State profile · DC
District of Columbia Concealed Carry Reciprocity: Where Your Permit Works
A District of Columbia resident permit (Concealed Carry Pistol License (License to Carry a Pistol)) is honored in 25 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 8 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.
Where a District of Columbia permit is honored
Click any destination for the full rules — duty to inform, magazine limits, off-limits places, and official sources.
* 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
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.
Vehicle carry
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
- Buildings or offices occupied by the DC government
- Schools and universities, including adjacent parking (K-12 and higher ed)
- Public transit vehicles and Metrorail stations
- Establishments licensed to serve or sell alcohol for on-premises consumption
- Hospitals, stadiums and arenas, penal institutions
- National Mall memorials, White House area, polling places, and within 1,000 feet of demonstrations or protected officials
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, 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.
- Can I 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.
- Do I have to tell police in District of Columbia that I am carrying?
- 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)).
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