Resident permit · WV → ID
Is a West Virginia Resident Permit Valid in Idaho?
Yes, twice over. Idaho honors your West Virginia resident permit, and it also allows permitless carry for adults 18+, so eligible adults can carry there even without one.
Why
- Idaho recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Idaho allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Idaho AG: out-of-state concealed weapons licenses are recognized ('Yes'), with the condition that 'while in Idaho, you must carry the license on your person at all times when carrying a concealed weapon' (Idaho Code 18-3302(5)(g)). No residency or permit-type restriction is stated; permitless carry independently covers US-citizen visitors 18+.
The permit (West Virginia)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun License (CHL)
- Issued by
- County sheriff (residents apply in their county of residence; non-residents may apply to any county sheriff)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (Idaho)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Idaho
Whatever your permit status, Idaho law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- No proactive duty-to-inform requirement appears in the AG's official concealed-weapons guidance; carriers relying on an out-of-state license must have it with them when carrying. Cross-checked: Idaho has no must-inform statute.
- Idaho sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Idaho allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Anyone eligible for permitless carry (US citizen or armed forces member 18+, not disqualified) may carry a loaded concealed handgun in a vehicle without a license.
Off-limits places in Idaho
Idaho bans carry in 4 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Courthouses
- Juvenile detention facilities
West Virginia vs Idaho: what changes at the state line
Crossing from West Virginia into Idaho changes one rule: out-of-state permits honored (36 states → All states).
| Rule | West Virginia | Idaho |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 36 states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, an Idaho resident permit in West Virginia: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Idaho
How a West Virginia resident permit fares in the states bordering Idaho:
Frequently asked questions
- Does Idaho honor a West Virginia non-resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.
- Can an Idaho resident permit holder carry in West Virginia?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on West Virginia's law, not Idaho's.
- Where does Idaho publish its official reciprocity list?
- Idaho 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
- Idaho Office of the Attorney General - Concealed Weapons — accessed 2026-08-08
- Idaho Code 18-3302 (Issuance of licenses to carry concealed weapons) — accessed 2026-09-27
- WV Attorney General — Gun Reciprocity Frequently Asked Questions — accessed 2026-08-08
- WV Attorney General — On The Mark: A Guide to Concealed Handgun Laws in West Virginia (July 2024, incl. full text of W. Va. Code § 61-7-6a) — accessed 2026-08-08
- WV Attorney General — Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map, as of October 1, 2025 — accessed 2026-08-08
- WV Legislature — HB 4106 (2026 RS) enrolled text, amending § 61-7-7(c) (permitless carry 18+) — accessed 2026-09-27
- WV Legislature — HB 4106 bill history (approved 2026-04-01; effective June 12, 2026; Acts ch. 75) — accessed 2026-09-27
- W. Va. Code § 61-7-4 — License to carry deadly weapons (fees, training, term) (via Wayback 2025-11-16) — accessed 2026-09-27