Is a Louisiana Non-Resident Permit Valid in Iowa?

Why

• Louisiana does not issue carry permits to non-residents (r.s. 40:1379.3(b)(1) and (c)(3)-(4): permits are issued only to louisiana residents aged 21+; a permit becomes invalid when the holder ceases to reside in louisiana).

Iowa Code 724.11A: a valid permit or license issued by another state to any nonresident of Iowa is treated as a valid Iowa permit to carry (it cannot be used by Iowa residents and does not satisfy the permit-to-acquire requirement of 724.15).

Carry rules in Iowa

Your Louisiana habits may not match Iowa's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.

• No proactive duty-to-inform provision in Iowa Code ch. 724; the former duty to carry and show the permit on demand (724.5) was repealed by the 2021 permitless-carry law.
• Iowa sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Iowa allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• Since July 1, 2021 a non-prohibited adult may carry a loaded handgun, open or concealed, in a vehicle without any permit.

Off-limits places in Iowa

Iowa bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• K-12 school grounds (Iowa Code 724.4B - class D felony; narrow exceptions for unloaded/secured firearms in vehicles)
• Courthouses and court-occupied areas (Iowa Judicial Branch supervisory order, not statute)

See all 3 places you can't carry in Iowa →

Louisiana vs Iowa: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Louisiana into Iowa changes 2 rules: duty to inform police (Yes → No); out-of-state permits honored (37 states → All states).

Going the other way, an Iowa non-resident permit in Louisiana: recognized — and permitless carry applies.

Permits that do work in Iowa

These non-resident permits are honored in Iowa, 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 Iowa

How a Louisiana non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Iowa:

• Illinois — No such permit issued
• Minnesota — No such permit issued
• Missouri — No such permit issued
• Nebraska — No such permit issued
• South Dakota — No such permit issued
• Wisconsin — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Iowa honor a Louisiana resident permit?

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

Can an Iowa non-resident permit holder carry in Louisiana?

Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Louisiana's law, not Iowa's.

Does Louisiana issue non-resident carry permits?

No. Louisiana issues carry permits to residents only (r.S. 40:1379.3(B)(1) and (C)(3)-(4): permits are issued only to Louisiana residents aged 21+; a permit becomes invalid when the holder ceases to reside in Louisiana). 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.