Is a Louisiana Non-Resident Permit Valid in New Mexico?

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).

DPS defines reciprocity as permission for 'an out of state license issued to a person who is not a New Mexico resident' to be used while visiting or passing through — the holder need not reside in the issuing state, but NM affords no reciprocity to any out-of-state license held by a New Mexico resident (10.8.2.29(H) NMAC). Several states that honor NM licenses (AL, AK, ID, MN, MT, TN, UT, WV, WI) are NOT honored by NM.

Carry rules in New Mexico

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

• No proactive duty; a licensee carrying in public must display the license upon demand by a peace officer (10.8.2.16(D) NMAC). Consuming alcohol while carrying is prohibited (10.8.2.16(B)).
• New Mexico sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• New Mexico is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit New Mexico recognizes.
• Anyone not otherwise prohibited may carry a loaded concealed firearm in a private vehicle (including motorcycles and bicycles) without a license, per the DPS FAQ.

Off-limits places in New Mexico

New Mexico bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• Schools and preschools (limited private-vehicle exception)
• University premises

See all 6 places you can't carry in New Mexico →

Louisiana vs New Mexico: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Louisiana into New Mexico changes 3 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); duty to inform police (Yes → No); out-of-state permits honored (37 states → 20 states).

Going the other way, a New Mexico non-resident permit in Louisiana: no such permit issued.

Permits that do work in New Mexico

These non-resident permits are honored in New Mexico, 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
• 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
• Arizona non-resident permit · honored in 31 states

Driving on from New Mexico

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

• Arizona — No such permit issued
• Colorado — No such permit issued
• Oklahoma — No such permit issued
• Texas — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does New Mexico honor a Louisiana resident permit?

Not recognized. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because New Mexico treats the two permit types differently.

Can a New Mexico non-resident permit holder carry in Louisiana?

New Mexico does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Louisiana.

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.