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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · NC

North Carolina Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

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 →

North Carolina concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a North Carolina 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: recognized — carry with your permitDEDistrict 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: recognized — and permitless carry appliesLAMaine: recognized — and 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: recognized — carry with your permitNVNew Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNHNew Jersey: not recognizedNJNew Mexico: recognized — carry with your permitNMNew York: not recognizedNYNorth Carolina (home state)NCNorth 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: recognized — carry with your permitWAWest 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
  • North Carolina

Which states honor a North Carolina carry permit? (39)

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

Where a North Carolina permit is not honored (11)

No lawful carry on this permit (11): California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island

Where a North Carolina 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
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

Can you carry in North Carolina without a permit?

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

No permitless concealed carry — a permit (NC or any state's) is required; unpermitted concealed carry is a Class 2 misdemeanor, subsequent offenses Class H felony (G.S. 14-415.21). The 2025 'Freedom to Carry NC' bill (SB 50) was vetoed; the Senate overrode but the House override remained pending as of early 2026, so it is not law.

How to get a North Carolina concealed carry permit

Apply to
The sheriff's office of the county where you live (North Carolina issues permits only to its residents)
Minimum age
21
Fee
$80 (new, resident); fingerprinting may cost up to $10 more
Training
An approved firearms safety and training course that includes actually firing a handgun and instruction on North Carolina carry and deadly-force law
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

Renewal applications go to the county sheriff within the 90 days before the permit expires ($75 renewal fee).

Does North Carolina issue non-resident permits?

No. North Carolina does not issue carry permits to non-residents. 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.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

Do you have to tell police you are carrying in North Carolina?

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').

Carrying in a vehicle in North Carolina

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.

Where you can't carry in North Carolina

Editor's verification notes

Alcohol-serving premises are NOT banned for permittees unless posted, but carrying while consuming alcohol or with alcohol/controlled substances in the blood is prohibited (G.S. 14-269.3, 14-415.11(c2)). ncleg.gov blocked automated access, so statutory text was verified through the NC DOJ official publication quoting G.S. 14-415.11/.12/.21/.24. SB 50 status (not law) confirmed via legislative-news coverage of the stalled House override — recheck before publish in case the override occurs.

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.

Official sources