Non-Resident permit · MS → MT
Is a Mississippi Non-Resident Permit Valid in Montana?
Yes on both counts: permit reciprocity and permitless carry. Montana recognizes Mississippi non-resident permits and separately allows eligible adults to carry without one.
Why
- Montana's official reciprocity list includes Mississippi.
- 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 (Mississippi)
- Permit
- Mississippi Individual Firearm Permit (License to Carry a Concealed Pistol or Revolver)
- Issued by
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Firearm Permit Division
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Residents only by default, but the residency requirement is waived if the applicant holds a valid permit from another state, is active-duty military stationed in Mississippi, or is a retired law enforcement officer establishing residency (Miss. Code 45-9-101(2)(a)). 18-20-year-olds qualify only as members/veterans of the Armed Forces with a Mississippi ID (45-9-101(2)(b)).
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
Crossing into Montana swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- 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)
Mississippi vs Montana: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Mississippi into Montana changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 43 states).
| Rule | Mississippi | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 43 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Montana non-resident permit in Mississippi: no such permit issued.
Driving on from Montana
How a Mississippi non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Montana:
- Idaho — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- North Dakota — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- South Dakota — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Wyoming — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does Montana honor a Mississippi 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 Mississippi?
- Montana does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Mississippi.
- 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
- Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Firearm Permit Laws and Codes (hosts 45-9-101 as amended) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Miss. Code 45-9-101 as amended by HB 786 (2016) — official enrolled text, Mississippi Legislature — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Miss. Code 97-37-1 (concealed carry; holster and 18+ exemptions) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Miss. Code 97-37-7 (enhanced carry endorsement; reciprocal agreements) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Firearm Permit Applications & Forms (how to apply) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Mississippi DPS — Individual Firearm Permit Application Instructions (fees; rev. 3/24/22) — accessed 2026-09-27