Non-Resident permit · KS → CA
Is a Kansas Non-Resident Permit Valid in California?
No such permit issuedVerified 2026-09-27
Kansas doesn't put this permit on the table for non-residents (kansas residents only - application must be made to the sheriff of the county where the applicant resides (K.S.A. 75-7c05)). See our non-resident permit guide for the states that do, and which of their permits California accepts.
Why
- Kansas does not issue carry permits to non-residents (kansas residents only - application must be made to the sheriff of the county where the applicant resides (k.s.a. 75-7c05)).
California DOJ: 'CCW licenses/permits issued in other states are not valid in California' (Pen. Code §§ 25400-25700). No out-of-state permit of any kind is honored.
The permit (Kansas)
- Permit
- Kansas Concealed Carry Handgun License (CCHL)
- Issued by
- Kansas Attorney General (application submitted through the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence, K.S.A. 75-7c05)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — Kansas residents only - application must be made to the sheriff of the county where the applicant resides (K.S.A. 75-7c05).
The destination (California)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in California
California's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- No statewide statutory duty to proactively inform an officer; individual issuing authorities may attach notification conditions to the license.
- California limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- California is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit California recognizes.
- Without a California CCW license, a handgun in a vehicle must be unloaded and in a locked container or the trunk (Pen. Code § 25610); CCW licensees may carry loaded and concealed.
Off-limits places in California
California bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- K-12 schools, school zones and college/university campuses
- Government buildings, courthouses and jails
Kansas vs California: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Kansas into California changes 4 rules: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → No); magazine limit (None → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All states → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → Restricted).
| Rule | Kansas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Restricted |
Going the other way, a California non-resident permit in Kansas: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from California
How a Kansas non-resident permit fares in the states bordering California:
Frequently asked questions
- Does California honor a Kansas resident permit?
- Not recognized. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because California treats the two permit types differently.
- Can a California non-resident permit holder carry in Kansas?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Kansas's law, not California's.
- Does Kansas issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Kansas issues carry permits to residents only (kansas residents only - application must be made to the sheriff of the county where the applicant resides (K.S.A. 75-7c05)). 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
- 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
- Kansas AG - Out-of-State License Recognition — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c03 (recognition of out-of-state licenses; provisional licenses) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 21-6302 (criminal carrying of a weapon; under-21 rule) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c05 (application; residency) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c10 (posted prohibited buildings) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c04 (disqualifications; 8-hour handgun safety and training course) — accessed 2026-09-27
- K.S.A. 21-6301 (criminal use of weapons; under-18 handgun possession) — accessed 2026-09-27
- K.S.A. 75-7c08 (license renewal) — accessed 2026-09-27