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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · NC

North Carolina Concealed Carry Reciprocity: Where Your Permit Works

A North Carolina resident permit (North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit) is honored in 39 of the other 50 US jurisdictions. In the other direction, North Carolina recognizes valid carry permits from every US state. North Carolina is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit North Carolina recognizes.

Open the interactive map for a North Carolina permit →

Where a North Carolina permit is honored

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
DelawareRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
District of ColumbiaNot recognizedNo such permit issued
FloridaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
GeorgiaRecognized — 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
MinnesotaRecognized — carry with your permitNo 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
NebraskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
NevadaRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
New HampshireRecognized — and permitless carry appliesNo such permit issued
New JerseyNot recognizedNo such permit issued
New MexicoRecognized — carry with your permitNo such permit issued
New YorkNot recognizedNo 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
WashingtonRecognized — carry with your permitNo 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 North Carolina honors

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

NC DOJ: 'Effective December 1, 2011, North Carolina automatically recognizes concealed carry permits issued in any other state' (G.S. 14-415.24(a)); no residency condition — out-of-state permittees are held to the same standards as NC permittees.

North Carolina at a glance

Permit
North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit
Issued by
Sheriff of the applicant's county of residence
Issue policy
Shall-issue
Resident minimum age
21
Non-resident permits
Not issued
Permitless carry
No
Duty to inform
Yes
Magazine limit
None

Applicant must have been a North Carolina resident for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (G.S. 14-415.12(a)); no non-resident permits.

Vehicle carry

A valid permit (NC or out-of-state) allows a loaded concealed handgun in a vehicle; without a permit, concealing a handgun in a vehicle within the carrier's reach is unlawful (G.S. 14-269) — on a traffic stop, keep hands on the wheel and announce the handgun and permit.

Off-limits places in North Carolina

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a North Carolina carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does North Carolina recognize out-of-state carry permits?
NC DOJ: 'Effective December 1, 2011, North Carolina automatically recognizes concealed carry permits issued in any other state' (G.S. 14-415.24(a)); no residency condition — out-of-state permittees are held to the same standards as NC permittees.
Can I carry in North Carolina without a permit?
North Carolina is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit North Carolina recognizes.
Do I have to tell police in North Carolina that I am carrying?
North Carolina imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. When approached or addressed by any officer, the permittee must disclose that they hold a valid concealed handgun permit and are carrying a concealed handgun, and must display permit and ID on request (G.S. 14-415.11; NC DOJ 'Do's and Don'ts').

Official sources