Resident permit · WY → DC
Is a Wyoming Resident Permit Valid in District of Columbia?
The answer is no. District of Columbia's reciprocity policy excludes Wyoming resident permits, and its law requires a permit to carry concealed. Visitors without a District of Columbia-recognized permit cannot legally carry.
Why
- District of Columbia does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
No state's permit is valid in the District. An out-of-state license holder must obtain a DC Concealed Carry Pistol License - out-of-state licensure is a pathway to apply (22-4506), not a right to carry.
The permit (Wyoming)
- Permit
- Wyoming Concealed Firearm Permit (CFP)
- Issued by
- Wyoming Attorney General through the Division of Criminal Investigation (applications filed with the sheriff of the applicant's county of residence)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (District of Columbia)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in District of Columbia
Your Wyoming habits may not match District of Columbia's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- District of Columbia imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. Affirmative duty - on any investigative stop, a licensee (and any accompanying licensee) shall disclose that they are carrying, present the license and registration certificate, identify the pistol's location, and comply with orders including temporary disarmament (D.C. Code 7-2509.04(d)).
- District of Columbia limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- District of Columbia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit District of Columbia recognizes.
- Licensees must have the license and the pistol's DC registration certificate on their person whenever carrying, including in a vehicle (D.C. Code 7-2509.04(c)); without a DC license, carrying a pistol in a vehicle is prohibited (22-4504).
Off-limits places in District of Columbia
District of Columbia bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Buildings or offices occupied by the DC government
- Schools and universities, including adjacent parking (K-12 and higher ed)
Wyoming vs District of Columbia: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Wyoming into District of Columbia changes 5 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); duty to inform police (No → Yes); magazine limit (None → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (35 states → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → No).
| Rule | Wyoming | District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | Yes |
| Magazine limit | None | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 35 states | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | No |
Going the other way, a District of Columbia resident permit in Wyoming: permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies.
Driving on from District of Columbia
How a Wyoming resident permit fares in the states bordering District of Columbia:
Frequently asked questions
- Does District of Columbia honor a Wyoming non-resident permit?
- Wyoming does not issue non-resident carry permits (residents only — the DCI FAQ answers 'Can a non-resident obtain a concealed firearm permit in Wyoming?' with 'No.' Active-duty Wyoming military stationed out of state may still apply; a permit remains valid if the holder later moves away but cannot be renewed), so the question does not arise.
- Can a District of Columbia resident permit holder carry in Wyoming?
- Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Wyoming's law, not District of Columbia's.
- Where does District of Columbia publish its official reciprocity list?
- District of Columbia 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
- D.C. Code 22-4504 - Carrying concealed weapons (license required) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 22-4506 - License to carry a pistol (issuance, non-residents) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2509.02 - Concealed carry license eligibility (age 21, registration, training) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2509.04 - Duties of licensees (duty to disclose on a stop) — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2509.07 - Prohibited locations — accessed 2026-08-08
- D.C. Code 7-2506.01 - Large capacity ammunition feeding devices (>10 rounds prohibited) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MPD — Fees & Payment (concealed carry license $75, fingerprinting $35) — accessed 2026-09-27
- D.C. Code § 7-2509.03 — expiration and renewal of licenses (2 years) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Wyoming DCI — Concealed Firearm Permits FAQ (permitless carry, reciprocity list, prohibited places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming DCI — Concealed Firearm Permits (program page) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming Legislature — 2026 HB0096, Carrying of concealed weapons-age requirement (21 -> 18, effective July 1, 2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming Legislature — 2025 HB0172 Enrolled Act No. 24, Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act (effective July 1, 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wyoming Legislature — Title 6 compiled statutes (W.S. 6-8-104(a)(iv), (b)(ii) as amended) — accessed 2026-09-27