Non-Resident permit · WA → IA
Is a Washington Non-Resident Permit Valid in Iowa?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
You're covered either way. Iowa honors Washington non-resident permits, and its permitless-carry law also lets eligible visitors carry without any permit at all.
Why
- Iowa recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Iowa allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Iowa Code 724.11A: a valid permit or license issued by another state to any nonresident of Iowa is treated as a valid Iowa permit to carry (it cannot be used by Iowa residents and does not satisfy the permit-to-acquire requirement of 724.15).
The permit (Washington)
- Permit
- Concealed Pistol License (CPL)
- Issued by
- County sheriff or municipal police chief (nonresidents may apply to any issuing authority in the state)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Nonresidents may apply anywhere in the state (RCW 9.41.070); same 21+ shall-issue standards apply.
The destination (Iowa)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Iowa
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Iowa, these rules replace the ones you know from Washington.
- No proactive duty-to-inform provision in Iowa Code ch. 724; the former duty to carry and show the permit on demand (724.5) was repealed by the 2021 permitless-carry law.
- Iowa sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Iowa allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Since July 1, 2021 a non-prohibited adult may carry a loaded handgun, open or concealed, in a vehicle without any permit.
Off-limits places in Iowa
- K-12 school grounds (Iowa Code 724.4B - class D felony; narrow exceptions for unloaded/secured firearms in vehicles)
- Courthouses and court-occupied areas (Iowa Judicial Branch supervisory order, not statute)
- Places where federal law prohibits firearms (federal buildings, post offices)
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Washington non-resident permit valid in Iowa?
- You're covered either way. Iowa honors Washington non-resident permits, and its permitless-carry law also lets eligible visitors carry without any permit at all.
- Do I have to tell police in Iowa that I am carrying?
- No proactive duty-to-inform provision in Iowa Code ch. 724; the former duty to carry and show the permit on demand (724.5) was repealed by the 2021 permitless-carry law.
- Does Iowa limit magazine capacity?
- Iowa sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in Iowa without any permit?
- Iowa allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does Iowa publish its official reciprocity list?
- Iowa 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
- Iowa DPS - Weapon Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa DPS - Weapon Permits FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.11A (Recognition), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.8 (permit eligibility, 18+ per 2025 Acts ch. 27), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.22 (under-18 handgun possession, as amended 2025), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.4B (firearms on school grounds), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Washington Attorney General — Concealed Pistol License Reciprocity (list as of 07/10/2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.070 — Concealed pistol license — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.050 — Carrying firearms — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.300 — Weapons prohibited in certain places — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.370 — Large capacity magazines — accessed 2026-08-08