Concealed Carry Reciprocity 2026: How to Check Before You Travel

Quick answer: There is no national concealed carry reciprocity in 2026. Whether you can carry in another state depends on that state’s own law. Some states honor every other state’s permit, some honor only a list, and some add conditions such as age 21 or residency in the state that issued your permit. Reciprocity is often one-way, so check the destination state’s official page before every trip.

Reciprocity, recognition and permitless carry: what the words mean

Pennsylvania’s Attorney General uses three terms that help with every state:

• Reciprocity agreement: a written agreement signed by both states that sets out what each state honors.
• Statutory reciprocity: both states’ laws recognize the other’s licenses, with no written agreement needed.
• Unilateral recognition: a state honors your license whether or not your home state honors its licenses in return.

A fourth idea matters too: permitless carry for visitors. Some states let a visitor carry without any permit if the visitor meets the state’s rules. Florida is one example (see the table). There are 29 permitless carry states; see our constitutional carry states 2026 list for names and dates. Permitless carry at home doesn’t carry over when you cross a state line. The law of the state you’re in applies.

There is still no national reciprocity

The bill that would create it, H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025, was approved 18-9 by the House Judiciary Committee on March 25, 2025. Its latest action, on October 3, 2025, was placement on the House Union Calendar, No. 289. Congress.gov still lists its status as “Introduced” (checked October 3, 2026). It has not had a House floor vote. For the federal rules that apply everywhere, see our concealed carry laws 2026 guide.

Six state examples, checked October 2026

These are examples, not a full 50-state map. Each row comes from that state’s own official page, read on October 3, 2026. Rules change, so open the link before you go.

Virginia’s 2027 change: a 2026 law rewrites Virginia’s reciprocity section effective July 1, 2027. From then on, an out-of-state permit counts only if the issuing state’s requirements are “substantially similar” to Virginia’s. The Attorney General decides which states qualify, and State Police publish the list. Virginia residents won’t be able to carry on another state’s permit, with an exception for active-duty service members and their spouses.

Why reciprocity is often a one-way street

The official pages above show how lopsided it can be:

• North Carolina honors permits from every state. But when NC’s Department of Justice asked other states whether they honor NC permits, 17 said yes in the past year. NC notes that states that respond late or don’t respond aren’t listed.
• Florida lists Wisconsin as a reciprocity state. Wisconsin’s page says it honors only Florida non-resident licenses, not Florida resident licenses.
• Virginia State Police say that although Virginia recognizes all states’ permits, “those states may not authorize Virginia permit holders” to carry there.

The takeaway: your home state’s list tells you who it honors. Only the destination state’s own page tells you whether it honors you.

Driving through a state that doesn’t honor your permit

Federal law, 18 U.S.C. 926A, lets a person who can legally have a firearm transport it from a place where they may lawfully have and carry it to another such place. During the trip:

• The firearm must be unloaded.
• Neither the firearm nor any ammunition can be readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment.
• In a vehicle with no trunk, the firearm or ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

This protects transporting a gun, not carrying it loaded on your person.

Carry your permit and ID

Several of the states above tie recognition to documents. Virginia requires a government photo ID and showing your permit and ID when an officer asks. North Carolina requires you to carry both and to tell an officer you’re carrying. Colorado requires a driver’s license or state ID from the same state as your permit.

Banned places change at the state line

Being allowed to carry in a state doesn’t mean you can carry everywhere in it. North Carolina’s Department of Justice, for example, lists places where concealed handguns may not be carried, including:

• Law enforcement and correctional facilities.
• Any space occupied by state or federal employees, including courthouses.
• Schools and school grounds.
• Businesses that post a sign banning concealed weapons.
• While consuming alcohol or under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances (with an exception for legally obtained medication taken as directed).

Wisconsin says out-of-state licensees must follow Wisconsin’s carry laws. Federal no-carry places, such as post offices and federal buildings, apply in every state; see our 2026 carry laws guide.

How to check before a trip

1. List every state you’ll be in, including ones you only drive through.
2. For each state, open its official reciprocity page (state police, attorney general or the agency that issues permits) and read its statute.
3. Check the conditions, not just the list: minimum age, residency, license type, and whether the state honors non-resident permits.
4. Check what happens to its own residents. Colorado, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin require their residents to hold an in-state license.
5. Look up that state’s banned places and whether you must tell an officer you’re carrying.
6. For states that don’t honor you, plan to transport under 18 U.S.C. 926A: unloaded and out of reach.
7. Note the date you checked, and check again before your next trip.

Quick Answers

Is there national concealed carry reciprocity in 2026?
No. H.R. 38 has been on the House calendar since October 3, 2025, without a floor vote.

What’s the difference between reciprocity and recognition?
Reciprocity runs both ways, by written agreement or by both states’ laws. Unilateral recognition means a state honors your permit whether or not your state returns the favor.

Does my permitless carry state’s law let me carry in other states?
No. Each state’s own law applies. Some, like Florida, let qualifying visitors carry without a permit. The permit-state examples above describe recognizing a permit or license, not carrying without one.

Does a non-resident permit work everywhere my home permit does?
Not always. Colorado and Pennsylvania recognize only permits held by residents of the issuing state.

Can I drive through a state that doesn’t honor my permit?
Under 18 U.S.C. 926A, you can transport a firearm if it’s unloaded and neither it nor the ammunition is within reach of the passenger compartment.

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This article is general information, not legal advice. Reciprocity rules and state laws change. Read each state’s current official page and statute, or ask a licensed attorney, before you carry. State examples were checked on official state websites and Congress.gov on October 3, 2026.