Non-Resident permit · CA → UT
Is a California Non-Resident Permit Valid in Utah?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-09-27
You're covered either way. Utah honors California non-resident permits, and its permitless-carry law also lets eligible visitors carry without any permit at all.
Why
- Utah recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Utah allows permitless carry for eligible adults 21+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
'In accordance with U.C.A. 53-5a-102.2, Utah will honor a permit to carry a concealed firearm issued by any other state or county' (BCI) — no holder-residency restriction.
The permit (California)
- Permit
- California Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) License
- Issued by
- County sheriff or city police chief
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Since January 1, 2026, Penal Code § 26150(b) requires a county sheriff to issue a license to a non-California resident who is 21 or older, is not disqualified under California or home-state law, shows a home-state driver's license or ID, applies to the sheriff of the county where they mainly intend to travel or spend time, completes the required training and live-fire qualification for each listed firearm, and lists each firearm to be carried.
The destination (Utah)
- 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 Utah
Whatever your permit status, Utah law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- BCI FAQ: 'there is no legal requirement to identify yourself to a law enforcement officer' as carrying, though BCI recommends immediately identifying yourself as armed for officer safety.
- Utah sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Utah allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A loaded firearm may be carried in a vehicle the person lawfully possesses or with the possessor's consent (under-18s may not carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle; loaded rifles/shotguns prohibited in vehicles) — U.C.A. 76-10-505 as amended by HB 60.
Off-limits places in Utah
Utah bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Secure areas of airports
- Courts and law-enforcement secured areas
California vs Utah: what changes at the state line
Crossing from California into Utah changes 4 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (21+)); magazine limit (10 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (None → All states); open carry (Restricted → Yes, no permit).
| Rule | California | Utah |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes (21+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 10 rounds | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | All states |
| Open carry | Restricted | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Utah non-resident permit in California: not recognized.
Driving on from Utah
How a California non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Utah:
Frequently asked questions
- Does Utah honor a California resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Utah non-resident permit holder carry in California?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on California's law, not Utah's.
- Where does Utah publish its official reciprocity list?
- Utah 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
- Utah BCI — States that Honor the Utah Permit(s) (U.C.A. 53-5a-102.2 recognition) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Utah BCI — Concealed Firearm Permit FAQ (duty to inform, prohibited places, non-resident eligibility) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Utah DPS News — Permit-less Concealed Carry H.B. 60 FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Utah Legislature — HB 60 (2021) enrolled text (76-10-505 vehicle carry, 76-10-523) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Utah BCI — How Do I Apply for a Concealed Firearm Permit? (via Wayback 2026-06-01) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Utah BCI — How Do I Renew My Concealed Firearm Permit? (via Wayback 2026-04-20) — accessed 2026-09-27
- California DOJ — Firearms FAQs (out-of-state permits not valid; 10-round magazine limit) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26150 (CA Legislature) — shall-issue standard, age 21, county residency/employment — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26230 (CA Legislature) — sensitive places off-limits to CCW licensees (SB 2) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 25610 (CA Legislature) — unlicensed vehicle transport (unloaded, locked container) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26350 (CA Legislature) — crime of openly carrying an unloaded handgun — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26190 (CA Legislature) — license fees (DOJ + local) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26165 (CA Legislature) — 16-hour training course and live fire — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26220 (CA Legislature) — license term (2 years) — accessed 2026-09-27
- California Penal Code § 26150 (as amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 570, AB 1078, eff. 2026-01-01) — accessed 2026-09-27