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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · CT

Connecticut Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A Connecticut resident permit (State Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers (Connecticut State Pistol Permit)) is honored in 28 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 6 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, Connecticut recognizes no out-of-state carry permits. Connecticut is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Connecticut recognizes.

Open the interactive map for a Connecticut permit →

Connecticut concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a Connecticut resident permit is valid. Each state links to the rules for that trip.

Alabama: recognized — and permitless carry appliesALAlaska: recognized — and permitless carry appliesAKArizona: recognized — and permitless carry appliesAZArkansas: recognized — and permitless carry appliesARCalifornia: not recognizedCAColorado: not recognizedCOConnecticut (home state)CTDelaware: not recognizedDEDistrict of Columbia: not recognizedDCFlorida: recognized — and permitless carry appliesFLGeorgia: recognized — and permitless carry appliesGAHawaii: not recognizedHIIdaho: recognized — and permitless carry appliesIDIllinois: not recognizedILIndiana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesINIowa: recognized — and permitless carry appliesIAKansas: recognized — and permitless carry appliesKSKentucky: recognized — and permitless carry appliesKYLouisiana: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesLAMaine: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesMEMaryland: not recognizedMDMassachusetts: not recognizedMAMichigan: recognized — carry with your permitMIMinnesota: recognized — carry with your permitMNMississippi: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMSMissouri: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMOMontana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMTNebraska: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNENevada: not recognizedNVNew Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNHNew Jersey: not recognizedNJNew Mexico: not recognizedNMNew York: not recognizedNYNorth Carolina: recognized — carry with your permitNCNorth Dakota: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesNDOhio: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOHOklahoma: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOKOregon: not recognizedORPennsylvania: not recognizedPARhode Island: not recognizedRISouth Carolina: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesSCSouth Dakota: recognized — and permitless carry appliesSDTennessee: recognized — and permitless carry appliesTNTexas: recognized — and permitless carry appliesTXUtah: recognized — and permitless carry appliesUTVermont: recognized — and permitless carry appliesVTVirginia: recognized — carry with your permitVAWashington: not recognizedWAWest Virginia: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesWVWisconsin: recognized — carry with your permitWIWyoming: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesWY
  • Permit honored
  • Honored + permitless carry
  • Permitless carry only
  • Not honored
  • Confirm case-by-case
  • Connecticut

Which states honor a Connecticut carry permit? (28)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin

Where a Connecticut permit is not honored (22)

Permitless carry still applies (6): Louisiana, Maine, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming

No lawful carry on this permit (16): California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington

Where a Connecticut permit is honored, state by state

Click any destination for the full rules — duty to inform, magazine limits, off-limits places, and official sources.

DestinationResident permitNon-resident permit
AlabamaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
AlaskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
ArizonaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
ArkansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
CaliforniaNot recognizedNot recognized
ColoradoNot recognizedNot recognized
DelawareNot recognizedNot recognized
District of ColumbiaNot recognizedNot recognized
FloridaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
GeorgiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
HawaiiNot recognizedNot recognized
IdahoRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
IllinoisNot recognizedNot recognized
IndianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
IowaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
KansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
KentuckyRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
LouisianaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
MainePermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
MarylandNot recognizedNot recognized
MassachusettsNot recognizedNot recognized
MichiganRecognized — carry with your permitNot recognized
MinnesotaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
MississippiRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MissouriRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MontanaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
NebraskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
NevadaNot recognizedNot recognized
New HampshireRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
New JerseyNot recognizedNot recognized
New MexicoNot recognizedNot recognized
New YorkNot recognizedNot recognized
North CarolinaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
North DakotaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
OhioRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OklahomaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OregonNot recognizedNot recognized
PennsylvaniaNot recognizedNot recognized
Rhode IslandNot recognizedNot recognized
South CarolinaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
South DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
TennesseeRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
TexasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
UtahRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
VermontRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
VirginiaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WashingtonNot recognizedNot recognized
West VirginiaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
WisconsinRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WyomingPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies

* a load-bearing fact could not be fully verified — confirm with the official source before carrying.

Whose permits Connecticut honors

Connecticut does not recognize any out-of-state concealed-carry permit.

Connecticut recognizes no out-of-state permit of any kind. CGS 29-35(a) requires a permit 'issued as provided in section 29-28'; out-of-state permit holders must obtain a Connecticut non-resident permit before carrying.

Connecticut at a glance

Permit
State Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers (Connecticut State Pistol Permit)
Issued by
Two-step - local police chief/chief executive officer issues a temporary state permit, then the DESPP Special Licensing and Firearms Unit issues the state permit
Issue policy
May-issue
Resident minimum age
21
Non-resident permits
Issued
Permitless carry
No
Duty to inform
No
Magazine limit
10 rounds

Can you carry in Connecticut without a permit?

Connecticut is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Connecticut recognizes.

No permitless carry. Carrying a pistol or revolver outside one's dwelling, own land or place of business without a Connecticut permit is prohibited (CGS 29-35(a)(1)). Since 2023, knowingly carrying any firearm with intent to display it (open carry) is also prohibited (CGS 29-35(a)(2)).

Is Connecticut an open carry state?

No. Connecticut generally prohibits open carry of a handgun in public.

Even with a permit, you must keep a handgun reasonably concealed; carrying a firearm with intent to display it is a crime outside your home, land or business. A brief glimpse or printing through clothing is not a violation.

How to get a Connecticut concealed carry permit

Apply to
Residents: first the police chief (or first selectman/town official) of your town for a local permit, then the State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit. Non-residents apply directly to the State Police unit.
Minimum age
21
Fee
$140 for a new state permit (split $70 local / $70 state) plus the FBI background-check fee
Training
A handgun safety course no less than the NRA Basic Pistol Course, including live fire
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
May-issue (issuer has discretion)

You need the local permit before you can apply for the state permit.

Does Connecticut issue non-resident permits?

Yes. Connecticut issues carry permits to non-residents, and a Connecticut non-resident permit is honored in 26 other states. A bona fide US resident with no Connecticut residence who holds a carry permit or license issued by another state or subdivision may apply directly to the DESPP commissioner for a non-resident Connecticut permit (CGS 29-28(f)); DESPP requires that non-resident applicants already hold a home-state carry permit.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

Do you have to tell police you are carrying in Connecticut?

No duty to volunteer. The holder must carry the permit while carrying and must present it upon request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable suspicion of a crime (CGS 29-35(b)).

Carrying in a vehicle in Connecticut

A permit holder may carry a loaded handgun in a vehicle. Without a permit, a pistol may only be transported under narrow exceptions and must be unloaded and not readily accessible from the passenger compartment (or in a locked container) (CGS 29-35(a)(3)-(4)).

Where you can't carry in Connecticut

Editor's verification notes

Connecticut publishes no reciprocity page because it honors no out-of-state permits; official reciprocity page points to the official DESPP permit page. Issue policy remains statutory may-issue ('suitable person' discretion, CGS 29-28(b)), though permits are issued to qualified applicants in practice post-Bruen. Large-capacity magazines (>10 rounds) banned since 2013-04-05; declared pre-ban magazines grandfathered. Connecticut has no consolidated statutory sensitive-places list beyond the items shown; state-park carry limits arise from agency regulation, not statute, and were not verifiable on an official page.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a Connecticut carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does Connecticut recognize out-of-state carry permits?
Connecticut recognizes no out-of-state permit of any kind. CGS 29-35(a) requires a permit 'issued as provided in section 29-28'; out-of-state permit holders must obtain a Connecticut non-resident permit before carrying.

Official sources