Is a California Resident Permit Valid in Wyoming?

Why

• California is not on Wyoming's official reciprocity list.
• Wyoming allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.

Statutory test, not a closed list: Wyoming honors an out-of-state permit if (1) the issuing state recognizes Wyoming permits and (2) the permit is valid statewide in the issuing state — holder residency in the issuing state is not required, so qualifying non-resident permits count. DCI publishes the 35-state list above 'for convenience only... this listing has no legal effect.' Largely academic for most visitors: permitless carry already covers any US resident who may lawfully possess a firearm.

Carry rules in Wyoming

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

• No proactive duty to inform. Permit holders must carry the permit with valid ID whenever carrying concealed and display both upon request of any peace officer (W.S. 6-8-104(b)).
• Wyoming sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Wyoming allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
• Permitless carry extends to vehicles — any US resident who may lawfully possess a firearm may carry a loaded handgun concealed in a vehicle without a permit.

Off-limits places in Wyoming

Wyoming bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:

• Law enforcement facilities, without the chief administrator's written consent (W.S. 6-8-104(t))
• Detention facilities, prisons and jails

See all 6 places you can't carry in Wyoming →

California vs Wyoming: what changes at the state line

Crossing from California into Wyoming changes 4 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (18+)); magazine limit (10 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (None → 35 states); open carry (Restricted → Yes, no permit).

Going the other way, a Wyoming resident permit in California: not recognized.

Permits that do work in Wyoming

These non-resident permits are honored in Wyoming, ranked by how many states honor each one. They are issued to people who live outside the issuing state, subject to its eligibility rules.

• North Dakota non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
• Ohio non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
• Idaho non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
• Texas non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
• Florida non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
• South Carolina non-resident permit · honored in 32 states

Driving on from Wyoming

How a California resident permit fares in the states bordering Wyoming:

• Colorado — Not recognized
• Idaho — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
• Montana — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
• Nebraska — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
• South Dakota — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
• Utah — Recognized — and permitless carry applies

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Wyoming honor a California non-resident permit?

Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.

Can a Wyoming resident permit holder carry in California?

Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on California's law, not Wyoming's.

Where does Wyoming publish its official reciprocity list?

Wyoming 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.