Non-Resident permit · AZ → KY
Is a Arizona Non-Resident Permit Valid in Kentucky?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
Yes, twice over. Kentucky honors your Arizona non-resident permit, and it also allows permitless carry for adults 21+, so eligible adults can carry there even without one.
Why
- Kentucky recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Kentucky allows permitless carry for eligible adults 21+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
KSP: 'A person who is not a resident of Kentucky and who has a valid license issued by another state... may carry a concealed deadly weapon in Kentucky.' Recognition covers deadly weapons generally, not just handguns. New Kentucky residents' out-of-state licenses stay valid for 120 days if they file the KSP form within 60 days of moving.
The permit (Arizona)
- Permit
- Arizona Concealed Weapons Permit (CCW)
- Issued by
- Arizona Department of Public Safety (Concealed Weapons Permit Unit)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — AZDPS FAQ: non-residents may apply for an Arizona permit under the same requirements (A.R.S. § 13-3112 allows any qualifying US citizen or Arizona resident).
The destination (Kentucky)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (21+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Kentucky
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Kentucky, these rules replace the ones you know from Arizona.
- No Kentucky statute or KSP guidance imposes a proactive duty to inform an officer that you are carrying.
- Kentucky sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Kentucky allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A firearm in any enclosed container, compartment or storage space installed as original equipment (e.g. glove box or console) is not considered concealed and is lawful for anyone who may possess it, loaded or not; persons 21+ may also carry on-body permitless.
Off-limits places in Kentucky
- Police stations and sheriff's offices
- Detention facilities, prisons and jails
- Courthouses and courtrooms
- Portions of establishments primarily devoted to selling alcoholic beverages
- Meetings of governing bodies of local governments and the General Assembly
- Elementary/secondary schools, child-care facilities and secured airport areas
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Arizona non-resident permit valid in Kentucky?
- Yes, twice over. Kentucky honors your Arizona non-resident permit, and it also allows permitless carry for adults 21+, so eligible adults can carry there even without one.
- Do I have to tell police in Kentucky that I am carrying?
- No Kentucky statute or KSP guidance imposes a proactive duty to inform an officer that you are carrying.
- Does Kentucky limit magazine capacity?
- Kentucky sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in Kentucky without any permit?
- Kentucky allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does Kentucky publish its official reciprocity list?
- Kentucky publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- Kentucky State Police - CCDW Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Kentucky State Police - CCDW FAQs — accessed 2026-08-08
- Kentucky State Police - CCDW Qualifications — accessed 2026-08-08
- Arizona DPS — Concealed Weapons and Permits (reciprocity, non-resident applications, age) — accessed 2026-08-08
- A.R.S. § 13-3112 (Arizona Legislature) — permit issuance and out-of-state permit recognition — accessed 2026-08-08
- A.R.S. § 13-3102 (Arizona Legislature) — misconduct involving weapons; permitless carry, duty to answer, prohibited places — accessed 2026-08-08