Non-Resident permit · KY → SD
Is a Kentucky Non-Resident Permit Valid in South Dakota?
A Kentucky non-resident permit isn't something you can hold — the state doesn't issue one (kentucky residents (or US citizens / lawfully admitted persons on active military duty assigned to a Kentucky posting) only - KSP CCDW qualifications). The question for South Dakota is which resident or non-resident permits from other states it honors.
Why
- Kentucky does not issue carry permits to non-residents (kentucky residents (or us citizens / lawfully admitted persons on active military duty assigned to a kentucky posting) only - ksp ccdw qualifications).
Official Firearm Handbook: 'The state of South Dakota recognizes any valid concealed pistol permit issued to a nonresident of South Dakota, according to the terms of its issuance in the state of its issue' — any state's permit qualifies as long as the holder is not a South Dakota resident (SD residents simply carry permitless).
The permit (Kentucky)
- Permit
- Kentucky Concealed Deadly Weapon (CCDW) License
- Issued by
- Kentucky State Police (KRS 237.110)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — Kentucky residents (or US citizens / lawfully admitted persons on active military duty assigned to a Kentucky posting) only - KSP CCDW qualifications.
The destination (South Dakota)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in South Dakota
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter South Dakota, these rules replace the ones you know from Kentucky.
- No duty-to-inform provision appears in the Secretary of State's official Firearm Handbook or in SDCL chapter 23-7.
- South Dakota sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- South Dakota allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Permitless concealed carry under SDCL 23-7-7 applies statewide, including in vehicles, for residents and non-residents 18+ who may lawfully possess a pistol.
Off-limits places in South Dakota
South Dakota bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- County courthouses (SDCL 22-14-23)
- The state capitol (SDCL 22-14-23; limited enhanced-permit exceptions)
Kentucky vs South Dakota: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Kentucky into South Dakota changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → Yes (18+)).
| Rule | Kentucky | South Dakota |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a South Dakota non-resident permit in Kentucky: no such permit issued.
Permits that do work in South Dakota
These non-resident permits are honored in South Dakota, 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 South Dakota
How a Kentucky non-resident permit fares in the states bordering South Dakota:
Frequently asked questions
- Does South Dakota honor a Kentucky resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because South Dakota treats the two permit types differently.
- Can a South Dakota non-resident permit holder carry in Kentucky?
- South Dakota does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Kentucky.
- Does Kentucky issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Kentucky issues carry permits to residents only (kentucky residents (or US citizens / lawfully admitted persons on active military duty assigned to a Kentucky posting) only - KSP CCDW qualifications). 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
- South Dakota Secretary of State — Concealed Carry Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- South Dakota Secretary of State — South Dakota Firearm Handbook (July 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- South Dakota Secretary of State — Pistol Permit FAQs — accessed 2026-09-27
- South Dakota Secretary of State — How to Apply for a Permit — accessed 2026-09-27
- South Dakota Secretary of State — Types of Concealed Carry Permits — accessed 2026-09-27
- Kentucky State Police - CCDW Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Kentucky State Police - CCDW FAQs — accessed 2026-08-08
- Kentucky State Police - CCDW Qualifications — accessed 2026-08-08
- Kentucky General Assembly — 2026 RS HB 312 record (veto overridden, Acts ch. 173) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Kentucky General Assembly — HB 312 final (vetoed & overridden) bill text — accessed 2026-09-27
- KRS 237.110 (License to carry concealed deadly weapon), eff. July 1, 2025 — accessed 2026-09-27