When not to buy a non-resident permit

We earn a commission when someone applies for a non-resident permit through our partner. That is exactly why this page exists. If the product is wrong for you, we would rather say so than take the click.

1. You live in a state with added requirements and want to carry at home

These states require their own permit, in-person training, and review by a state or local agency. A non-resident permit from another state does not satisfy them, and it does not let you carry at home.

California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island.

2. You only carry inside your own permitless state

If you live in one of these states and never carry outside it, you already have what you need. Eligible adults can carry without any permit.

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

3. Your travel is only to states that do not recognize it

A permit is worth what it covers. If the states you drive to do not honor a non-resident permit, it buys you nothing. Check the map first. Watch for the resident-only states, which honor a permit only when you live in the issuing state.

4. Someone promised you nationwide coverage

Nobody can promise that. Each state writes its own recognition rule by statute, and those rules change. If a seller claims a permit is good everywhere, stop and read our scam guide.

When it is worth it

A non-resident permit, such as the New Hampshire non-resident license, makes sense in a few honest cases. You live in a permitless state and drive across state lines. Your home permit is not honored where you travel. Or you want carry rights in more states than your own permit covers.

It is recognized in more than 20 states. It is not recognized everywhere, and it never replaces a permit your home state requires.

Common questions

Does a non-resident permit let me carry at home?

Only if your home state honors it. States with added requirements, like California, New York, and Maryland, need their own permit and in-person training. A non-resident permit does not satisfy them.

Is any permit good in all 50 states?

No. Recognition is set state by state. Nobody can promise nationwide coverage, and anyone who does is selling you something.

I live in a permitless state. Do I need anything?

Not to carry at home, if you are eligible. A non-resident permit only helps when you cross into a state that honors it. If you never travel armed, you can skip it.