Skip to content
Concealed Carry Map

Resident permit · MN → ME

Is a Minnesota Resident Permit Valid in Maine?

Permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-09-27

Your permit itself isn't recognized, but you can still likely carry. Maine does not honor Minnesota resident permits, yet its permitless-carry law for adults 21+ covers visitors who may legally possess a handgun.

Why

Maine recognizes a permit 'issued by another state to its resident' only where that state recognizes Maine's resident permit - non-resident permits are not honored. Extra conditions: permit holders from Alaska, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and Virginia must be 21+ (Virginia holders must also carry government-issued photo ID). In practice most visitors 21+ may simply carry permitless.

The permit (Minnesota)

Permit
Minnesota Permit to Carry a Pistol
Issued by
County sheriff
Issue policy
Shall-issue

The destination (Maine)

Recognition policy
Honors a named list of 23 states
Permitless carry
Yes (21+)
Duty to inform
No (present permit on demand)
Magazine limit
No state limit

Carry rules in Maine

Whatever your permit status, Maine law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.

Off-limits places in Maine

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

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

Minnesota vs Maine: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Minnesota into Maine changes 3 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes (21+)); out-of-state permits honored (33 states → 23 states); open carry (With a permit → Yes, no permit).

RuleMinnesotaMaine
Permitless carryNoYes (21+)
Duty to inform policeNoNo
Magazine limitNoneNone
Out-of-state permits honored33 states23 states
Open carryWith a permitYes, no permit

Going the other way, a Maine resident permit in Minnesota: not recognized.

Driving on from Maine

How a Minnesota resident permit fares in the states bordering Maine:

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

See the full 50-state map for a Minnesota resident permit →

Frequently asked questions

Does Maine honor a Minnesota 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 Maine resident permit holder carry in Minnesota?
Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Minnesota's law, not Maine's.
Where does Maine publish its official reciprocity list?
Maine 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