Is an Alabama Non-Resident Permit Valid in North Carolina?

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).

NC DOJ: 'Effective December 1, 2011, North Carolina automatically recognizes concealed carry permits issued in any other state' (G.S. 14-415.24(a)); no residency condition — out-of-state permittees are held to the same standards as NC permittees.

Carry rules in North Carolina

Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter North Carolina, these rules replace the ones you know from Alabama.

• North Carolina imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. When approached or addressed by any officer, the permittee must disclose that they hold a valid concealed handgun permit and are carrying a concealed handgun, and must display permit and ID on request (G.S. 14-415.11; NC DOJ 'Do's and Don'ts').
• North Carolina sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• North Carolina is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit North Carolina recognizes.
• A valid permit (NC or out-of-state) allows a loaded concealed handgun in a vehicle; without a permit, concealing a handgun in a vehicle within the carrier's reach is unlawful (G.S. 14-269) — on a traffic stop, keep hands on the wheel and announce the handgun and permit.

Off-limits places in North Carolina

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

• Educational property (schools, colleges); permittees may secure a handgun in a locked vehicle
• State and federal courthouses and certain State property (G.S. 14-269.4)

See all 6 places you can't carry in North Carolina →

Alabama vs North Carolina: what changes at the state line

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

Going the other way, a North Carolina non-resident permit in Alabama: no such permit issued.

Permits that do work in North Carolina

These non-resident permits are honored in North Carolina, 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 North Carolina

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

• Georgia — No such permit issued
• South Carolina — No such permit issued
• Tennessee — No such permit issued
• Virginia — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does North Carolina honor an Alabama resident permit?

Recognized — carry with your permit. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because North Carolina treats the two permit types differently.

Can a North Carolina non-resident permit holder carry in Alabama?

North Carolina 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.