State profile · PA
Pennsylvania Concealed Carry Reciprocity: Where Your Permit Works
A Pennsylvania resident permit (Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms (LTCF)) is honored in 31 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 3 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, Pennsylvania recognizes permits from 30 states on its official list. Pennsylvania is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Pennsylvania recognizes.
Where a Pennsylvania permit is honored
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 Pennsylvania honors
- Alabama (res. only)
- Alaska (res. only)
- Arizona (res. only)
- Arkansas (res. only)
- Colorado (res. only)
- Florida (res. only)
- Georgia (res. only)
- Idaho (res. only)
- Indiana (res. only)
- Iowa (res. only)
- Kansas (res. only)
- Kentucky (res. only)
- Louisiana (res. only)
- Michigan (res. only)
- Mississippi (res. only)
- Missouri (res. only)
- Montana (res. only)
- New Hampshire (res. only)
- North Carolina (res. only)
- North Dakota (res. only)
- Ohio (res. only)
- Oklahoma (res. only)
- South Dakota (res. only)
- Tennessee (res. only)
- Texas (res. only)
- Utah (res. only)
- Virginia (res. only)
- West Virginia (res. only)
- Wisconsin (res. only)
- Wyoming (res. only)
AG rule: where Pennsylvania grants reciprocity, ONLY individuals who are both residents of the issuing state AND 21 or older may carry in Pennsylvania — non-resident permits are never recognized. Several states are recognized only for specific license classes (see overrides). Virginia became the 30th recognized state in Feb 2026. Not recognized: CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, SC, VT, WA.
Pennsylvania at a glance
- Permit
- Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms (LTCF)
- Issued by
- County sheriff (in Philadelphia, the chief of police)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Resident minimum age
- 21
- Non-resident permits
- Issued
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No
- Magazine limit
- None
Non-residents 21+ may apply; Pennsylvania State Police note applicants generally need a valid carry permit from their home state, and some county sheriffs decline non-resident applications.
Vehicle carry
Carrying a firearm in any vehicle, loaded or unloaded, requires a valid LTCF or a recognized reciprocal license (18 Pa.C.S. § 6106).
Off-limits places in Pennsylvania
- Court facilities (18 Pa.C.S. § 913)
- Elementary and secondary school buildings, grounds and buses (18 Pa.C.S. § 912; statutory 'other lawful purpose' defense)
- Correctional institutions and detention facilities
Frequently asked questions
- Which states honor a Pennsylvania carry permit?
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, 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 Pennsylvania recognize out-of-state carry permits?
- AG rule: where Pennsylvania grants reciprocity, ONLY individuals who are both residents of the issuing state AND 21 or older may carry in Pennsylvania — non-resident permits are never recognized. Several states are recognized only for specific license classes (see overrides). Virginia became the 30th recognized state in Feb 2026. Not recognized: CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, SC, VT, WA.
- Can I carry in Pennsylvania without a permit?
- Pennsylvania is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Pennsylvania recognizes.
- Do I have to tell police in Pennsylvania that I am carrying?
- No Pennsylvania statute requires a carrier to proactively inform police; carry the license and produce it on lawful demand.
Official sources
- PA Office of Attorney General — Concealed Carry Reciprocity (per-state map data) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Pennsylvania State Police — Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA OAG press release — Virginia becomes 30th reciprocity state — accessed 2026-08-08