Skip to content
Concealed Carry Map

State profile · PA

Pennsylvania Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

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.

Open the interactive map for a Pennsylvania permit →

Pennsylvania concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a Pennsylvania 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: not recognizedDEDistrict 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: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesMEMaryland: not recognizedMDMassachusetts: not recognizedMAMichigan: recognized — carry with your permitMIMinnesota: not recognizedMNMississippi: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMSMissouri: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMOMontana: recognized — and permitless carry appliesMTNebraska: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesNENevada: not recognizedNVNew Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNHNew Jersey: not recognizedNJNew Mexico: not recognizedNMNew York: not recognizedNYNorth Carolina: recognized — carry with your permitNCNorth Dakota: recognized — and permitless carry appliesNDOhio: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOHOklahoma: recognized — and permitless carry appliesOKOregon: not recognizedORPennsylvania (home state)PARhode 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: not recognizedWAWest 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
  • Pennsylvania

Which states honor a Pennsylvania LTCF? (31)

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

Where a Pennsylvania permit is not honored (19)

Permitless carry still applies (3): Maine, Nebraska, South Carolina

No lawful carry on this permit (16): California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington

Where a Pennsylvania 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
DelawareNot recognizedNot recognized
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
MainePermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
MarylandNot recognizedNot recognized
MassachusettsNot recognizedNot recognized
MichiganRecognized — carry with your permitNot recognized
MinnesotaNot recognizedNot recognized
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
NebraskaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
NevadaNot recognizedNot recognized
New HampshireRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
New JerseyNot recognizedNot recognized
New MexicoNot recognizedNot recognized
New YorkNot recognizedNot recognized
North CarolinaRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
North DakotaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OhioRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OklahomaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
OregonNot recognizedNot 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
WashingtonNot recognizedNot recognized
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 Pennsylvania honors

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

Can you carry in Pennsylvania without a permit?

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

No permitless concealed carry. Open carry without a license is lawful outside Philadelphia; concealed carry or carry in any vehicle requires an LTCF (18 Pa.C.S. §§ 6106, 6108).

Is Pennsylvania an open carry state?

Yes. Pennsylvania allows open carry of a handgun without a permit for people who may legally possess one.

Open carry on foot needs no license, except in Philadelphia, where you need a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms. You also need that license to have a gun in a vehicle, even if it is in plain view.

How to get a Pennsylvania concealed carry permit

Apply to
The sheriff of the county where you live (in Philadelphia, the chief of police); some sheriffs also accept non-resident applications
Minimum age
21
Fee
$20 (new, in person at the county sheriff)
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

You must be 21 or older to apply.

Does Pennsylvania issue non-resident permits?

Yes. Pennsylvania issues carry permits to non-residents, and a Pennsylvania non-resident permit is honored in 28 other states. 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.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

Do you have to tell police you are carrying in Pennsylvania?

No Pennsylvania statute requires a carrier to proactively inform police; carry the license and produce it on lawful demand.

Carrying in a vehicle in Pennsylvania

Carrying a firearm in any vehicle, loaded or unloaded, requires a valid LTCF or a recognized reciprocal license (18 Pa.C.S. § 6106).

Where you can't carry in Pennsylvania

Editor's verification notes

attorneygeneral.gov geo-blocks this connection (HTTP 403 -> /blocked/); the per-state reciprocity answers were read from the Internet Archive snapshot of the official page dated 2026-05-19 (post-dating the Feb 2026 Virginia agreement) — every state's Yes/No answer to 'Can a resident X license holder carry a concealed firearm in Pennsylvania?' was extracted individually. Mississippi Regular and Enhanced, Iowa Professional and Non-Professional, and all three South Dakota classes are all recognized (residents 21+ only). South Carolina is NOT recognized by PA even though SC honors PA licenses unilaterally.

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.

Official sources