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

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)).

AG rule: where Pennsylvania grants reciprocity, ONLY individuals who are both residents of the issuing state AND 21 or older may carry in Pennsylvania — non-resident permits are never recognized. Several states are recognized only for specific license classes (see overrides). Virginia became the 30th recognized state in Feb 2026. Not recognized: CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, SC, VT, WA.

Carry rules in Pennsylvania

Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Pennsylvania, these rules replace the ones you know from South Dakota.

• No Pennsylvania statute requires a carrier to proactively inform police; carry the license and produce it on lawful demand.
• Pennsylvania sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Pennsylvania is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Pennsylvania recognizes.
• Carrying a firearm in any vehicle, loaded or unloaded, requires a valid LTCF or a recognized reciprocal license (18 Pa.C.S. § 6106).

Off-limits places in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• Court facilities (18 Pa.C.S. § 913)
• Elementary and secondary school buildings, grounds and buses (18 Pa.C.S. § 912; statutory 'other lawful purpose' defense)

See all 3 places you can't carry in Pennsylvania →

South Dakota vs Pennsylvania: what changes at the state line

Crossing from South Dakota into Pennsylvania changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 30 states).

Going the other way, a Pennsylvania non-resident permit in South Dakota: recognized — and permitless carry applies.

Driving on from Pennsylvania

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

• Delaware — No such permit issued
• Maryland — No such permit issued
• New Jersey — No such permit issued
• New York — No such permit issued
• Ohio — No such permit issued
• West Virginia — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Pennsylvania honor a South Dakota resident permit?

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

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

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

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.