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

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)).

KSP: 'A person who is not a resident of Kentucky and who has a valid license issued by another state... may carry a concealed deadly weapon in Kentucky.' Recognition covers deadly weapons generally, not just handguns. New Kentucky residents' out-of-state licenses stay valid for 120 days if they file the KSP form within 60 days of moving.

Carry rules in Kentucky

Whatever your permit status, Kentucky law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.

• No Kentucky statute or KSP guidance imposes a proactive duty to inform an officer that you are carrying.
• Kentucky sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Kentucky allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• A firearm in any enclosed container, compartment or storage space installed as original equipment (e.g. glove box or console) is not considered concealed and is lawful for anyone who may possess it, loaded or not; persons 21+ may also carry on-body permitless.

Off-limits places in Kentucky

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

• Police stations and sheriff's offices
• Detention facilities, prisons and jails

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

South Dakota vs Kentucky: what changes at the state line

Crossing from South Dakota into Kentucky changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes (21+)).

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

Permits that do work in Kentucky

These non-resident permits are honored in Kentucky, 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 Kentucky

How a South Dakota non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Kentucky:

• Illinois — No such permit issued
• Indiana — No such permit issued
• Missouri — No such permit issued
• Ohio — No such permit issued
• Tennessee — No such permit issued
• Virginia — No such permit issued
• West Virginia — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Kentucky honor a South Dakota resident permit?

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

Can a Kentucky non-resident permit holder carry in South Dakota?

Kentucky 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.