Is an Alabama Non-Resident Permit Valid in Wisconsin?

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).

Holder must be 21+ AND must NOT be a Wisconsin resident (a WI resident needs a WI license even if holding another state's permit). Recognition is based on the WI DOJ list of states whose permits require a background check comparable to Wisconsin's. Permit-class limits on the DOJ list: Virginia NON-RESIDENT licenses only; Florida NON-RESIDENT licenses only; Idaho regular or enhanced only (not emergency); West Virginia regular resident or non-resident CHLs only (not provisional); Missouri regular only (not provisional). NOT honored: Maine, New Jersey, Oregon (and Guam, Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico regular licenses only). Vermont issues no permits.

Carry rules in Wisconsin

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

• No proactive duty to inform; a licensee or out-of-state licensee must display the license and photo ID only upon an officer's request while the officer is acting in an official capacity ($25 forfeiture; Wis. Stat. § 175.60(2g)(c), (17)(a)).
• Wisconsin sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Wisconsin is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Wisconsin recognizes.
• License holders may carry a loaded, concealed handgun in a vehicle. Without a license, a loaded handgun may be placed or transported in a vehicle (Wis. Stat. § 167.31(2)) but may NOT be concealed within reach — case law treats a hidden firearm within reach as unlawfully concealed.

Off-limits places in Wisconsin

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

• Police stations, sheriff's offices and state patrol stations (Wis. Stat. § 175.60(16))
• Prisons, jails, houses of correction and secured correctional facilities

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

Alabama vs Wisconsin: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Alabama into Wisconsin changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (19+) → No); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 46 states).

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

Permits that do work in Wisconsin

These non-resident permits are honored in Wisconsin, 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 Wisconsin

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

• Illinois — No such permit issued
• Iowa — No such permit issued
• Michigan — No such permit issued
• Minnesota — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Wisconsin honor an Alabama resident permit?

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

Can a Wisconsin non-resident permit holder carry in Alabama?

Wisconsin 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.