Roughly 33 states recognize an Arizona concealed weapons permit, through a mix of formal written reciprocity agreements and informal recognition, and the states that have reciprocity with Arizona CCW permits break down into two groups: those honoring any valid Arizona permit, and a smaller set that only honor permits held by actual Arizona residents. About a dozen states refuse recognition entirely, and carrying there on your Arizona permit alone can be a felony.
States With Formal Reciprocity Agreements
The Arizona Department of Public Safety publishes the official reciprocity list. The following states recognize Arizona permits through formal written agreements: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.1Department of Public Safety. Concealed Weapons and Permits – Section: Reciprocity and Recognition Agreements
States With Informal Recognition
Seven more states recognize Arizona permits without a formal written agreement: Delaware, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia.1Department of Public Safety. Concealed Weapons and Permits – Section: Reciprocity and Recognition Agreements Vermont is a special case. It lets anyone who can legally possess a firearm carry concealed without a permit, so your Arizona card is beside the point there.
Resident-Only Recognition: Watch Out for the Non-Resident Trap
Four states on the recognition list draw a line between Arizona resident and non-resident permits. Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina will only honor your Arizona permit if you are actually a resident of Arizona.1Department of Public Safety. Concealed Weapons and Permits – Section: Reciprocity and Recognition Agreements If you got your Arizona permit as an out-of-state applicant because the state’s requirements were easier to meet, those four states will not recognize it.
Delaware and Virginia, the other two informal-recognition states without a residency restriction, honor Arizona permits regardless of whether you live in Arizona.
States That Do Not Recognize Arizona Permits
These states refuse to honor Arizona concealed carry permits: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.1Department of Public Safety. Concealed Weapons and Permits – Section: Reciprocity and Recognition Agreements Carrying concealed in any of them on your Arizona permit alone can bring serious criminal charges, and several of these states treat unlicensed concealed carry as a felony.
If a trip takes you through one of these states, your firearm needs to be transported in a way that complies with that state’s law, not Arizona’s.
Why You Still Need the Permit Card Even Though Arizona Is Permitless Carry
Arizona eliminated the permit requirement for concealed carry in 2010. Anyone 21 or older who can legally possess a firearm may carry concealed within Arizona without any license.2NRA Institute for Legislative Action. Arizona Gun Laws – Section: Carrying3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Concealed Carry Laws Issue Brief That has led a lot of Arizona gun owners to skip the permit, since they don’t need it at home.
The problem starts at the state line. Reciprocal states require you to carry a valid Arizona concealed weapons permit card. Arizona’s permitless carry does not travel with you; it only applies inside Arizona. Walk into Texas, Georgia, or any other reciprocal state with a concealed firearm and no permit, and your Arizona “right” to carry without one offers no cover. This is the single most common mistake Arizona gun owners make when traveling, and it’s the main practical reason to get the permit even when it isn’t required at home. The only other states where you can carry without any permit are those with their own permitless carry laws.
Local Laws Still Apply When Your Permit Is Honored
Reciprocity means another state recognizes your permit. It does not mean Arizona’s gun laws come with you. You are subject to the laws of whatever state you are standing in, and Arizona’s rules are more permissive than many reciprocal states.
Prohibited Locations
Every state keeps its own list of places where concealed carry is banned even with a valid permit. Schools, government buildings, courthouses, and bars show up often, but the specifics shift state to state. Some ban carry in churches, hospitals, or any establishment that serves alcohol. Penalties for carrying in a prohibited location run from civil fines to felony charges depending on the state and whether it’s a repeat offense.
Magazine Capacity Limits
Arizona places no cap on magazine capacity, but several states do, and those limits apply to you as a visitor. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island prohibit magazines holding more than 10 rounds. Vermont limits handgun magazines to 15 rounds and long gun magazines to 10. Driving from Arizona into a state with capacity restrictions while carrying standard-capacity magazines can result in weapons charges even if your permit is otherwise valid, though several of those states don’t recognize Arizona permits in the first place.
Duty to Inform
Some reciprocal states require you to tell a law enforcement officer immediately that you are carrying during any encounter, like a traffic stop. Arizona has no such requirement, so Arizona permit holders routinely miss this one. Ohio and Louisiana both have duty-to-inform laws, and failing to disclose can bring its own penalty even if your carry is otherwise lawful.
Check Before You Travel
Reciprocity agreements change more often than most people realize. The DPS list was last updated in May 2024, and states have continued to adjust their concealed carry laws since. Before you cross a state line with a firearm, contact the destination state directly, or check the current DPS reciprocity page, to confirm your Arizona permit is still recognized. DPS itself recommends exactly that.