Is a Louisiana Resident Permit Valid in Washington?

Why

• Washington's official reciprocity list includes Louisiana.

AG list as of 2026-07-10. Permit-class limits: Idaho ENHANCED permits only; Kansas standard licenses only; Montana ENHANCED permits only (not 18-20 restricted permits); North Dakota CLASS 1 permits only; South Dakota unrestricted ENHANCED and GOLD permits only; Utah permits recognized EXCLUDING provisional (under-21) permits. RCW 9.41.073 requires the issuing state to recognize WA CPLs, not license under-21s, and require a fingerprint-based criminal and mental-health background check; holder residency in the issuing state is not a statutory condition.

Carry rules in Washington

Crossing into Washington swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.

• No statutory duty to proactively tell an officer you are carrying; the CPL must be in your possession while carrying a concealed pistol and presented on demand.
• Washington sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
• Washington is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Washington recognizes.
• A loaded pistol in a vehicle requires a CPL and must be on the licensee's person, or the licensee must remain in the vehicle, or the pistol must be locked in the vehicle and concealed from view when the licensee leaves; without a CPL the pistol must be unloaded, and if left in the vehicle, locked and hidden from view (RCW 9.41.050).

Off-limits places in Washington

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

• Restricted areas of jails, law enforcement facilities and courthouses/courtrooms (RCW 9.41.300)
• Licensed inpatient psychiatric facilities (RCW 9.41.300)

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

Louisiana vs Washington: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Louisiana into Washington changes 3 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); duty to inform police (Yes → No); out-of-state permits honored (37 states → 10 states).

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

Driving on from Washington

How a Louisiana resident permit fares in the states bordering Washington:

• Idaho — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
• Oregon — Not recognized

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Washington honor a Louisiana non-resident permit?

Louisiana does not issue non-resident carry permits (r.S. 40:1379.3(B)(1) and (C)(3)-(4): permits are issued only to Louisiana residents aged 21+; a permit becomes invalid when the holder ceases to reside in Louisiana), so the question does not arise.

Can a Washington resident permit holder carry in Louisiana?

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

Where does Washington publish its official reciprocity list?

Washington 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.