Resident permit · WI → OH
Is a Wisconsin Resident Permit Valid in Ohio?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
Legal, yes. Ohio honors the permit, and permitless carry for adults 21+ applies there too. Either way, Ohio's carry rules — not Wisconsin's — control while you're in the state.
Why
- Ohio recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Ohio allows permitless carry for eligible adults 21+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Since March 23, 2015 Ohio recognizes a valid concealed handgun license issued by ANY other state regardless of reciprocity agreement, but only while the holder is NOT an Ohio resident and is temporarily in Ohio (R.C. 2923.126). The statute does not require the holder to be a resident of the issuing state. Ohio residents must use an Ohio license or permitless carry.
The permit (Wisconsin)
- Permit
- Wisconsin Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) License
- Issued by
- Wisconsin Department of Justice (Firearms Section)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (Ohio)
- 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 Ohio
Whatever your permit status, Ohio law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- SB 215 (2022) removed the duty to promptly notify; a person stopped by law enforcement is no longer required to volunteer that they are carrying but must answer truthfully if the officer asks (R.C. 2923.12).
- Ohio sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Ohio allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A licensee or qualifying adult (21+) may carry a loaded concealed handgun in a motor vehicle; pre-2022 vehicle notification and handling restrictions were repealed by SB 215.
Off-limits places in Ohio
- Police stations, sheriff's offices and highway patrol posts
- Correctional institutions, jails and detention facilities
- Airport passenger terminals beyond security checkpoints
- Courthouses and buildings containing a courtroom
- School safety zones (limited vehicle exceptions, R.C. 2923.122)
- Places of worship, unless the facility permits carry
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Wisconsin resident permit valid in Ohio?
- Legal, yes. Ohio honors the permit, and permitless carry for adults 21+ applies there too. Either way, Ohio's carry rules — not Wisconsin's — control while you're in the state.
- Do I have to tell police in Ohio that I am carrying?
- SB 215 (2022) removed the duty to promptly notify; a person stopped by law enforcement is no longer required to volunteer that they are carrying but must answer truthfully if the officer asks (R.C. 2923.12).
- Does Ohio limit magazine capacity?
- Ohio sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in Ohio without any permit?
- Ohio allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does Ohio publish its official reciprocity list?
- Ohio 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
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.126 — Duties of licensed individual (out-of-state license recognition) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.125 — Application and licensing process — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.111 — Concealed carry by a qualifying adult — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Legislature — SB 215 (134th GA), effective June 13, 2022 — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wisconsin DOJ — CCW Reciprocity (Out-of-State Licenses Recognized in Wisconsin) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wisconsin DOJ — Concealed Carry Weapon License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wisconsin DOJ — CCW Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) — accessed 2026-08-08