Non-Resident permit · MS → VA
Is a Mississippi Non-Resident Permit Valid in Virginia?
Recognized — carry with your permitVerified 2026-08-08
Yes. Virginia honors a valid Mississippi non-resident permit, so you can carry a concealed handgun there with your Mississippi Individual Firearm Permit (License to Carry a Concealed Pistol or Revolver).
Why
- Virginia recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
Va. Code § 18.2-308.014: the holder of a valid concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by ANY other state may carry in Virginia provided the holder is at least 21, carries government-issued photo ID, displays the permit and ID upon demand by law enforcement, and has not previously had a Virginia permit revoked. No requirement that the permit be a resident permit of the issuing state.
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 (Virginia)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Virginia
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Virginia, these rules replace the ones you know from Mississippi.
- Virginia law does not require volunteering that you are armed; Va. Code § 18.2-308.01 requires having the permit in possession when carrying and displaying it with photo ID upon demand by a law-enforcement officer (VSP FAQ).
- Virginia sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Virginia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Virginia recognizes.
- No permit is needed to carry a handgun (loaded or unloaded) in a personal, private motor vehicle or vessel if it is secured in a container or compartment — the compartment need not be locked (Va. Code § 18.2-308(C)(8); VSP FAQ, citing OAG opinion 11-111). Permit holders may carry loaded and concealed on their person.
Off-limits places in Virginia
- Public, private or religious K-12 school property (Va. Code § 18.2-308.1; permit holders may keep the handgun in a vehicle in the school parking lot)
- Courthouses (Va. Code § 18.2-283.1)
- Places of worship while a religious meeting is being held, without good and sufficient reason (Va. Code § 18.2-283)
- Air carrier airport terminals (Va. Code § 18.2-287.01)
- Private property where prohibited by the owner or posted (Va. Code § 18.2-308.01)
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Mississippi non-resident permit valid in Virginia?
- Yes. Virginia honors a valid Mississippi non-resident permit, so you can carry a concealed handgun there with your Mississippi Individual Firearm Permit (License to Carry a Concealed Pistol or Revolver).
- Do I have to tell police in Virginia that I am carrying?
- Virginia law does not require volunteering that you are armed; Va. Code § 18.2-308.01 requires having the permit in possession when carrying and displaying it with photo ID upon demand by a law-enforcement officer (VSP FAQ).
- Does Virginia limit magazine capacity?
- Virginia sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Where does Virginia publish its official reciprocity list?
- Virginia 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
- Virginia State Police — Reciprocity and Recognition — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Firearms/Concealed Weapons FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Resident Concealed Handgun Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- 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