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Concealed Carry Map

State profile · WV

West Virginia Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity

A West Virginia resident permit (Concealed Handgun License (CHL)) is honored in 35 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 2 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, West Virginia recognizes permits from 36 states on its official list. West Virginia allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.

Open the interactive map for a West Virginia permit →

West Virginia concealed carry reciprocity map

Where a West 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: 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: permit not recognized — but 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: 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: 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: not recognizedWAWest Virginia (home state)WVWisconsin: recognized — carry with your permitWIWyoming: recognized — and permitless carry appliesWY
  • Permit honored
  • Honored + permitless carry
  • Permitless carry only
  • Not honored
  • Confirm case-by-case
  • West Virginia

Which states honor a West Virginia CHL? (35)

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

Where a West Virginia permit is not honored (15)

Permitless carry still applies (2): Maine, South Carolina

No lawful carry on this permit (13): California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington

Where a West 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
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
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
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 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
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
WashingtonNot recognizedNot recognized
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 West Virginia honors

W. Va. Code § 61-7-6a: an out-of-state permit is valid in WV only if the holder is 21+, has the permit in immediate possession, is NOT a West Virginia resident, and the issuing state recognizes WV CHLs (governor notification or written reciprocity agreement). The issuing state's permit need not be a resident permit, so qualifying non-resident permits count. Recognition is largely academic for visitors 21+, who may carry permitless anyway; under-21 out-of-state permit holders are NOT covered. Honored list derived from the AG's official reciprocity map (as of Oct 1, 2025): every permit-issuing state recognizes WV CHLs except CA, CT, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI and WA (Vermont issues no permits).

West Virginia at a glance

Permit
Concealed Handgun License (CHL) · Provisional Concealed Handgun License (ages 18-20)
Issued by
County sheriff (residents apply in their county of residence; non-residents may apply to any county sheriff)
Issue policy
Shall-issue
Resident minimum age
21
Non-resident permits
Issued
Permitless carry
Yes (18+)
Duty to inform
No
Magazine limit
None

Can you carry in West Virginia without a permit?

West Virginia allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.

Since June 12, 2026 (HB 4106, 2026 Acts ch. 75), W. Va. Code § 61-7-7(c) allows any person at least 18 who is a US citizen or legal resident of the US, and not prohibited from possessing a firearm under state law or 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)/(n), to carry a concealed deadly weapon without a license — residents and non-residents alike. HB 4106 repealed § 61-7-3 (the former under-21 provisional-license requirement). Out-of-state PERMITS are still honored only for holders 21+ (§ 61-7-6a), but visitors 18-20 are now covered by permitless carry.

Is West Virginia an open carry state?

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

Adults 18 and older who may legally have a gun can carry openly without a license. Anyone under 18 may not carry a deadly weapon openly or concealed, apart from narrow exceptions such as hunting or family property.

How to get a West Virginia concealed carry permit

Apply to
The county sheriff (residents in their home county; non-residents at any county sheriff)
Minimum age
21
Fee
$50 resident · $100 non-resident (new license)
Training
A handgun safety or training course that includes live firing, such as an NRA course, a course from a certified instructor or school, or military handgun training.
Valid for
5 years
Issue policy
Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)

The sheriff must issue or deny within 45 days once background checks are complete; the license runs five years from your most recent birthday.

Does West Virginia issue non-resident permits?

Yes. West Virginia issues carry permits to non-residents, and a West Virginia non-resident permit is honored in 31 other states. Since early-2021 law changes, non-residents may obtain a WV CHL by applying to any county sheriff of their choice with the same requirements as residents (live-fire training, fees). Provisional CHLs (18-20) are limited to WV residents.

Compare every state's non-resident permit →

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

No proactive duty-to-inform appears in WV statute, the AG's guide or the AG's FAQ; out-of-state holders must have the permit in immediate possession (§ 61-7-6a(a)(2)).

Carrying in a vehicle in West Virginia

Permitless carry (21+, non-prohibited) extends to loaded handguns in vehicles. A lawfully possessed firearm may be kept locked and out of view in a vehicle in any parking lot (§ 61-7-14) and on the State Capitol Complex (§ 61-6-19(b)).

Where you can't carry in West Virginia

Editor's verification notes

Key trap: a WV RESIDENT may not carry on an out-of-state permit in WV (§ 61-7-6a(a)(3)). The honored-states list list is derived by applying § 61-7-6a's mutuality condition to the AG's official outbound-recognition map, since the AG publishes no inbound text list (the State Police registry is not public); confidence high but re-verify when the AG map updates. AG FAQ (live 2026) says WV residents 18-20 may carry permitless — a change from the July 2024 guide; CHL fees also differ between the two ($75+$25 on the live FAQ vs $25+$25 in the 2024 guide) — the live FAQ was treated as current. Update 2026-09-27: HB 4106 (effective 2026-06-12) settled the 18-20 question — permitless carry is 18+ for all US citizens and legal residents; earlier guidance about 18-20 year olds above is superseded.

Frequently asked questions

Which states honor a West Virginia carry permit?
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
Does West Virginia recognize out-of-state carry permits?
W. Va. Code § 61-7-6a: an out-of-state permit is valid in WV only if the holder is 21+, has the permit in immediate possession, is NOT a West Virginia resident, and the issuing state recognizes WV CHLs (governor notification or written reciprocity agreement). The issuing state's permit need not be a resident permit, so qualifying non-resident permits count. Recognition is largely academic for visitors 21+, who may carry permitless anyway; under-21 out-of-state permit holders are NOT covered. Honored list derived from the AG's official reciprocity map (as of Oct 1, 2025): every permit-issuing state recognizes WV CHLs except CA, CT, HI, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI and WA (Vermont issues no permits).

Official sources