November, 1999

Often, Crufflers possess concealed carry permits for the jurisdictions in which they live.  It is tempting, once you get used to wearing a firearm, to wear it always, to include places outside of your home jurisdiction. However, there are many legal pitfalls for the unaware and unwary citizen when so doing.  Here, in yet another installment of "The Cruffler's Guide to Avoiding Enforced Stays at Club Fed and Like State Residences" is a reproduction of the NRA-ILA brochure on  interstate right-to-carry reciprocity.  Please remember though, that the only people who can give you an a legally authoritative answer on what the law is in a given jurisdiction are judges or prosecutors assigned to that jurisdiction.

Now, some basics:

The right to self-defense neither begins nor ends at a state border.

A law-abiding citizen does not suffer a character change by crossing a state line.

An "unalienable right" is not determined by geographical boundaries.

A patchwork of state laws regarding the carrying of firearms can make criminals out of honest folks, especially those who frequently must travel the states to earn a living.

Using data for all 3,054 U.S. counties from 1977 to 1994, University of Chicago Prof. John Lott finds that for each additional year a concealed handgun law is in effect the murder rate declines by 3%, robberies by over 2%, and the rape rate by 2%.

In spite of the truth of these statements and the fact that nearly half of all Americans live in states that allow a law-abiding citizen to carry a firearm concealed for personal protection, it has not been commonplace that these same citizens could carry their firearm across states lines. NRA-ILA is working to pass right-to-carry reciprocity laws granting permit holders the ability to carry their firearms legally while visiting or traveling beyond their home state.

In order to assist NRA Members in determining which states recognize their permits, NRA-ILA has created this guide. This guide is not to be considered as legal advice or a restatement of the law. It is important to remember that state carry laws vary considerably. Be sure to check with local authorities outside your home state for a complete listing of restrictions on carrying concealed in that state. Many states restrict carrying in
 bars, restaurants (where alcohol is served), establishments where packaged alcohol is sold, schools, colleges, universities, churches, parks, sporting events, correctional facilities, courthouses, federal and state government offices/buildings, banks, airport terminals, police stations, polling places, any posted private property restricting the carrying of concealed firearms, etc. In addition to state restrictions, federal law prohibits carrying on military bases, in national parks and the sterile area of airports. National Forests usually follow laws of the state wherein the forest is located.

NOTE: Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio and Wisconsin do not issue Right-to-Carry permits. Vermont does not issue permits, but allows carrying of concealed firearms if there is no intent to commit a crime.
 
 

STATE	ISSUING AUTHORITY	These states also recognize your permit:
Alabama	County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Alaska	State Trooper	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming, Utah
Arizona	Department of Public Safety	Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Wyoming
Arkansas	State Police	Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming
California	County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Colorado	Chief of Police/County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Connecticut	Commissioner of State Police	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
Delaware	Prothonotary of Superior Court	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
Florida	Department of State	Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Wyoming
Georgia	County Probate Judge	Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee
Hawaii	Chief of Police	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah
Idaho	County Sheriff	Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Illinois	n/a	n/a
Indiana	Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Municipality	Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan
Iowa	(resident) Sheriff (non-resident) Commissioner of Public Safety	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Kansas	n/a	n/a
Kentucky	State Police	Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming
Louisiana	Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Parish	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, Texas, Utah
Maine	County Sheriff/Chief of Police	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
Maryland	Superintendent of State Police	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
Massachusetts	Chief of Police	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Michigan	County Gun Board/Sheriff	Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky
Minnesota	Chief of Police/County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Mississippi	Department of Public Safety	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, Wyoming
Missouri	n/a	n/a
Montana	County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Nebraska	n/a	n/a
Nevada	County Sheriff	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah
New Hampshire	Selectman/Mayor or Chief of Police	Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota
New Jersey	Chief of Police/Superintendent of State Police	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
New Mexico	n/a	n/a
New York	Varies by county	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
North Carolina	County Sheriff	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah
North Dakota	Chief of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
Ohio	n/a	n/a
Oklahoma	State Bureau of Investigation	Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming, Tennessee, Texas, Utah
Oregon	County Sheriff	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Pennsylvania	County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Rhode Island	Attorney General	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Wyoming
South Carolina	South Carolina Law Enforcement Division	Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee Utah, Wyoming,
South Dakota	Chief of Police/County Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Tennessee	Department of Public Safety	Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming
Texas	Department of Public Safety	Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Georgia, Utah
Utah	Department of Public Safety	Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wyoming
Vermont	Vermont allows concealed  carry without a permit and  issues no official permit.	n/a
Virginia	Clerk of Circuit Court	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee
Washington	Chief of Police/Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
West Virginia	Sheriff	Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan
Wisconsin	n/a	n/a
Wyoming	Attorney General	Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina

 
 

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