Resident permit · MS → DC
Is a Mississippi Resident Permit Valid in District of Columbia?
Not recognizedVerified 2026-08-08
No — this is one of the pairs where carrying is off the table. District of Columbia doesn't honor the permit and doesn't allow permitless carry for visitors, so there is no lawful concealed-carry path on this trip.
Why
- District of Columbia does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
No state's permit is valid in the District. An out-of-state license holder must obtain a DC Concealed Carry Pistol License - out-of-state licensure is a pathway to apply (22-4506), not a right to carry.
The permit (Mississippi)
- Permit
- Mississippi Individual Firearm Permit (License to Carry a Concealed Pistol or Revolver)
- Issued by
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Firearm Permit Division
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (District of Columbia)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in District of Columbia
Recognition is only half the question. Once you're inside District of Columbia, its carry rules apply to you exactly as they do to locals.
- District of Columbia imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. Affirmative duty - on any investigative stop, a licensee (and any accompanying licensee) shall disclose that they are carrying, present the license and registration certificate, identify the pistol's location, and comply with orders including temporary disarmament (D.C. Code 7-2509.04(d)).
- District of Columbia limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- District of Columbia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit District of Columbia recognizes.
- Licensees must have the license and the pistol's DC registration certificate on their person whenever carrying, including in a vehicle (D.C. Code 7-2509.04(c)); without a DC license, carrying a pistol in a vehicle is prohibited (22-4504).
Off-limits places in District of Columbia
- Buildings or offices occupied by the DC government
- Schools and universities, including adjacent parking (K-12 and higher ed)
- Public transit vehicles and Metrorail stations
- Establishments licensed to serve or sell alcohol for on-premises consumption
- Hospitals, stadiums and arenas, penal institutions
- National Mall memorials, White House area, polling places, and within 1,000 feet of demonstrations or protected officials
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Mississippi resident permit valid in District of Columbia?
- No — this is one of the pairs where carrying is off the table. District of Columbia doesn't honor the permit and doesn't allow permitless carry for visitors, so there is no lawful concealed-carry path on this trip.
- Do I have to tell police in District of Columbia that I am carrying?
- District of Columbia imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. Affirmative duty - on any investigative stop, a licensee (and any accompanying licensee) shall disclose that they are carrying, present the license and registration certificate, identify the pistol's location, and comply with orders including temporary disarmament (D.C. Code 7-2509.04(d)).
- Does District of Columbia limit magazine capacity?
- District of Columbia limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Where does District of Columbia publish its official reciprocity list?
- District of Columbia 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
- D.C. Code 22-4504 - Carrying concealed weapons (license required) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 22-4506 - License to carry a pistol (issuance, non-residents) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2509.02 - Concealed carry license eligibility (age 21, registration, training) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2509.04 - Duties of licensees (duty to disclose on a stop) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2509.07 - Prohibited locations — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2506.01 - Large capacity ammunition feeding devices (>10 rounds prohibited) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Firearm Permit Laws and Codes (hosts 45-9-101 as amended) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Miss. Code 45-9-101 as amended by HB 786 (2016) — official enrolled text, Mississippi Legislature — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Miss. Code 97-37-1 (concealed carry; holster and 18+ exemptions) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi DPS — Miss. Code 97-37-7 (enhanced carry endorsement; reciprocal agreements) — accessed 2026-08-08