Non-Resident permit · AR → AK
Is an Arkansas Non-Resident Permit Valid in Alaska?
Arkansas has no non-resident permit program (requires Arkansas residency for 90+ continuous days (§ 5-73-309(2)); exception — active-duty US Armed Forces members and their spouses are exempt from the residency requirement). Travelers who want multi-state coverage usually pair their home-state permit with a widely honored non-resident permit from another state.
Why
- Arkansas does not issue carry permits to non-residents (requires arkansas residency for 90+ continuous days (§ 5-73-309(2)); exception — active-duty us armed forces members and their spouses are exempt from the residency requirement).
Under AS 18.65.748 a person holding a valid permit from another state is treated as an Alaska permittee (no resident-only condition); in practice recognition matters little because anyone 21+ who may legally possess may carry permitless. Under-21 carriers are NOT covered even with an out-of-state permit.
The permit (Arkansas)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun Carry License (CHCL)
- Issued by
- Arkansas State Police
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — Requires Arkansas residency for 90+ continuous days (§ 5-73-309(2)); exception — active-duty US Armed Forces members and their spouses are exempt from the residency requirement.
The destination (Alaska)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (21+)
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Alaska
Your Arkansas habits may not match Alaska's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- Alaska imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. DPS FAQ: when contacted by a law enforcement officer while carrying concealed you must IMMEDIATELY inform the officer that you possess the firearm; failure to do so is a criminal offense (AS 11.61.220).
- Alaska sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Alaska allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A loaded concealed handgun may be carried in a vehicle without a permit by anyone 21+ who may lawfully possess; the immediate duty to inform applies on any police contact.
Off-limits places in Alaska
Alaska bans carry in 4 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- K-12 schools and school grounds
- Child care facilities
Arkansas vs Alaska: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Arkansas into Alaska changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes (21+)).
| Rule | Arkansas | Alaska |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | Yes (21+) |
| Duty to inform police | Yes | Yes |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, an Alaska non-resident permit in Arkansas: no such permit issued.
Permits that do work in Alaska
These non-resident permits are honored in Alaska, 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
Frequently asked questions
- Does Alaska honor an Arkansas resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Alaska treats the two permit types differently.
- Can an Alaska non-resident permit holder carry in Arkansas?
- Alaska does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Arkansas.
- Does Arkansas issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Arkansas issues carry permits to residents only (requires Arkansas residency for 90+ continuous days (§ 5-73-309(2)); exception — active-duty US Armed Forces members and their spouses are exempt from the residency requirement). 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.
Official sources
- Alaska DPS — Concealed Handgun Permits (permit rules, AS 18.65.748 recognition, permitless 21+) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Alaska DPS — Frequently Asked Firearms Questions (duty to inform, permitless carry, prohibited places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Arkansas State Police — Concealed Handgun Carry Licensing (recognition of all states since 2013) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Arkansas Concealed Handgun Carry Licensing Code §§ 5-73-301–329 (eligibility, § 5-73-321 recognition, § 5-73-315) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Weapons Possession and Use Code §§ 5-73-101–133 (Aug 1, 2025; § 5-73-120 permitless carry, § 5-73-119) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Locations Where Possession of a Handgun is Prohibited (July 31, 2023) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Code of Arkansas Rules, CHCL (July 8, 2025; notification duty on ID request) — accessed 2026-08-08