Resident permit · GA → LA
Is a Georgia Resident Permit Valid in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana recognizes the Georgia resident permit — and because Louisiana has permitless carry for adults 18+, a permit isn't strictly required for eligible carriers anyway.
Why
- Louisiana's official reciprocity list includes Georgia.
- Louisiana allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
R.S. 40:1379.3(T)(2): a current, valid permit issued by another state to a holder aged 21+ is valid in Louisiana only if Louisiana's permit is valid in that state (mutual recognition - LSP publishes the list of 37 states). The statute does not require the holder to be a resident of the issuing state. (T)(4): an out-of-state permit is invalid for a LOUISIANA resident. Since July 4, 2024 any non-prohibited person 18+ may carry permitless regardless of permits.
The permit (Georgia)
- Permit
- Georgia Weapons Carry License (WCL)
- Issued by
- Judge of the probate court of the applicant's county of domicile
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (Louisiana)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 37 states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Louisiana
Louisiana's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- Louisiana imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. R.S. 40:1379.3(I)(2): a permittee - and anyone carrying under permitless R.S. 14:95(M) - must notify any police officer who approaches in an official manner that they have a weapon, submit to a pat-down and allow the officer to temporarily disarm them. Failure triggers automatic 6-month permit suspension for permittees.
- Louisiana sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Louisiana allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Carrying a handgun in a motor vehicle is legal under most circumstances (LSP FAQ), and the 18+ permitless-carry provision applies in vehicles; the statutory duty to inform applies on any official police contact.
Off-limits places in Louisiana
Louisiana bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Law enforcement offices, stations or buildings; detention facilities, prisons and jails (R.S. 40:1379.3(N))
- Courthouses and courtrooms
Georgia vs Louisiana: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Georgia into Louisiana changes 3 rules: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → Yes (18+)); duty to inform police (No → Yes); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 37 states).
| Rule | Georgia | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | Yes |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 37 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Louisiana resident permit in Georgia: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Louisiana
How a Georgia resident permit fares in the states bordering Louisiana:
- Arkansas — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Mississippi — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Texas — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does Louisiana honor a Georgia non-resident permit?
- Georgia does not issue non-resident carry permits (georgia.gov requires applicants to be a Georgia resident and apply at the probate court (county of domicile); 18-20 only for military members with basic training completed. Out-of-state residents cannot get a WCL, but under SB 319 they may carry without one if they would otherwise qualify), so the question does not arise.
- Can a Louisiana resident permit holder carry in Georgia?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Georgia's law, not Louisiana's.
- Where does Louisiana publish its official reciprocity list?
- Louisiana 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
- Louisiana State Police - Reciprocity (list read from Internet Archive snapshot 2025-10-28 of this official URL; page is script-rendered) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana State Police - Concealed Handgun Permit Laws and Administrative Rules booklet (full text of R.S. 40:1379.3 and R.S. 14:95) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana State Police - Concealed Handgun FAQs — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana State Police - CHP Fees — accessed 2026-09-27
- Georgia Attorney General - Firearms License Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia.gov - Apply for a Firearms License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia General Assembly House Budget & Research Office - Constitutional Carry in Georgia (SB 319 policy brief) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia Department of Public Safety - Georgia's Firearm Permit Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08