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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · WA

Washington Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A Washington resident permit (Concealed Pistol License (CPL)) is honored in 28 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 5 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, Washington recognizes permits from 10 states on its official list. Washington is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Washington recognizes.

Open the interactive map for a Washington permit →

Washington concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a Washington 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: not recognizedCOConnecticut: 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: not recognizedPARhode 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 (home state)WAWest Virginia: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesWVWisconsin: recognized — carry with your permitWIWyoming: permit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesWY
  • Permit honored
  • Honored + permitless carry
  • Permitless carry only
  • Not honored
  • Confirm case-by-case
  • Washington

Which states honor a Washington CPL? (28)

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, 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, Wisconsin

Where a Washington permit is not honored (22)

Permitless carry still applies (5): Maine, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, Wyoming

No lawful carry on this permit (17): California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island

Where a Washington 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
ColoradoNot recognizedNot 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
PennsylvaniaNot 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
West VirginiaPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
WisconsinRecognized — carry with your permitRecognized — carry with your permit
WyomingPermit not recognized — but permitless carry appliesPermit not recognized — but permitless carry applies

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

Whose permits Washington honors

AG list as of 2026-07-10. Permit-class limits: Idaho ENHANCED permits only; Kansas standard licenses only; Montana ENHANCED permits only (not 18-20 restricted permits); North Dakota CLASS 1 permits only; South Dakota unrestricted ENHANCED and GOLD permits only; Utah permits recognized EXCLUDING provisional (under-21) permits. RCW 9.41.073 requires the issuing state to recognize WA CPLs, not license under-21s, and require a fingerprint-based criminal and mental-health background check; holder residency in the issuing state is not a statutory condition.

Washington at a glance

Permit
Concealed Pistol License (CPL)
Issued by
County sheriff or municipal police chief (nonresidents may apply to any issuing authority in the state)
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 Washington without a permit?

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

No permitless concealed carry. A CPL is required to carry a concealed pistol; open carry is generally legal but a loaded pistol in a vehicle requires a CPL (RCW 9.41.050).

Is Washington an open carry state?

Yes. Washington allows open carry of a handgun without a permit from age 21 for people who may legally possess one.

Adults 21 and older may carry a handgun openly without a license, but a loaded handgun in a vehicle requires a concealed pistol license. People 18-20 may have a handgun only at home, at their business or on their own property.

How to get a Washington concealed carry permit

Apply to
The police chief of your city or the county sheriff (non-residents may apply at any of them)
Minimum age
21
Fee
$36 plus FBI fingerprint-check charges (new, five-year license)
Training
None required until May 1, 2027; after that, a certified concealed carry safety course with at least 50 rounds of supervised live fire.
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

The license must be issued within 30 days (up to 60 days for recent arrivals or those without a Washington ID); applicants must be 21 or older.

Does Washington issue non-resident permits?

Yes. Washington issues carry permits to non-residents, and a Washington non-resident permit is honored in 26 other states. Nonresidents may apply anywhere in the state (RCW 9.41.070); same 21+ shall-issue standards apply.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

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

No statutory duty to proactively tell an officer you are carrying; the CPL must be in your possession while carrying a concealed pistol and presented on demand.

Carrying in a vehicle in Washington

A loaded pistol in a vehicle requires a CPL and must be on the licensee's person, or the licensee must remain in the vehicle, or the pistol must be locked in the vehicle and concealed from view when the licensee leaves; without a CPL the pistol must be unloaded, and if left in the vehicle, locked and hidden from view (RCW 9.41.050).

Where you can't carry in Washington

Editor's verification notes

Magazines: manufacture, import, distribution and sale of large-capacity magazines are prohibited (RCW 9.41.370, 2022 law), but POSSESSION is not prohibited — visitors may carry a pistol with a standard >10-round magazine, they just cannot buy one in-state; magazine limit therefore blank (no carry/possession limit). New CPL applicants face a certified live-fire training requirement effective May 1, 2027 (RCW 9.41.070 as amended). The AG re-surveys states annually; the honored list changes — re-verify against the AG page each cycle.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a Washington carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, 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, Wisconsin. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does Washington recognize out-of-state carry permits?
AG list as of 2026-07-10. Permit-class limits: Idaho ENHANCED permits only; Kansas standard licenses only; Montana ENHANCED permits only (not 18-20 restricted permits); North Dakota CLASS 1 permits only; South Dakota unrestricted ENHANCED and GOLD permits only; Utah permits recognized EXCLUDING provisional (under-21) permits. RCW 9.41.073 requires the issuing state to recognize WA CPLs, not license under-21s, and require a fingerprint-based criminal and mental-health background check; holder residency in the issuing state is not a statutory condition.

Official sources