Is a Montana Non-Resident Permit Valid in Alabama?

Why

• Montana does not issue carry permits to non-residents (permit requires at least 6 months' montana residency, us citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and montana id (mca 45-8-321; mt doj). no non-resident permits are issued).

Attorney General: 'The state of Alabama recognizes any concealed carry permit issued by another state' (Ala. Code § 13A-11-85(a)); no resident-only condition stated.

Carry rules in Alabama

Crossing into Alabama swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.

• No proactive duty to inform found on any official Alabama source; answer truthfully and present a permit if an officer asks during a lawful stop.
• Alabama sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Alabama allows permitless concealed carry from age 19 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• Since Jan 1, 2023 a loaded handgun may be carried in a vehicle without a permit by anyone who may carry permitless (Act 2022-133 removed the vehicle-carry permit requirement).

Off-limits places in Alabama

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

• Police, sheriff and highway patrol stations
• Prisons, jails and other detention facilities

See all 6 places you can't carry in Alabama →

Montana vs Alabama: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Montana into Alabama changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes → Yes (19+)); out-of-state permits honored (43 states → All states).

Going the other way, an Alabama non-resident permit in Montana: no such permit issued.

Permits that do work in Alabama

These non-resident permits are honored in Alabama, 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 Alabama

How a Montana non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Alabama:

• Florida — No such permit issued
• Georgia — No such permit issued
• Mississippi — No such permit issued
• Tennessee — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Alabama honor a Montana resident permit?

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

Can an Alabama non-resident permit holder carry in Montana?

Alabama does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Montana.

Does Montana issue non-resident carry permits?

No. Montana issues carry permits to residents only (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued). 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.