State profile · WI
Wisconsin Concealed Carry Laws & Reciprocity
A Wisconsin resident permit (Wisconsin Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) License) is honored in 33 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, Wisconsin recognizes permits from 44 states on its official list. Wisconsin is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Wisconsin recognizes.
Wisconsin concealed carry reciprocity map
Where a Wisconsin resident permit is valid. Each state links to the rules for that trip.
- Permit honored
- Honored + permitless carry
- Permitless carry only
- Not honored
- Confirm case-by-case
- Wisconsin
Which states honor a Wisconsin CCW? (33)
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming
Where a Wisconsin permit is not honored (17)
Permitless carry still applies (2): Maine, South Carolina
No lawful carry on this permit (15): California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington
Where a Wisconsin permit is honored, state by state
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 Wisconsin honors
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Holder must be 21+ AND must NOT be a Wisconsin resident (a WI resident needs a WI license even if holding another state's permit). Recognition is based on the WI DOJ list of states whose permits require a background check comparable to Wisconsin's. Permit-class limits on the DOJ list: Virginia NON-RESIDENT licenses only; Florida NON-RESIDENT licenses only; Idaho regular or enhanced only (not emergency); West Virginia regular resident or non-resident CHLs only (not provisional); Missouri regular only (not provisional). NOT honored: Maine, New Jersey, Oregon (and Guam, Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico regular licenses only). Vermont issues no permits.
Wisconsin at a glance
- Permit
- Wisconsin Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) License
- Issued by
- Wisconsin Department of Justice (Firearms Section)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Resident minimum age
- 21
- Non-resident permits
- Not issued
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No
- Magazine limit
- None
Can you carry in Wisconsin without a permit?
Wisconsin is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Wisconsin recognizes.
No permitless concealed carry. Open carry is legal for non-prohibited adults, and a loaded handgun may be transported openly in a vehicle without a license (Wis. Stat. § 167.31(2)), but concealed carry requires a license.
Is Wisconsin an open carry state?
Yes. Wisconsin allows open carry of a handgun without a permit from age 18 for people who may legally possess one.
Adults who may legally have a gun can carry it openly without a license. Without a license, having a gun within 1,000 feet of school grounds is an offense, and open carry is banned in police stations, courthouses, jails and past airport security.
How to get a Wisconsin concealed carry permit
- Minimum age
- 21
- Fee
- $40 (new, resident: $30 license + $10 background check)
- Training
- Proof of approved firearms training, such as a hunter education certificate, military small-arms training, or a firearms safety course from a certified instructor, law enforcement agency or college.
- Valid for
- 5 years
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue (must be granted if you qualify)
DOJ processes new applications and renewals within 21 days; licenses go only to Wisconsin residents and military members stationed in the state.
Does Wisconsin issue non-resident permits?
No. Wisconsin does not issue carry permits to non-residents. Issued only to Wisconsin residents (valid WI driver's license or ID required) or active-duty military stationed in Wisconsin (WI DOJ CCW FAQ).
Do you have to tell police you are carrying in Wisconsin?
No proactive duty to inform; a licensee or out-of-state licensee must display the license and photo ID only upon an officer's request while the officer is acting in an official capacity ($25 forfeiture; Wis. Stat. § 175.60(2g)(c), (17)(a)).
Carrying in a vehicle in Wisconsin
License holders may carry a loaded, concealed handgun in a vehicle. Without a license, a loaded handgun may be placed or transported in a vehicle (Wis. Stat. § 167.31(2)) but may NOT be concealed within reach — case law treats a hidden firearm within reach as unlawfully concealed.
Where you can't carry in Wisconsin
- Police stations, sheriff's offices and state patrol stations (Wis. Stat. § 175.60(16))
- Prisons, jails, houses of correction and secured correctional facilities
- Secured units of mental health institutions and secure treatment facilities
- County, state and federal courthouses (and municipal courtrooms while court is in session)
- Areas beyond airport security checkpoints
- School grounds and premises (firearms; Wis. Stat. § 948.605 — applies to licensees too)
Editor's verification notes
Licensees may carry in taverns only if not consuming alcohol (Wis. Stat. § 941.237(3)); carrying while intoxicated is a crime (§ 941.20(1)(b)). The DOJ reciprocity page does not display a last-updated date; the linked DOJ FAQ PDF is dated Jan 2018, so statutory cites from it (display duty, prohibited places, vehicle rules) reflect long-stable law but were the newest official document available.
Frequently asked questions
- Which states honor a Wisconsin carry permit?
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
- Does Wisconsin recognize out-of-state carry permits?
- Holder must be 21+ AND must NOT be a Wisconsin resident (a WI resident needs a WI license even if holding another state's permit). Recognition is based on the WI DOJ list of states whose permits require a background check comparable to Wisconsin's. Permit-class limits on the DOJ list: Virginia NON-RESIDENT licenses only; Florida NON-RESIDENT licenses only; Idaho regular or enhanced only (not emergency); West Virginia regular resident or non-resident CHLs only (not provisional); Missouri regular only (not provisional). NOT honored: Maine, New Jersey, Oregon (and Guam, Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico regular licenses only). Vermont issues no permits.
Official sources
- Wisconsin DOJ — CCW Reciprocity (Out-of-State Licenses Recognized in Wisconsin) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wisconsin DOJ — Concealed Carry Weapon License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wisconsin DOJ — CCW Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Wisconsin DOJ — CCW License Information (apply, fees, renewal) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Wisconsin DOJ — CCW Training Requirements — accessed 2026-09-27
- Wis. Stat. § 948.60 — Possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18 (via Wayback 2026-08-11) — accessed 2026-09-27