What States Are Reciprocal With PA Concealed Carry?

A Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearms is recognized for concealed carry in roughly 33 other states, through formal reciprocity agreements, unilateral recognition, or because the state does not require a permit at all. The states reciprocal with PA concealed carry are listed and updated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and that list shifts often enough that checking it before a trip is part of the job of carrying.1PA Office of Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity

States That Honor a Pennsylvania LTCF

A Pennsylvania resident with a valid LTCF can carry concealed in the following states, either because of a written agreement, unilateral recognition of PA permits, or because the state allows eligible people to carry without any permit:1PA Office of Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity

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

Several entries on that list are permitless carry states rather than true reciprocity partners. As of 2025, 29 states have adopted some form of permitless carry.1PA Office of Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity Your PA LTCF still works in those states, but any eligible adult can carry there without one. Nebraska adopted permitless carry in September 2023 for both residents and non-residents, even though it does not formally recognize Pennsylvania permits.2Nebraska State Patrol. Nebraska Reciprocity South Carolina went permitless in March 2024. Vermont has never required a permit, and has no permit system to reciprocate with in the first place.

States That Do Not Recognize a Pennsylvania LTCF

Carrying concealed in any of the following states with only a PA permit can result in criminal charges:1PA Office of Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity

  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Washington

Maine is the common surprise. It is a permitless carry state, but its reciprocity does not currently extend to PA LTCF holders because Maine recognizes only permits from states that reciprocate with Maine.3Maine State Police. Concealed Handgun Reciprocity The penalties in the states that border Pennsylvania are particularly steep. In New Jersey, unlawful possession of a handgun without a NJ permit is a second-degree crime, the same classification as aggravated assault and robbery.4Justia Law. New Jersey Revised Statutes Title 2C Section 2C-39-5 – Unlawful Possession of Weapons In New York, possessing a loaded handgun without a NY permit is criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, a Class C felony.5New York State Senate. New York Penal Law Section 265.03 – Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree Maryland does not recognize any out-of-state concealed carry permits, so a handgun transported through Maryland without a Maryland Wear and Carry Permit must be unloaded, in an enclosed case or holster, with ammunition stored separately.6Maryland Department of State Police. FAQs

Resident vs. Non-Resident LTCF Changes the List

Pennsylvania issues both resident and non-resident LTCFs, and several reciprocal states honor only the resident version. Florida’s agreement with Pennsylvania limits recognition to permits issued to legal residents of the Commonwealth who are 21 or older.7Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Reciprocity Agreement Between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Florida North Carolina applies the same resident-only limitation.8Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Reciprocity Summary Colorado recognizes out-of-state permits only if the holder is 21 or older and is a resident of the issuing state, demonstrated with a valid photo ID from that state.9Justia Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18 Section 18-12-213 – Reciprocity If you moved recently and your driver’s license and your permit do not come from the same state, your coverage can quietly disappear.

Pennsylvania applies the mirror image of this rule to incoming visitors: it recognizes concealed carry permits from other states only when the holder is a resident of the issuing state and is at least 21.10Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania

Rules That Change the Moment You Cross the Line

A reciprocal state honors your permit. It does not export Pennsylvania’s carry rules. Once you cross, the destination state’s laws govern how, where, and under what conditions you can carry.

Duty to Inform

Pennsylvania does not require you to volunteer that you are carrying during a traffic stop; you must produce the LTCF on lawful demand.10Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota, and Texas require you to immediately tell an officer that you are armed during any official contact. Not volunteering it in those states is a separate offense from the carry itself.

No-Firearms Signs

In Pennsylvania, a “No Firearms” sign on a private business generally does not carry the force of law; refusing to leave can lead to a trespassing charge, but the sign itself does not create a weapons offense. In Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Virginia, ignoring a properly posted sign can produce misdemeanor weapons charges. Some of those states require specific sign language or formatting for the sign to have legal effect.

Magazine Capacity and Ammunition

Pennsylvania has no magazine capacity limit. A 15- or 17-round magazine that is legal at home becomes contraband in several reciprocal and non-reciprocal states. Colorado caps magazines at 15 rounds. Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, and Washington cap them at 10. Maryland prohibits the purchase of magazines over 10 rounds within its borders. Vermont caps handgun magazines at 15.

New Jersey restricts hollow-point ammunition heavily. Possession outside your home, place of business, a gun range, or a hunting activity can be a fourth-degree crime, and even transporting hollow points is lawful only on a direct route between approved locations.

Prohibited Places and Alcohol

Government buildings, courthouses, schools, and airports beyond security are common no-carry zones nearly everywhere. Beyond that, states diverge sharply on houses of worship, hospitals, polling places, public parks, and establishments that serve alcohol. Arizona allows concealed carry in bars and restaurants unless the business posts a sign; other states ban it outright. Rules on carrying while drinking also vary: some states forbid any alcohol consumption while armed, others set a blood-alcohol threshold, and some prohibit carry in any establishment that draws a certain share of revenue from alcohol.

Driving Through a State That Does Not Recognize Your Permit

Federal law gives you a narrow protection for transit. Under 18 U.S.C. ยง 926A, you can transport a firearm through any state if the firearm is unloaded and neither the gun nor ammunition is readily accessible from the passenger compartment. In a vehicle without a separate trunk, the firearm and ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or center console.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms Both the origin and the destination must be places where you can legally possess the firearm, and stops beyond routine fuel or rest breaks can take you outside the protection.

The Firearm Owners’ Protection Act operates as an affirmative defense, not an arrest shield. States including New Jersey and New York have arrested travelers who were technically covered, leaving them to raise the federal protection in court. The protection is real; the arrest, booking, and legal fees to assert it can still happen.

Filling the Gaps With a Non-Resident Permit

Because a PA LTCF is not recognized in 16 states, some Pennsylvania residents add a non-resident permit from a state with broader reciprocity. Florida and Utah are the common picks, since their non-resident permits are honored in states that do not honor Pennsylvania’s. Stacking permits does not help with California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, or New York, which do not recognize any out-of-state permit. Application fees typically run between $100 and $300, and most states require a training course.

Checking Before You Travel

Reciprocity agreements change as states pass new laws and permitless carry spreads. The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s reciprocity page is the authoritative source for PA LTCF holders and should be your first stop before any trip that involves crossing state lines while armed.1PA Office of Attorney General. Concealed Carry Reciprocity For the specific carry rules of your destination, go to that state’s Attorney General, State Police, or Department of Public Safety site, and pay close attention to prohibited locations, duty-to-inform language, magazine limits, and ammunition restrictions. Reciprocity makes your permit valid. It does not make your home-state habits legal.