Is a Massachusetts Resident Permit Valid in Louisiana?

Why

• Massachusetts is not on Louisiana's official reciprocity list.
• 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.

Carry rules in Louisiana

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

• 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

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

Massachusetts vs Louisiana: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Massachusetts into Louisiana changes 5 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (18+)); duty to inform police (No → Yes); magazine limit (10 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (None → 37 states); open carry (With a permit → Yes, no permit).

Going the other way, a Louisiana resident permit in Massachusetts: not recognized.

Permits that do work in Louisiana

These non-resident permits are honored in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana

How a Massachusetts 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

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Louisiana honor a Massachusetts 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 Louisiana resident permit holder carry in Massachusetts?

Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Massachusetts'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.