Resident permit · AR → MS
Is a Arkansas Resident Permit Valid in Mississippi?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
Your Arkansas resident permit is valid in Mississippi. The state also has permitless carry for adults 18+, so the permit mainly buys you reciprocity certainty and some federal school-zone protection.
Why
- Mississippi recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Mississippi allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Miss. Code 45-9-101(19): 'Any person holding a valid unrevoked and unexpired license to carry stun guns, concealed pistols or revolvers issued in another state shall have such license recognized by this state' — no residency condition, so non-resident permits from any state are also recognized.
The permit (Arkansas)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun Carry License (CHCL)
- Issued by
- Arkansas State Police
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (Mississippi)
- 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 Mississippi
Crossing into Mississippi swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- No proactive duty: a licensee must display the license and identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer; failure is a $25 noncriminal violation (Miss. Code 45-9-101(1)(b)).
- Mississippi sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Mississippi allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Loaded vehicle carry is generally lawful without a permit for adults who may lawfully possess a handgun, under the permitless-carry provisions (Miss. Code 45-9-101(24), 97-37-1).
Off-limits places in Mississippi
- Police, sheriff or highway patrol stations (45-9-101(13))
- Detention facilities, prisons and jails
- Courthouses and courtrooms (judges may authorize in their courtroom)
- Polling places and meetings of governmental bodies or the Legislature
- School, college or professional athletic events not related to firearms; elementary, secondary and college facilities
- Bar areas of establishments serving alcohol, airport passenger terminals, and premises posted with a 'carrying of a pistol or revolver is prohibited' notice
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Arkansas resident permit valid in Mississippi?
- Your Arkansas resident permit is valid in Mississippi. The state also has permitless carry for adults 18+, so the permit mainly buys you reciprocity certainty and some federal school-zone protection.
- Do I have to tell police in Mississippi that I am carrying?
- No proactive duty: a licensee must display the license and identification upon demand by a law enforcement officer; failure is a $25 noncriminal violation (Miss. Code 45-9-101(1)(b)).
- Does Mississippi limit magazine capacity?
- Mississippi sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in Mississippi without any permit?
- Mississippi allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does Mississippi publish its official reciprocity list?
- Mississippi 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
- Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Firearm Permit Laws and Codes (hosts 45-9-101 as amended) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Miss. Code 45-9-101 as amended by HB 786 (2016) — official enrolled text, Mississippi Legislature — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Miss. Code 97-37-1 (concealed carry; holster and 18+ exemptions) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Miss. Code 97-37-7 (enhanced carry endorsement; reciprocal agreements) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Arkansas State Police — Concealed Handgun Carry Licensing (recognition of all states since 2013) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Arkansas Concealed Handgun Carry Licensing Code §§ 5-73-301–329 (eligibility, § 5-73-321 recognition, § 5-73-315) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Weapons Possession and Use Code §§ 5-73-101–133 (Aug 1, 2025; § 5-73-120 permitless carry, § 5-73-119) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Locations Where Possession of a Handgun is Prohibited (July 31, 2023) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ASP — Code of Arkansas Rules, CHCL (July 8, 2025; notification duty on ID request) — accessed 2026-08-08