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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · GA

Georgia Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A Georgia resident permit (Georgia Weapons Carry License (WCL)) is honored in 33 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 1 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, Georgia recognizes valid carry permits from every US state. Georgia allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.

Open the interactive map for a Georgia permit →

Georgia concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a Georgia 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: recognized — carry with your permitCOConnecticut: not recognizedCTDelaware: not recognizedDEDistrict of Columbia: not recognizedDCFlorida: recognized — and permitless carry appliesFLGeorgia (home state)GAHawaii: 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: recognized — and permitless carry appliesLAMaine: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMEMaryland: not recognizedMDMassachusetts: not recognizedMAMichigan: recognized — carry with your permitMIMinnesota: not recognizedMNMississippi: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMSMissouri: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMOMontana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMTNebraska: permit not recognized — but 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: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNDOhio: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOHOklahoma: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOKOregon: not recognizedORPennsylvania: recognized — carry with your permitPARhode Island: not recognizedRISouth Carolina: recognized — and 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: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWVWisconsin: recognized — carry with your permitWIWyoming: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWY
  • Permit honored
  • Honored + permitless carry
  • Permitless carry only
  • Not honored
  • Confirm case-by-case
  • Georgia

Which states honor a Georgia WCL? (33)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Where a Georgia permit is not honored (17)

Permitless carry still applies (1): Nebraska

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

Where a Georgia 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 appliesNo such permit issued
AlaskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
ArizonaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
ArkansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
CaliforniaNot recognizedNo such permit issued
ColoradoRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
ConnecticutNot recognizedNo such permit issued
DelawareNot recognizedNo such permit issued
District of ColumbiaNot recognizedNo such permit issued
FloridaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
HawaiiNot recognizedNo such permit issued
IdahoRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
IllinoisNot recognizedNo such permit issued
IndianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
IowaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
KansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
KentuckyRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
LouisianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
MaineRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
MarylandNot recognizedNo such permit issued
MassachusettsNot recognizedNo such permit issued
MichiganRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
MinnesotaNot recognizedNo such permit issued
MississippiRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
MissouriRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
MontanaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
NebraskaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
NevadaNot recognizedNo such permit issued
New HampshireRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
New JerseyNot recognizedNo such permit issued
New MexicoNot recognizedNo such permit issued
New YorkNot recognizedNo such permit issued
North CarolinaRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
North DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
OhioRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
OklahomaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
OregonNot recognizedNo such permit issued
PennsylvaniaRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
Rhode IslandNot recognizedNo such permit issued
South CarolinaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
South DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
TennesseeRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
TexasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
UtahRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
VermontRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
VirginiaRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
WashingtonNot recognizedNo such permit issued
West VirginiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
WisconsinRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
WyomingRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued

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

Whose permits Georgia honors

Georgia recognizes valid concealed-carry permits from every US state and DC.

SB 319 defines 'any person licensed to carry a weapon in any other state' as a lawful weapons carrier, with no residency or permit-type qualifier, so resident and non-resident permits from every state are effectively honored. The Attorney General separately maintains a formal reciprocity list (32 states) relevant mainly to Georgia licensees traveling outbound.

Georgia at a glance

Permit
Georgia Weapons Carry License (WCL)
Issued by
Judge of the probate court of the applicant's county of domicile
Issue policy
Shall-issue
Resident minimum age
21
Non-resident permits
Not issued
Permitless carry
Yes (21+)
Duty to inform
No
Magazine limit
None

Can you carry in Georgia without a permit?

Georgia allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.

Permitless carry since April 12, 2022 (SB 319, Act 596, 'Chairman John Meadows Act'). A 'lawful weapons carrier' needs no license: anyone eligible for a WCL under O.C.G.A. 16-11-129 and not prohibited (21+, or 18+ military), any resident of another state who would qualify but for Georgia residency, and any person licensed to carry in any other state. Georgia Supreme Court has upheld 21 as the general public-carry age.

Is Georgia an open carry state?

Yes. Georgia allows open carry of a handgun without a permit from age 21 for people who may legally possess one.

Since 2022 anyone who would be eligible for a Georgia weapons carry license may carry openly or concealed without one. That generally means age 21, or 18 with qualifying military service.

How to get a Georgia concealed carry permit

Apply to
Probate court of your county of residence
Minimum age
21
Fee
Set by county; varies (Georgia.gov says the average is about $75)
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

Fingerprints must be taken within 5 days of applying, and only Georgia residents can get a license.

Does Georgia issue non-resident permits?

No. Georgia does not issue carry permits to non-residents. Georgia.gov requires applicants to be a Georgia resident and apply at the probate court (county of domicile); 18-20 only for military members with basic training completed. Out-of-state residents cannot get a WCL, but under SB 319 they may carry without one if they would otherwise qualify.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

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

No proactive duty-to-inform appears in any official Georgia carry guidance reviewed (AG, DPS, Georgia.gov, General Assembly brief); SB 319 also removed the requirement to hold a license while carrying. Cross-checked: Georgia has no must-inform statute.

Carrying in a vehicle in Georgia

Lawful weapons carriers (including out-of-state licensees and qualifying visitors) may carry a loaded handgun in a private vehicle without any license.

Where you can't carry in Georgia

Editor's verification notes

The AG reciprocity page is framed as states that recognize a Georgia WCL (outbound); inbound recognition is governed by the SB 319 lawful-weapons-carrier definition verified in the official General Assembly policy brief. The brief lists restricted locations as unchanged; its phrasing on government buildings is ambiguous ('without security screening') - cross-checks indicate carry is barred in screened-entry government buildings, so the entry uses that phrasing. Also restricted per O.C.G.A. 16-11-127: places of worship unless the governing body permits (not listed above because the official brief's wording lacked the qualifier). Bill text on legis.ga.gov is JS-rendered and unreadable to fetchers.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a Georgia carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does Georgia recognize out-of-state carry permits?
SB 319 defines 'any person licensed to carry a weapon in any other state' as a lawful weapons carrier, with no residency or permit-type qualifier, so resident and non-resident permits from every state are effectively honored. The Attorney General separately maintains a formal reciprocity list (32 states) relevant mainly to Georgia licensees traveling outbound.

Official sources