Is a South Dakota Non-Resident Permit Valid in Alaska?

Why

• South Dakota does not issue carry permits to non-residents (no non-resident permits — the applicant must have physically resided in and be a resident of the county of application for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (sdcl 23-7-7.1)).

Under AS 18.65.748 a person holding a valid permit from another state is treated as an Alaska permittee (no resident-only condition); in practice recognition matters little because anyone 21+ who may legally possess may carry permitless. Under-21 carriers are NOT covered even with an out-of-state permit.

Carry rules in Alaska

Alaska's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.

• Alaska imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. DPS FAQ: when contacted by a law enforcement officer while carrying concealed you must IMMEDIATELY inform the officer that you possess the firearm; failure to do so is a criminal offense (AS 11.61.220).
• Alaska sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Alaska allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• A loaded concealed handgun may be carried in a vehicle without a permit by anyone 21+ who may lawfully possess; the immediate duty to inform applies on any police contact.

Off-limits places in Alaska

Alaska bans carry in 4 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• K-12 schools and school grounds
• Child care facilities

See all 4 places you can't carry in Alaska →

South Dakota vs Alaska: what changes at the state line

Crossing from South Dakota into Alaska changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes (21+)); duty to inform police (No → Yes).

Going the other way, an Alaska non-resident permit in South Dakota: no such permit issued.

Permits that do work in Alaska

These non-resident permits are honored in Alaska, 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

Frequently asked questions

Does Alaska honor a South Dakota resident permit?

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

Can an Alaska non-resident permit holder carry in South Dakota?

Alaska does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in South Dakota.

Does South Dakota issue non-resident carry permits?

No. South Dakota issues carry permits to residents only (no non-resident permits — the applicant must have physically resided in and be a resident of the county of application for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (SDCL 23-7-7.1)). 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.