawfully issued by another state' (§ 5-73-321) — the statute covers any license issued to the person by another state, with no resident-only condition; out-of-state licensees are subject to Arkansas restrictions.

Carry rules in Arkansas

Your Alabama habits may not match Arkansas's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.

• Arkansas imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. ASP rule (Code of Arkansas Rules, CHCL): a licensee carrying a handgun who is asked by an officer for identification must present the CHCL AND notify the officer of the handgun — even if the officer never asks about weapons. No notification is required if not carrying, and § 5-73-315(b)(2) separately requires displaying the license on demand.
• Arkansas sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Arkansas allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• A loaded handgun may be carried in a private vehicle without a license — § 5-73-120(c)(1) presumes lawful purpose in one's own vehicle, and lawful carry extends to vehicles generally absent unlawful intent.

Off-limits places in Arkansas

Arkansas bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• K-12 school property, school buses and designated bus stops
• Courthouses, courtrooms and county offices

See all 6 places you can't carry in Arkansas →

Alabama vs Arkansas: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Alabama into Arkansas changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (19+) → Yes (18+)); duty to inform police (No → Yes).

Going the other way, an Arkansas non-resident permit in Alabama: no such permit issued.

Permits that do work in Arkansas

These non-resident permits are honored in Arkansas, ranked by how many states honor each one. They are issued to people who live outside the issuing state, subject to its eligibility rules.

• North Dakota non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
• Ohio non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
• Idaho non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
• Texas non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
• Florida non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
• South Carolina non-resident permit · honored in 32 states

Driving on from Arkansas

How an Alabama non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Arkansas:

• Louisiana — No such permit issued
• Mississippi — No such permit issued
• Missouri — No such permit issued
• Oklahoma — No such permit issued
• Tennessee — No such permit issued
• Texas — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Arkansas honor an Alabama resident permit?

Recognized — and permitless carry applies. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Arkansas treats the two permit types differently.

Can an Arkansas non-resident permit holder carry in Alabama?

Arkansas does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Alabama.

Does Alabama issue non-resident carry permits?

No. Alabama issues carry permits to residents only (aLEA: Alabama issues concealed carry permits only to Alabama residents, via the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence). Non-residents who want multi-state coverage usually obtain a non-resident permit from a state that offers one, such as those listed in our non-resident permit guide.