Resident permit · WV → KS
Is a West Virginia Resident Permit Valid in Kansas?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
Yes — and Kansas would let you carry even without the permit. The state honors West Virginia resident permits and allows permitless carry for adults 21+ for anyone who may legally possess a handgun.
Why
- Kansas recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Kansas allows permitless carry for eligible adults 21+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
K.S.A. 75-7c03: 'a valid license or permit to carry a concealed firearm issued by another jurisdiction shall be recognized in this state, but only while the holder is not a resident of Kansas.' AG guidance states recognition applies to any non-resident holder aged 18 or older.
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 (Kansas)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (21+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Kansas
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Kansas, these rules replace the ones you know from West Virginia.
- No Kansas statute imposes a proactive duty to inform an officer that you are carrying.
- Kansas sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Kansas allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A person 21+ who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry it loaded, openly or concealed, in a vehicle without a license; under-21 concealed carry (including in vehicles) is restricted by K.S.A. 21-6302.
Off-limits places in Kansas
- Any building conspicuously posted with AG-approved no-firearms signage at its entrances (K.S.A. 75-7c10)
- K-12 school buildings, jails, courthouses and similar public buildings where properly posted
- Places where federal law prohibits firearms (federal buildings, secured airport areas)
Frequently asked questions
- Is a West Virginia resident permit valid in Kansas?
- Yes — and Kansas would let you carry even without the permit. The state honors West Virginia resident permits and allows permitless carry for adults 21+ for anyone who may legally possess a handgun.
- Do I have to tell police in Kansas that I am carrying?
- No Kansas statute imposes a proactive duty to inform an officer that you are carrying.
- Does Kansas limit magazine capacity?
- Kansas sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in Kansas without any permit?
- Kansas allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does Kansas publish its official reciprocity list?
- Kansas 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
- Kansas AG - Out-of-State License Recognition — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c03 (recognition of out-of-state licenses; provisional licenses) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 21-6302 (criminal carrying of a weapon; under-21 rule) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c05 (application; residency) — accessed 2026-08-08
- K.S.A. 75-7c10 (posted prohibited buildings) — accessed 2026-08-08
- 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