Non-Resident permit · VA → WY
Is a Virginia Non-Resident Permit Valid in Wyoming?
Both doors are open: Wyoming accepts your Virginia non-resident permit, and its permitless law covers eligible visitors for adults 18+ regardless of permits.
Why
- Wyoming's official reciprocity list includes Virginia.
- Wyoming allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Statutory test, not a closed list: Wyoming honors an out-of-state permit if (1) the issuing state recognizes Wyoming permits and (2) the permit is valid statewide in the issuing state — holder residency in the issuing state is not required, so qualifying non-resident permits count. DCI publishes the 35-state list above 'for convenience only... this listing has no legal effect.' Largely academic for most visitors: permitless carry already covers any US resident who may lawfully possess a firearm.
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 (Wyoming)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 35 states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Wyoming
Your Virginia habits may not match Wyoming's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- No proactive duty to inform. Permit holders must carry the permit with valid ID whenever carrying concealed and display both upon request of any peace officer (W.S. 6-8-104(b)).
- Wyoming sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Wyoming allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Permitless carry extends to vehicles — any US resident who may lawfully possess a firearm may carry a loaded handgun concealed in a vehicle without a permit.
Off-limits places in Wyoming
Wyoming bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Law enforcement facilities, without the chief administrator's written consent (W.S. 6-8-104(t))
- Detention facilities, prisons and jails
Virginia vs Wyoming: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Virginia into Wyoming changes 2 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (18+)); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 35 states).
| Rule | Virginia | Wyoming |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 35 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Wyoming non-resident permit in Virginia: no such permit issued.
Driving on from Wyoming
How a Virginia non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Wyoming:
Frequently asked questions
- Does Wyoming 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 Wyoming non-resident permit holder carry in Virginia?
- Wyoming does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Virginia.
- Where does Wyoming publish its official reciprocity list?
- Wyoming 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
- Wyoming DCI — Concealed Firearm Permits FAQ (permitless carry, reciprocity list, prohibited places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming DCI — Concealed Firearm Permits (program page) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming Legislature — 2026 HB0096, Carrying of concealed weapons-age requirement (21 -> 18, effective July 1, 2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming Legislature — 2025 HB0172 Enrolled Act No. 24, Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act (effective July 1, 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming Legislature — Title 6 compiled statutes (W.S. 6-8-104(a)(iv), (b)(ii) as amended) — 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