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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · VA

Virginia Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A Virginia resident permit (Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)) is honored in 34 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, Virginia recognizes valid carry permits from every US state. Virginia is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Virginia recognizes.

Open the interactive map for a Virginia permit →

Virginia concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a Virginia 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: recognized — and 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: 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: 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: 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 (home state)VAWashington: not recognizedWAWest Virginia: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWVWisconsin: not recognizedWIWyoming: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWY
  • Permit honored
  • Honored + permitless carry
  • Permitless carry only
  • Not honored
  • Confirm case-by-case
  • Virginia

Which states honor a Virginia CHP? (34)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming

Where a Virginia permit is not honored (16)

Permitless carry still applies (1): South Carolina

No lawful carry on this permit (15): California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin

Where a Virginia 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
MaineRecognized — and 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
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
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
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
WashingtonNot recognizedNot recognized
West VirginiaRecognized — and permitless carry appliesRecognized — and permitless carry applies
WisconsinNot recognizedRecognized — 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 Virginia honors

Virginia recognizes valid concealed-carry permits from every US state and DC.

Va. Code § 18.2-308.014: the holder of a valid concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by ANY other state may carry in Virginia provided the holder is at least 21, carries government-issued photo ID, displays the permit and ID upon demand by law enforcement, and has not previously had a Virginia permit revoked. No requirement that the permit be a resident permit of the issuing state.

Virginia at a glance

Permit
Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)
Issued by
Clerk of the circuit court of the applicant's county or city (resident permits); Virginia State Police (nonresident permits)
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 Virginia without a permit?

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

No permitless concealed carry. Open carry is generally legal without a permit except where prohibited by statute (VSP FAQ); concealed carry requires a Virginia CHP or a recognized out-of-state permit.

Is Virginia an open carry state?

Yes. Virginia allows open carry of a handgun without a permit from age 18 for people who may legally possess one.

A handgun may be carried openly without a permit except where a specific law bans it. Until July 1, 2027, carrying certain loaded semi-automatic firearms with magazines over 20 rounds, or shotguns holding more than 7 rounds, in public is banned only in listed Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads localities, and concealed handgun permit holders are exempt. From July 1, 2027, carrying an "assault firearm" in any public place statewide is a misdemeanor, with no permit-holder exemption.

How to get a Virginia concealed carry permit

Apply to
Residents: the circuit court clerk in your county or city. Non-residents: Virginia State Police (by mail)
Minimum age
21
Fee
Up to $50 total (new, resident: $10 court + up to $35 local investigation + up to $5 State Police) · $100 non-resident
Training
Proof of in-person handgun competence, such as a hunter education course, an NRA/USCCA or law-enforcement firearms course, or other in-person training the court accepts; online-only courses are not accepted.
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

Must be 21 or older; if the court has not acted within 45 days, the certified application works as a temporary permit for 90 days.

Does Virginia issue non-resident permits?

Yes. Virginia issues carry permits to non-residents, and a Virginia non-resident permit is honored in 30 other states. Nonresidents 21+ may apply in writing to the Virginia State Police for a five-year nonresident CHP (fingerprint card and demonstrated handgun competence required).

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

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

Virginia law does not require volunteering that you are armed; Va. Code § 18.2-308.01 requires having the permit in possession when carrying and displaying it with photo ID upon demand by a law-enforcement officer (VSP FAQ).

Carrying in a vehicle in Virginia

No permit is needed to carry a handgun (loaded or unloaded) in a personal, private motor vehicle or vessel if it is secured in a container or compartment — the compartment need not be locked (Va. Code § 18.2-308(C)(8); VSP FAQ, citing OAG opinion 11-111). Permit holders may carry loaded and concealed on their person.

Where you can't carry in Virginia

Editor's verification notes

Since 2016 legislation Virginia recognizes permits from all states (universal recognition, § 18.2-308.014). Resident permits are issued by the circuit court within 45 days; an expired 45-day certified application serves as a de facto 90-day permit. Verification caveat: vsp.virginia.gov and law.lis.virginia.gov refused/timed out on direct automated fetches on 2026-08-08 (DNS-level block); every fact above was extracted from search-index excerpts of the exact official VSP page URLs cited, which quoted the page text verbatim. PENDING CHANGE: SB 115 (2026 Acts ch. 879) rewrites § 18.2-308.014 effective July 1, 2027 — recognition limited to states the Attorney General finds "substantially similar" (list to be published by Virginia State Police), plus a new bar on Virginia residents carrying on out-of-state permits. Its second enactment clause directs the Attorney General to revoke non-qualifying states' recognition by December 1, 2026. Re-verify the State Police reciprocity page immediately after 2026-12-01 and again before 2027-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a Virginia carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does Virginia recognize out-of-state carry permits?
Va. Code § 18.2-308.014: the holder of a valid concealed handgun or concealed weapon permit or license issued by ANY other state may carry in Virginia provided the holder is at least 21, carries government-issued photo ID, displays the permit and ID upon demand by law enforcement, and has not previously had a Virginia permit revoked. No requirement that the permit be a resident permit of the issuing state.

Official sources