Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

The Attorney General’s Office periodically reviews the laws of other states to determine whether those laws meet the requirements for Washington to reciprocally recognize a concealed pistol license or permit issued by those states. The Attorney General is required by law to publish a list of states with which Washington has reciprocity. That list is below.


To gather this information, we send out an annual survey to each state. As we obtain updated responses, we revise the list of reciprocal states and their laws.

For another state’s concealed pistol license or permit to be recognized in Washington, Washington’s reciprocity law (RCW 9.41.073) requires that the other state:

  1. Recognize and give effect to concealed pistol licenses issued by Washington;
  2. Not issue concealed pistol licenses or permits to persons under age 21; and
  3. Require a mandatory fingerprint-based background check for criminal and mental health history. 

Washington’s law recognizing concealed pistol licenses or permits from other states is clear, unambiguous, and confers no discretion on the Attorney General or any other Washington entity to ignore or waive any of its requirements.


With certain qualifications as indicated, the following table lists the states which will recognize a Washington concealed pistol license as long as the pistol is carried in accordance with the law of the state, and from which a concealed pistol license or permit issued by those states will be recognized in Washington so long as the pistol is carried in accordance with Washington law. 

Some states may recognize a Washington concealed pistol license, even though Washington doesn't recognize theirs. If so, the pistol must be carried in accordance with the law of the state you are visiting. Be sure to check the laws of the other state before traveling there with your pistol.

This list is updated regularly, but it may not reflect very recent changes to the law. The last update was on 10/02/23.

Idaho - Enhanced Permit only
Kansas - Standard License only
Louisiana
Michigan 
Montana - Enhanced Permit only
North Carolina
North Dakota - Class 1 North Dakota permits only
Ohio
South Dakota - South Dakota Unrestricted Enhanced Permit and Gold permits only. Restricted Enhanced Permit issued to 18 to 20 year olds and Regular Concealed Carry permits are not recognized by Washington.
Utah - Utah Provisional Concealed Firearm Permit not recognized

The following table lists all of the states and the District of Columbia and indicates whether there is reciprocity between Washington and each jurisdiction and if not, why not. This list is updated regularly, but it may not reflect very recent changes to the law. The last update was on 10/02/23.

  State   Reciprocity   Reason for Status
  Alabama   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license. No mandatory fingerprint-based criminal background check. No mandatory mental health background check.
 
  Alaska   No   Mental health background check does not meet Washington standards. 
 
  Arizona   No   No mandatory mental health background check.  Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  Arkansas   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
           
  California   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Colorado   No   Allows person under 21-years old to obtain a license.  No mandatory mental health background check.
 
  Connecticut   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Delaware   No   Washington does not mandate the training required by Delaware for reciprocity. Allows persons under 21-years old to have a license. Insufficient criminal and mental health background check. 
 
  District of Columbia   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Florida   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
           
  Georgia   No   No mandatory mental health background check.  Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
  Hawaii   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Idaho   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. *Idaho Enhanced Permit only.*
           
  Illinois   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Indiana   No   No mandatory mental health background check. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  Iowa   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based background check.  No mandatory mental health background check. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
  Kansas   Yes   Meets Washington requirements.
           
  Kentucky   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based criminal background check. No mandatory mental health background check.
 
  Louisiana   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. 
           
  Maine   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based background check. No mandatory mental health background check. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  Maryland   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license. 
 
  Massachusetts   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Michigan   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. *Michigan does not recognize non-resident concealed pistol licenses issued by Washington.*
           
  Minnesota   No   Washington does not mandate the training required by Minnesota for reciprocity. No mandatory finger-print based background check. Mental health background check does not meet Washington standards.
 
  Mississippi   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license. No mandatory finger-print based background check.
           
  Missouri   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
           
  Montana   Yes   Enhanced permit only   
           
  Nebraska   No   No mandatory mental health background check.  Washington does not mandate the training required by Nebraska for reciprocity.
 
  Nevada   No   No mandatory mental health background check. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  New Hampshire   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based background check. No mental health background check.  Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
  New Jersey   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  New Mexico   No   No mandatory mental health background-check. Washington does not mandate the training required for New Mexico to recognize Washington’s license.
  New York   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  North Carolina   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. 
           
  North Dakota   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. *Class 1 North Dakota permits only.* 
           
  Ohio   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. 
           
  Oklahoma   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
           
  Oregon   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses.
 
  Pennsylvania   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based background check. Does not recognize WA license.
 
  Rhode Island   No   Does not recognize out-of-state licenses. No mandatory finger-print based criminal background check. No mandatory mental health background check.
 
  South Carolina   No   Washington does not mandate the training required by South Carolina for reciprocity. No mandatory mental health background check.
 
  South Dakota   Yes   Meets Washington requirements “South Dakota Unrestricted Enhanced Permit and Gold permits meets Washington requirements. Restricted Enhanced Permit issued to 18 to 20 year olds and Regular Concealed Carry permits are not recognized by Washington.”
           
  Tennessee   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
           
  Texas   No   Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  Utah   Yes   Meets Washington requirements. *Utah Provisional Concealed Firearm Permit is not recognized because the permit is issued to individuals under the age of 21*
           
  Vermont   No   Does not have a concealed weapons law. Does not issue licenses.
 
  Virginia   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based background check. No mandatory mental health background check.
 
  West Virginia   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based background check. No mandatory mental health background check. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.
 
  Wisconsin   No   No mandatory fingerprint-based criminal background check. No mandatory mental health background check.
   
  Wyoming   No   No mandatory mental health background check. Allows persons under 21-yrs-old to have a license.