State profile · ND
North Dakota Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity
A North Dakota resident permit (North Dakota Concealed Weapon License — Class 1 Firearm License) is honored in 38 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, North Dakota recognizes permits from 38 states on its official list. North Dakota allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
North Dakota concealed carry reciprocity map
Where a North Dakota resident permit is valid. Each state links to the rules for that trip.
- Permit honored
- Honored + permitless carry
- Permitless carry only
- Not honored
- Confirm case-by-case
- North Dakota
Which states honor a North Dakota carry permit? (38)
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 Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Where a North Dakota permit is not honored (12)
Permitless carry still applies (1): South Carolina
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 Dakota permit is honored, state by state
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 North Dakota honors
- 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 Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
AG: 'North Dakota will honor a valid concealed carry license/permit (resident and non-resident) issued by a state that has agreed to recognize a North Dakota license' (NDCC 62.1-04-03.1) — the honored list above is the AG's list of states recognizing the ND Class 1 license. Separately, any adult 18+ with a valid US state/territory ID who may lawfully possess can carry permitless regardless of permits.
North Dakota at a glance
- Permit
- North Dakota Concealed Weapon License — Class 1 Firearm License · North Dakota Concealed Weapon License — Class 2 Firearm and Dangerous Weapon License
- Issued by
- Director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (Office of Attorney General)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Resident minimum age
- 18
- Non-resident permits
- Issued
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No
- Magazine limit
- None
Can you carry in North Dakota without a permit?
North Dakota allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
Permitless concealed carry (NDCC 62.1-04-02(2)) for any individual 18+ not precluded from a Class 2 license who carries a valid driver's license or nondriver ID from their state or territory of residence — ND-residents-only in the original 2017 law, extended to all US state/territory ID holders in 2023.
Is North Dakota an open carry state?
Yes. North Dakota allows open carry of a handgun without a permit from age 18 for people who may legally possess one.
Adults 18+ who may legally have a gun can carry a loaded handgun openly without a license if they carry a valid driver's license or state ID from their home state; anyone else may only carry it unloaded and in plain view or secured.
How to get a North Dakota concealed carry permit
- Minimum age
- 18
- Fee
- $60 (new or renewal, resident or non-resident); a test administrator may charge up to $100 for testing
- Training
- Class 1: classroom instruction on safety and deadly-force law, an open-book test and a shooting proficiency exercise. Class 2: the open-book test only
- Valid for
- 5 years
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)
The Class 1 license is the one most other states recognize; the Bureau must decide within 60 days of a complete application.
Does North Dakota issue non-resident permits?
Yes. North Dakota issues carry permits to non-residents, and a North Dakota non-resident permit is honored in 33 other states. Non-residents qualify only if they are (a) full-time active military stationed in ND, or (b) a resident of a state that has reciprocity with ND who holds a valid home-state license (NDCC 62.1-04-03(1)(b)); all testing must be completed inside North Dakota.
Do you have to tell police you are carrying in North Dakota?
Not proactive by statute: license carriers must produce the license for inspection upon an officer's request, and permitless carriers must disclose the firearm if the officer inquires and show state ID on request (NDCC 62.1-04-04; $20 noncriminal fee). The AG's Constitutional Carry page nonetheless instructs permitless carriers to inform law enforcement on any in-person contact — safest practice is to inform.
Carrying in a vehicle in North Dakota
A loaded handgun in a vehicle is legal for ND licensees, out-of-state reciprocity carriers, and permitless-eligible individuals carrying a valid state/territory ID (NDCC 62.1-02-10(3),(8)).
Where you can't carry in North Dakota
- Bar areas set aside for alcohol sale/consumption, and bingo gaming sites (NDCC 62.1-02-04)
- Schools and school-sponsored events on school property
- Churches and other places of worship (unless the congregation authorizes)
- Publicly owned or operated buildings (NDCC 62.1-02-05 'public gatherings')
Editor's verification notes
resident minimum age 18 is the Class 2 license minimum; the Class 1 license (broader outbound reciprocity) requires age 21 and stricter record criteria — both are identical inside ND (NDCC 62.1-04-02(4)). The AG's Class 2 recognition list (26 states) matters only outbound. Statute (62.1-04-04(2)) softened the permitless duty-to-inform to 'if the officer inquires', while the AG page still says 'upon any in-person contact' — flag for pair-page copy to recommend informing.
Frequently asked questions
- Which states honor a North Dakota 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 Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, 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 Dakota recognize out-of-state carry permits?
- AG: 'North Dakota will honor a valid concealed carry license/permit (resident and non-resident) issued by a state that has agreed to recognize a North Dakota license' (NDCC 62.1-04-03.1) — the honored list above is the AG's list of states recognizing the ND Class 1 license. Separately, any adult 18+ with a valid US state/territory ID who may lawfully possess can carry permitless regardless of permits.
Official sources
- ND Attorney General — Reciprocity with Other States (honors resident and non-resident licenses; Class 1/Class 2 lists) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Constitutional Concealed Carry (18+, any state/territory ID, inform-on-contact guidance) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Eligibility for a Concealed Weapon License (ages 18/21, residency and non-resident criteria) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-04 — Concealed Weapons (62.1-04-02, -03, -03.1, -04) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-02 — Possession of Weapons (liquor establishments, public gatherings, vehicle carry) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Online Application, New and Renewal — accessed 2026-09-27
- ND Attorney General — What Must Be Included With the Application — accessed 2026-09-27
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-03 — Handguns (62.1-03-01 carrying handgun) — accessed 2026-09-27