Resident permit · VT → LA
Is a Vermont Resident Permit Valid in Louisiana?
Vermont is the odd one out: permitless at home, and no permit program at all. That means nothing from Vermont can appear on Louisiana's recognition list. Our non-resident permit guide covers the workaround.
Why
- Vermont does not issue carry permits at all (vermont issues no carry permits to anyone, resident or non-resident — there is no permit system at all. vermont residents who need a permit recognized elsewhere must obtain a non-resident permit from another state that issues them) — there is no Vermont permit to recognize.
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.
The permit (Vermont)
- Permit
- None — Vermont issues no carry permits
- Issued by
- None — Vermont has no permit system
- Issue policy
- Does not issue permits
The destination (Louisiana)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 37 states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Louisiana
Recognition is only half the question. Once you're inside Louisiana, its carry rules apply to you exactly as they do to locals.
- 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
Vermont vs Louisiana: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Vermont into Louisiana changes 4 rules: permitless carry (Yes → Yes (18+)); duty to inform police (No → Yes); magazine limit (15 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 37 states).
| Rule | Vermont | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | Yes |
| Magazine limit | 15 rounds | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 37 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Louisiana resident permit in Vermont: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
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 Vermont resident permit fares in the states bordering Louisiana:
- Arkansas — No such permit issued
- Mississippi — No such permit issued
- Texas — No such permit issued
Frequently asked questions
- Does Louisiana honor a Vermont non-resident permit?
- Vermont does not issue non-resident carry permits (vermont issues no carry permits to anyone, resident or non-resident — there is no permit system at all. Vermont residents who need a permit recognized elsewhere must obtain a non-resident permit from another state that issues them), so the question does not arise.
- Can a Louisiana resident permit holder carry in Vermont?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Vermont's law, not Louisiana's.
- Does Vermont issue carry permits at all?
- No — to anyone. Vermont has no carry-permit system; carry there is permitless. Vermont residents who want reciprocity coverage elsewhere obtain a non-resident permit from a state that issues one.
Official sources
- Louisiana State Police - Reciprocity (list read from Internet Archive snapshot 2025-10-28 of this official URL; page is script-rendered) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana State Police - Concealed Handgun Permit Laws and Administrative Rules booklet (full text of R.S. 40:1379.3 and R.S. 14:95) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana State Police - Concealed Handgun FAQs — accessed 2026-08-08
- Louisiana State Police - CHP Fees — accessed 2026-09-27
- Vermont Statutes Online — 13 V.S.A. § 4021 (large capacity ammunition feeding devices) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont Statutes Online — 13 V.S.A. § 4004 (weapons in schools) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont Statutes Online — 13 V.S.A. § 4016 (weapons in court) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont Statutes Online — Title 13 chapter 85 (weapons; no licensing provision exists) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Vermont Statutes Online — 13 V.S.A. § 4003 (carrying dangerous weapons) (via Wayback 2026-08-11) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Vermont Statutes Online — 13 V.S.A. § 4008 (possession of firearms by children) (via Wayback 2025-11-14) — accessed 2026-09-27