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Concealed Carry Map

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.

Open the interactive map for a North Dakota permit →

North Dakota concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a North Dakota 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: recognized — carry with your permitNCNorth Dakota (home state)NDOhio: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOHOklahoma: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOKOregon: not recognizedORPennsylvania: recognized — carry with your permitPARhode Island: not recognizedRISouth Carolina: permit not recognized — but 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 Dakota

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.

DestinationResident permitNon-resident permit
AlabamaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
AlaskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
ArizonaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
ArkansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
CaliforniaNot recognizedNot recognized
ColoradoRecognized — carry with your permitNot recognized
ConnecticutNot recognizedNot recognized
DelawareRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
District of ColumbiaNot recognizedNot recognized
FloridaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
GeorgiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
HawaiiNot recognizedNot recognized
IdahoRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
IllinoisNot recognizedNot recognized
IndianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
IowaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
KansasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
KentuckyRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
LouisianaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MaineRecognized — and permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
MarylandNot recognizedNot recognized
MassachusettsNot recognizedNot recognized
MichiganRecognized — carry with your permitNot recognized
MinnesotaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
MississippiRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MissouriRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
MontanaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
NebraskaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
NevadaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
New HampshireRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
New JerseyNot recognizedNot recognized
New MexicoRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
New YorkNot recognizedNot recognized
North CarolinaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
OhioRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OklahomaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OregonNot recognizedNot recognized
PennsylvaniaRecognized — carry with your permitNot recognized
Rhode IslandNot recognizedNot recognized
South CarolinaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
South DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
TennesseeRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
TexasRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
UtahRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
VermontRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
VirginiaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WashingtonRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
West VirginiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
WisconsinRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WyomingRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies

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

Whose permits North Dakota honors

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.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

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

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