Is a Colorado Non-Resident Permit Valid in Alabama?

Why

• Colorado does not issue carry permits to non-residents (no non-resident permits. armed-forces members stationed in colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in colorado, are deemed legal residents (c.r.s. 18-12-203(1)(a))).

Attorney General: 'The state of Alabama recognizes any concealed carry permit issued by another state' (Ala. Code § 13A-11-85(a)); no resident-only condition stated.

Carry rules in Alabama

Whatever your permit status, Alabama law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.

• No proactive duty to inform found on any official Alabama source; answer truthfully and present a permit if an officer asks during a lawful stop.
• Alabama sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Alabama allows permitless concealed carry from age 19 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• Since Jan 1, 2023 a loaded handgun may be carried in a vehicle without a permit by anyone who may carry permitless (Act 2022-133 removed the vehicle-carry permit requirement).

Off-limits places in Alabama

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

• Police, sheriff and highway patrol stations
• Prisons, jails and other detention facilities

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

Colorado vs Alabama: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Colorado into Alabama changes 3 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (19+)); magazine limit (15 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (34 states → All states).

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

Permits that do work in Alabama

These non-resident permits are honored in Alabama, 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 Alabama

How a Colorado non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Alabama:

• Florida — No such permit issued
• Georgia — No such permit issued
• Mississippi — No such permit issued
• Tennessee — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Alabama honor a Colorado resident permit?

Recognized — and permitless carry applies. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Alabama treats the two permit types differently.

Can an Alabama non-resident permit holder carry in Colorado?

Alabama does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Colorado.

Does Colorado issue non-resident carry permits?

No. Colorado issues carry permits to residents only (no non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a))). 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.