Michigan CPL reciprocity works in two directions, and the one most travelers care about is outbound: a Michigan concealed pistol license is explicitly honored by 16 other states, honored on a limited basis by two more, and effectively unneeded in the 29 states that allow permitless concealed carry. A small group of states, including California, Oregon, New York, and the District of Columbia, recognize no out-of-state permit at all.1The Trace. Concealed Carry Reciprocity Gun Law
States That Honor a Michigan CPL
The following states explicitly recognize a Michigan-issued concealed pistol license: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.2USCCA. Michigan Gun Laws
In each of these states, your Michigan CPL functions as if it were a resident permit for carrying purposes, but you are bound by the destination state’s carry laws. That includes its list of prohibited places, its rules on carrying in vehicles, its signage laws, and its procedures for interactions with law enforcement. A permit that is valid in Virginia does not import Michigan’s rules into Virginia; it only lets you carry under Virginia’s.
Reciprocity lists change. States revise their recognition policies, add or drop other states, and sometimes change the terms. Confirm the current status with the destination state or a reciprocity map before you travel, as the Michigan State Police recommend.3Michigan State Police. Reciprocity
Limited Recognition: Colorado and Pennsylvania
Two states honor a Michigan CPL only under narrower conditions. Colorado and Pennsylvania both recognize Michigan permits only when held by Michigan residents, so a Michigan CPL issued to a non-resident will not work there. Colorado additionally requires the carrier to be at least 21.2USCCA. Michigan Gun Laws
Permitless-Carry States
Reciprocity is largely beside the point in states that have adopted permitless concealed carry. In those states, anyone who can legally possess a firearm can carry concealed without any permit. As of recent counts, 29 states allow some form of permitless concealed carry.4Giffords Law Center. Concealed Carry If you travel into one of those states as a Michigan resident and you are not federally prohibited from possessing a firearm, you can generally carry concealed regardless of whether that state has formal reciprocity with Michigan. Age thresholds vary; some states allow permitless carry at 18 or 19, while others set the floor at 21.
You are still subject to that state’s prohibited-places list, vehicle rules, and law-enforcement disclosure requirements. Permitless carry means no license is needed to carry; it does not mean no rules apply.
States That Won’t Honor Your Michigan CPL
Several jurisdictions recognize no out-of-state concealed carry permit. California, Oregon, and New York fall into this category, along with the District of Columbia.1The Trace. Concealed Carry Reciprocity Gun Law If you plan to travel through any of these places, your Michigan CPL will not authorize you to carry concealed there, and bringing a firearm in anyway can expose you to serious state criminal charges.
Washington state is a partial case worth flagging separately from the states listed above as honoring Michigan: Washington recognizes only a limited set of other states’ permits, applying its own criteria for mental health background checks, age requirements, and training standards.1The Trace. Concealed Carry Reciprocity Gun Law Before relying on your CPL there, verify current Washington status directly.
How Michigan Treats Visitors’ Permits
Reciprocity cuts the other way too, and visitors to Michigan ask about it as often as Michigan residents ask about outbound travel. Michigan recognizes valid concealed pistol licenses or permits from every other state, but only when the holder is a resident of the state that issued the permit.3Michigan State Police. Reciprocity A Utah non-resident permit held by someone who lives in Ohio, for example, will not be honored in Michigan; that person needs to carry under whatever permit Ohio issues.
A visitor carrying in Michigan under an out-of-state permit must follow all of Michigan’s concealed carry rules, including the state’s prohibited-premises list and its mandatory duty to disclose to law enforcement during a stop. Any restrictions printed on the out-of-state license apply as well.3Michigan State Police. Reciprocity
Rules to Follow When You Carry in Another State
A reciprocity match gets you across the border legally; it does not harmonize the laws. Before you travel armed, work through the destination state’s rules on a few recurring questions.
Prohibited places. Every state has its own list, and they rarely line up. Schools, government buildings, bars, places of worship, courts, hospitals, stadiums, and private property posted against firearms are common entries, but the details and the force of signage differ sharply from state to state.
Duty to disclose. Some states require you to tell an officer immediately that you are carrying; others require disclosure only on request; others impose no duty at all. Michigan itself is a mandatory-disclosure state, so visitors are often surprised to find different rules elsewhere, and Michigan CPL holders are sometimes surprised in the other direction.
Vehicle carry. Rules on loaded firearms in a passenger compartment, in a glove box, or in a center console vary, and the question of whether your permit covers the vehicle at all depends on the destination state’s definition of concealed carry.
Magazine capacity and firearm type. A handgun and magazine that are perfectly legal in Michigan may run into state-specific restrictions elsewhere. A reciprocity agreement does not override the destination state’s limits on what you can carry.
Age. If you are between 18 and 20, confirm the destination state’s minimum age for concealed carry independently, because some permitless-carry states set the floor at 21.
The Federal Reciprocity Bill That Could Change This
Congress has repeatedly considered a federal fix to the state-by-state patchwork. The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (H.R. 38), introduced in January 2025 by Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina, would require every state to honor concealed carry permits issued by every other state. Michigan House Republicans Jack Bergman, Bill Huizenga, and John Moolenaar co-sponsored the measure.5Michigan Independent. Richard Hudson House Republicans Bill Concealed Carry Preempt State Gun Safety Laws
If it became law, the bill would reshape the questions above. Residents of the 29 permitless-carry states could carry in Michigan without having met Michigan’s training, background-check, or licensing standards, and Michigan CPL holders would gain carry authority in states that currently refuse to honor out-of-state permits.6Giffords Law Center. CCR State-by-State Comparison: Michigan and Indiana As of early 2025, Rep. Hudson said current Republican majorities in both chambers offered the best chance of passage since 2017. The bill has not become law.5Michigan Independent. Richard Hudson House Republicans Bill Concealed Carry Preempt State Gun Safety Laws Until it does, Michigan CPL reciprocity remains a state-by-state question that you have to answer before each trip.