Non-Resident permit · WV → CA
Is a West Virginia Non-Resident Permit Valid in California?
Not recognizedVerified 2026-09-27
No. In California your Concealed Handgun License (CHL) counts for nothing, and the state has no permitless carry for visitors. You would need a California permit, which it does issue to non-residents, to carry there.
Why
- California does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
California DOJ: 'CCW licenses/permits issued in other states are not valid in California' (Pen. Code §§ 25400-25700). No out-of-state permit of any kind is honored.
The permit (West Virginia)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun License (CHL)
- Issued by
- County sheriff (residents apply in their county of residence; non-residents may apply to any county sheriff)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Since early-2021 law changes, non-residents may obtain a WV CHL by applying to any county sheriff of their choice with the same requirements as residents (live-fire training, fees). Provisional CHLs (18-20) are limited to WV residents.
The destination (California)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in California
Your West Virginia habits may not match California's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- No statewide statutory duty to proactively inform an officer; individual issuing authorities may attach notification conditions to the license.
- California limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- California is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit California recognizes.
- Without a California CCW license, a handgun in a vehicle must be unloaded and in a locked container or the trunk (Pen. Code § 25610); CCW licensees may carry loaded and concealed.
Off-limits places in California
California bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- K-12 schools, school zones and college/university campuses
- Government buildings, courthouses and jails
West Virginia vs California: what changes at the state line
Crossing from West Virginia into California changes 4 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); magazine limit (None → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (36 states → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → Restricted).
| Rule | West Virginia | California |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 36 states | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Restricted |
Going the other way, a California non-resident permit in West Virginia: permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies.
Driving on from California
How a West Virginia non-resident permit fares in the states bordering California:
Frequently asked questions
- Does California honor a West Virginia resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a California non-resident permit holder carry in West Virginia?
- Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on West Virginia's law, not California's.
- Where does California publish its official reciprocity list?
- California 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
- California DOJ — Firearms FAQs (out-of-state permits not valid; 10-round magazine limit) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26150 (CA Legislature) — shall-issue standard, age 21, county residency/employment — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26230 (CA Legislature) — sensitive places off-limits to CCW licensees (SB 2) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 25610 (CA Legislature) — unlicensed vehicle transport (unloaded, locked container) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26350 (CA Legislature) — crime of openly carrying an unloaded handgun — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26190 (CA Legislature) — license fees (DOJ + local) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26165 (CA Legislature) — 16-hour training course and live fire — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26220 (CA Legislature) — license term (2 years) — accessed 2026-09-27
- California Penal Code § 26150 (as amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 570, AB 1078, eff. 2026-01-01) — accessed 2026-09-27
- WV Attorney General — Gun Reciprocity Frequently Asked Questions — accessed 2026-08-08
- WV Attorney General — On The Mark: A Guide to Concealed Handgun Laws in West Virginia (July 2024, incl. full text of W. Va. Code § 61-7-6a) — accessed 2026-08-08
- WV Attorney General — Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map, as of October 1, 2025 — accessed 2026-08-08
- WV Legislature — HB 4106 (2026 RS) enrolled text, amending § 61-7-7(c) (permitless carry 18+) — accessed 2026-09-27
- WV Legislature — HB 4106 bill history (approved 2026-04-01; effective June 12, 2026; Acts ch. 75) — accessed 2026-09-27
- W. Va. Code § 61-7-4 — License to carry deadly weapons (fees, training, term) (via Wayback 2025-11-16) — accessed 2026-09-27