Is a Washington Non-Resident Permit Valid in Ohio?
Conditionally. Ohio honors the Washington non-resident permit unless you live in Ohio; outside that, it does not count there. Ohio also allows permitless carry for adults 21+ if you qualify. Ohio residents are not covered by this recognition, but Ohio's permitless carry from age 21 still applies if they qualify.
Why
- Ohio recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Ohio does not honor an out-of-state permit held by an Ohio resident.
- Ohio allows permitless carry for eligible adults 21+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Since March 23, 2015 Ohio recognizes a valid concealed handgun license issued by ANY other state regardless of reciprocity agreement, but only while the holder is NOT an Ohio resident and is temporarily in Ohio (R.C. 2923.126). The statute does not require the holder to be a resident of the issuing state. Ohio residents must use an Ohio license or permitless carry.
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 (Ohio)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (21+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Ohio
Ohio's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- SB 215 (2022) removed the duty to promptly notify; a person stopped by law enforcement is no longer required to volunteer that they are carrying but must answer truthfully if the officer asks (R.C. 2923.12).
- Ohio sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Ohio allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A licensee or qualifying adult (21+) may carry a loaded concealed handgun in a motor vehicle; pre-2022 vehicle notification and handling restrictions were repealed by SB 215.
Off-limits places in Ohio
Ohio bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Police stations, sheriff's offices and highway patrol posts
- Correctional institutions, jails and detention facilities
Washington vs Ohio: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Washington into Ohio changes 2 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (21+)); out-of-state permits honored (10 states → All states).
| Rule | Washington | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes (21+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 10 states | All states |
Going the other way, an Ohio non-resident permit in Washington: recognized — carry with your permit.
Driving on from Ohio
How a Washington non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Ohio:
- Indiana — Recognized — not for Indiana residents; permitless carry applies
- Kentucky — Recognized — not for Kentucky residents; permitless carry applies
- Michigan — Not recognized
- Pennsylvania — Not recognized
- West Virginia — Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does Ohio honor a Washington resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The verdict matches the non-resident permit on this page, but the conditions differ.
- Can an Ohio non-resident permit holder carry in Washington?
- Recognized — carry with your permit. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Washington's law, not Ohio's.
- Where does Ohio publish its official reciprocity list?
- Ohio 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
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.126 — Duties of licensed individual (out-of-state license recognition) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.125 — Application and licensing process — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.111 — Concealed carry by a qualifying adult — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Legislature — SB 215 (134th GA), effective June 13, 2022 — accessed 2026-08-08
- Geauga County Sheriff's Office — CCW Applications (fees, training, expiration) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Lucas County Sheriff's Office — CCW Permits (fee schedule, training) — accessed 2026-09-27
- 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
- RCW 9.41.240 — Possession of pistol by person from eighteen to twenty-one — accessed 2026-09-27