Is a Montana Non-Resident Permit Valid in Virginia?

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).

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.

Carry rules in Virginia

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

• 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

Virginia bans carry in 5 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• 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)

See all 5 places you can't carry in Virginia →

Montana vs Virginia: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Montana into Virginia changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes → No); out-of-state permits honored (43 states → All states).

Going the other way, a Virginia non-resident permit in Montana: recognized — and permitless carry applies.

Permits that do work in Virginia

These non-resident permits are honored in Virginia, 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 Virginia

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

• Kentucky — No such permit issued
• Maryland — No such permit issued
• North Carolina — No such permit issued
• Tennessee — No such permit issued
• West Virginia — No such permit issued
• District of Columbia — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Virginia honor a Montana resident permit?

Recognized — carry with your permit. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Virginia treats the two permit types differently.

Can a Virginia non-resident permit holder carry in Montana?

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

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.