Is an Arkansas Resident Permit Valid in Pennsylvania?

Why

• Pennsylvania's official reciprocity list includes Arkansas.
• The agreement covers only permits issued to Arkansas residents.

AG rule: where Pennsylvania grants reciprocity, ONLY individuals who are both residents of the issuing state AND 21 or older may carry in Pennsylvania — non-resident permits are never recognized. Several states are recognized only for specific license classes (see overrides). Virginia became the 30th recognized state in Feb 2026. Not recognized: CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, SC, VT, WA.

Carry rules in Pennsylvania

Recognition is only half the question. Once you're inside Pennsylvania, its carry rules apply to you exactly as they do to locals.

• No Pennsylvania statute requires a carrier to proactively inform police; carry the license and produce it on lawful demand.
• Pennsylvania sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Pennsylvania is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Pennsylvania recognizes.
• Carrying a firearm in any vehicle, loaded or unloaded, requires a valid LTCF or a recognized reciprocal license (18 Pa.C.S. § 6106).

Off-limits places in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• Court facilities (18 Pa.C.S. § 913)
• Elementary and secondary school buildings, grounds and buses (18 Pa.C.S. § 912; statutory 'other lawful purpose' defense)

See all 3 places you can't carry in Pennsylvania →

Arkansas vs Pennsylvania: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Arkansas into Pennsylvania changes 3 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); duty to inform police (Yes → No); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 30 states).

Going the other way, a Pennsylvania resident permit in Arkansas: recognized — and permitless carry applies.

Driving on from Pennsylvania

How an Arkansas resident permit fares in the states bordering Pennsylvania:

• Delaware — Recognized — carry with your permit
• Maryland — Not recognized
• New Jersey — Not recognized
• New York — Not recognized
• Ohio — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
• West Virginia — Recognized — and permitless carry applies

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Pennsylvania honor an Arkansas non-resident permit?

Arkansas does not issue non-resident carry permits (requires Arkansas residency for 90+ continuous days (§ 5-73-309(2)); exception — active-duty US Armed Forces members and their spouses are exempt from the residency requirement), so the question does not arise.

Can a Pennsylvania resident permit holder carry in Arkansas?

Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Arkansas's law, not Pennsylvania's.

Where does Pennsylvania publish its official reciprocity list?

Pennsylvania 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.