Non-Resident permit · FL → VA
Is a Florida Non-Resident Permit Valid in Virginia?
Recognized — carry with your permitVerified 2026-09-27
Yes. Virginia is one of the states that honors the Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License held by a Florida non-resident, so your permit is valid there.
Why
- Virginia recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
Va. Code § 18.2-308.014: the holder of a valid concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by ANY other state may carry in Virginia provided the holder is at least 21, carries government-issued photo ID, displays the permit and ID upon demand by law enforcement, and has not previously had a Virginia permit revoked. No requirement that the permit be a resident permit of the issuing state.
The permit (Florida)
- Permit
- Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License
- Issued by
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Division of Licensing)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Issued to non-Floridians - the statute requires residency in the United States plus US citizenship or permanent resident alien status, not Florida residency (s. 790.06(2)(a)); out-of-state licensees submit fingerprints with renewals.
The destination (Virginia)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Virginia
Whatever your permit status, Virginia law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- Virginia law does not require volunteering that you are armed; Va. Code § 18.2-308.01 requires having the permit in possession when carrying and displaying it with photo ID upon demand by a law-enforcement officer (VSP FAQ).
- Virginia sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Virginia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Virginia recognizes.
- No permit is needed to carry a handgun (loaded or unloaded) in a personal, private motor vehicle or vessel if it is secured in a container or compartment — the compartment need not be locked (Va. Code § 18.2-308(C)(8); VSP FAQ, citing OAG opinion 11-111). Permit holders may carry loaded and concealed on their person.
Off-limits places in Virginia
Virginia bans carry in 5 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Public, private or religious K-12 school property (Va. Code § 18.2-308.1; permit holders may keep the handgun in a vehicle in the school parking lot)
- Courthouses (Va. Code § 18.2-283.1)
Florida vs Virginia: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Florida into Virginia changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → No); out-of-state permits honored (All (resident permits only) → All states).
| Rule | Florida | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All (resident permits only) | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Virginia non-resident permit in Florida: permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Virginia
How a Florida non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Virginia:
- Kentucky — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Maryland — Not recognized
- North Carolina — Recognized — carry with your permit
- Tennessee — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- West Virginia — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- District of Columbia — Not recognized
Frequently asked questions
- Does Virginia honor a Florida resident permit?
- Recognized — carry with your permit. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Virginia non-resident permit holder carry in Florida?
- Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Florida's law, not Virginia's.
- Where does Virginia publish its official reciprocity list?
- Virginia 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
- Virginia State Police — Reciprocity and Recognition — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Firearms/Concealed Weapons FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Resident Concealed Handgun Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Code of Virginia § 18.2-308.014 — both versions (until / from July 1, 2027), 2026 c. 879 — accessed 2026-09-27
- Virginia General Assembly — SB 115 (2026) enrolled text incl. enactment clauses 2-3 — accessed 2026-09-27
- Code of Virginia § 18.2-308.03 — Fees for resident and nonresident concealed handgun permits — accessed 2026-09-27
- Code of Virginia § 18.2-287.4 (carrying loaded firearms in public areas; both versions) — accessed 2026-09-27
- FDACS - Concealed Weapon License Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- FDACS - Reciprocity and Traveling with a Firearm FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.015 - Nonresidents; recognition of home-state licenses — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.01 - Permitless concealed carry — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.013 - ID requirement for unlicensed concealed carry — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.06 - License to carry; criteria; prohibited places (subsection 12) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.25 - Lawful possession; private conveyance — accessed 2026-08-08
- FDACS — Concealed Weapon License (Important Notice re Eubanks v. State, 18+ licensing) — accessed 2026-09-27
- FDACS — Eligibility Requirements (Important Notice re Eubanks v. State) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Fla. Stat. 790.053 — open carrying of weapons (statute text still in 2026 Florida Statutes) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Florida Attorney General — Guidance Memorandum on open carry after McDaniels v. State (Sept 15, 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27