Is a New Mexico Resident Permit Valid in Washington?

Why

• New Mexico is not on Washington's official reciprocity list.

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

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

• 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 →

New Mexico vs Washington: what changes at the state line

Crossing from New Mexico into Washington changes one rule: out-of-state permits honored (20 states → 10 states).

Going the other way, a Washington resident permit in New Mexico: not recognized.

Permits that do work in Washington

These non-resident permits are honored in Washington, 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
• Utah non-resident permit · honored in 31 states

Driving on from Washington

How a New Mexico 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 New Mexico non-resident permit?

New Mexico does not issue non-resident carry permits (residents only (domiciled 90+ days), except members of the US armed forces permanently stationed in NM and their dependents (NMSA 29-19-4(A)(2)). New residents holding a license from a reciprocity state must transfer to a NM license within 90 days), so the question does not arise.

Can a Washington resident permit holder carry in New Mexico?

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