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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · DC

District of Columbia Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A District of Columbia resident permit (Concealed Carry Pistol License (License to Carry a Pistol)) is honored in 26 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 7 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, District of Columbia recognizes no out-of-state carry permits. District of Columbia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit District of Columbia recognizes.

Open the interactive map for a District of Columbia permit →

District of Columbia concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a District of Columbia 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: not recognizedCTDelaware: not recognizedDEDistrict of Columbia (home state)DCFlorida: 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: not recognizedMNMississippi: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMSMissouri: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMOMontana: permit not recognized — but 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
  • District of Columbia

Which states honor a District of Columbia carry permit? (26)

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

Where a District of Columbia permit is not honored (24)

Permitless carry still applies (7): Louisiana, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming

No lawful carry on this permit (17): California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington

Where a District of Columbia 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
ConnecticutNot recognizedNot recognized
DelawareNot 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
MinnesotaNot recognizedNot recognized
MississippiRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MissouriRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MontanaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but 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 District of Columbia honors

District of Columbia does not recognize any out-of-state concealed-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.

District of Columbia at a glance

Permit
Concealed Carry Pistol License (License to Carry a Pistol)
Issued by
Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department
Issue policy
Shall-issue
Resident minimum age
21
Non-resident permits
Issued
Permitless carry
No
Duty to inform
Yes
Magazine limit
10 rounds

Can you carry in District of Columbia without a permit?

District of Columbia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit District of Columbia recognizes.

No permitless carry. Carrying a pistol openly or concealed without a license issued pursuant to District of Columbia law is a felony (D.C. Code 22-4504(a)).

Is District of Columbia an open carry state?

No. District of Columbia generally prohibits open carry of a handgun in public.

Open carry is illegal in DC. Even licensed carriers must keep the handgun concealed at all times.

How to get a District of Columbia concealed carry permit

Apply to
Metropolitan Police Department (Chief of Police); open to DC residents and to non-residents with a US residence or business
Minimum age
21
Fee
$75 license + $35 fingerprinting/FBI check (gun registration fee waived for carry applicants)
Training
At least 16 hours of classroom training from a police-certified instructor plus 2 hours of range training, including a 50-round qualification course at up to 15 yards
Valid for
2 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

The handgun you carry must first be registered with the Metropolitan Police Department.

Does District of Columbia issue non-resident permits?

Yes. District of Columbia issues carry permits to non-residents, and a District of Columbia non-resident permit is honored in 24 other states. Non-residents may apply. D.C. Code 22-4506 covers any person with a bona fide US residence or place of business who holds a home-state carry license (or is from a state that does not require one); same 16-hour classroom + 2-hour range training applies, and the pistol must be registered in DC.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

Do you have to tell police you are carrying in District of Columbia?

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)).

Carrying in a vehicle in District of Columbia

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).

Where you can't carry in District of Columbia

Editor's verification notes

DC has no reciprocity page (it honors no permits); official reciprocity page points to the licensing statute. Section 22-4506 retains 'may issue' wording, but the 'good reason' requirement was invalidated (Wrenn v. District of Columbia, D.C. Cir. 2017) and licenses issue to applicants meeting 7-2509.02 criteria - classified shall-issue; MPD's own pages (mpdc.dc.gov) blocked automated access on 2026-08-08, so this classification rests on the code text plus Wrenn. Carrying also requires the pistol to be DC-registered (7-2509.02, 7-2509.04(c)) - a practical barrier for visitors.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a District of Columbia carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, 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 District of Columbia recognize out-of-state carry permits?
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.

Official sources