Non-Resident permit · VA → MO
Is a Virginia Non-Resident Permit Valid in Missouri?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-09-27
You're covered either way. Missouri honors Virginia non-resident permits, and its permitless-carry law also lets eligible visitors carry without any permit at all.
Why
- Missouri recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Missouri allows permitless carry, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
RSMo 571.107.1 gives 'a concealed carry endorsement or permit issued by another state or political subdivision of another state' the same statewide effect as a Missouri permit; the AG confirms Missouri recognizes permits from every state that issues them. No issuing-state residency condition.
The permit (Virginia)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)
- Issued by
- Clerk of the circuit court of the applicant's county or city (resident permits); Virginia State Police (nonresident permits)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Nonresidents 21+ may apply in writing to the Virginia State Police for a five-year nonresident CHP (fingerprint card and demonstrated handgun competence required).
The destination (Missouri)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Missouri
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Missouri, these rules replace the ones you know from Virginia.
- No proactive duty to inform. Permit holders must carry the permit plus photo ID and display them on a peace officer's request (RSMo 571.121); failure is a civil citation up to $35, not a crime.
- Missouri sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Missouri allows permitless concealed carry for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Any person 19+ (18 if military or honorably discharged) may carry a loaded concealable firearm in the passenger compartment of a vehicle without a permit (RSMo 571.030.3).
Off-limits places in Missouri
Missouri bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Police, sheriff or highway patrol stations
- Within 25 feet of a polling place on election day
Virginia vs Missouri: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Virginia into Missouri changes one rule: permitless carry (No → Yes).
| Rule | Virginia | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Missouri non-resident permit in Virginia: no such permit issued.
Driving on from Missouri
How a Virginia non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Missouri:
- Arkansas — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Illinois — Not recognized
- Iowa — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Kansas — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Kentucky — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Nebraska — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Oklahoma — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Tennessee — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does Missouri honor a Virginia resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Missouri non-resident permit holder carry in Virginia?
- Missouri does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Virginia.
- Where does Missouri publish its official reciprocity list?
- Missouri publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- Missouri Attorney General — Concealed Carry Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- RSMo 571.101 — Concealed carry permits, application requirements — accessed 2026-08-08
- RSMo 571.030 — Unlawful use of weapons, exceptions — accessed 2026-08-08
- RSMo 571.107 — Permit does not authorize concealed firearms, where — accessed 2026-08-08
- RSMo 571.121 — Duty to carry and display permit — accessed 2026-08-08
- RSMo 571.111 — Firearms safety training course requirements — accessed 2026-09-27
- RSMo 21.750 — State preemption; local regulation of open carry — accessed 2026-09-27
- Virginia State Police — Reciprocity and Recognition — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Firearms/Concealed Weapons FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Virginia State Police — Resident Concealed Handgun Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Code of Virginia § 18.2-308.014 — both versions (until / from July 1, 2027), 2026 c. 879 — accessed 2026-09-27
- Virginia General Assembly — SB 115 (2026) enrolled text incl. enactment clauses 2-3 — accessed 2026-09-27
- Code of Virginia § 18.2-308.03 — Fees for resident and nonresident concealed handgun permits — accessed 2026-09-27
- Code of Virginia § 18.2-287.4 (carrying loaded firearms in public areas; both versions) — accessed 2026-09-27