Non-Resident permit · IL → MT
Is an Illinois Non-Resident Permit Valid in Montana?
Yes on both counts: permit reciprocity and permitless carry. Montana recognizes Illinois non-resident permits and separately allows eligible adults to carry without one.
Why
- Montana's official reciprocity list includes Illinois.
- Montana allows permitless carry, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
MCA 45-8-329 recognizes another state's permit if that state requires a criminal-records background check before issuance and the holder carries the permit plus photo ID; it imposes no issuing-state residency condition. The AG list (last updated Oct 2024) excludes Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island because their laws do not expressly require background checks; Vermont issues no permits. Recognition is largely moot for eligible adults because carry is permitless.
The permit (Illinois)
- Permit
- Illinois Concealed Carry License (CCL)
- Issued by
- Illinois State Police
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-residents may apply only if their state is 'substantially similar' - currently Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Virginia (per ISP). Fee $300 (residents $150). Illinois residents also need a FOID card; non-residents are not eligible for a FOID card and are not required to have one.
The destination (Montana)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 43 states
- Permitless carry
- Yes
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Montana
Montana's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- No statutory duty to proactively inform an officer. A traveler carrying under reciprocity must have the permit in immediate possession plus photo ID (MCA 45-8-329).
- Montana sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Montana allows permitless concealed carry for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Montana has no prohibitions on carrying a loaded weapon in a motor vehicle (MT DOJ).
Off-limits places in Montana
Montana bans carry in 4 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Restricted portions of state or local government office buildings (unless holding a Montana or recognized permit, MCA 45-8-328)
- Courtrooms and spaces controlled by a Montana court (unless authorized by the judge)
Illinois vs Montana: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Illinois into Montana changes 4 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes); magazine limit (15 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (None → 43 states); open carry (No → Yes, no permit).
| Rule | Illinois | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 15 rounds | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | 43 states |
| Open carry | No | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Montana non-resident permit in Illinois: no such permit issued.
Driving on from Montana
How an Illinois non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Montana:
- Idaho — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- North Dakota — Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
- South Dakota — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Wyoming — Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does Montana honor an Illinois resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Montana non-resident permit holder carry in Illinois?
- Montana does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Illinois.
- Where does Montana publish its official reciprocity list?
- Montana 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
- Montana DOJ — Concealed Weapons (AG recognition list) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-329 — Concealed weapon permit reciprocity (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-321 — Permit to carry concealed weapon (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-316 — Carrying concealed weapons (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-328 — Carrying concealed firearm in restricted government offices (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-322 — Application, renewal, permit, and fees (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27
- MCA 45-8-351 — Restriction on local government regulation of firearms (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Illinois State Police - Concealed Carry License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police - Transport Your Firearm Legally (ISP 1-154, 7/25) - out-of-state recognition, vehicle exception, officer disclosure — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police - Assault Weapons / Protect Illinois Communities Act (magazine limits) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau - FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08