This is not legal advice.Concealed-carry reciprocity changes frequently and carries serious legal consequences. Verify current law with the destination state's official source before you carry.
LouisianaConcealed Carry Permit & Reciprocity
Louisiana is a permitless (constitutional) carry state as of July 4, 2024 (SB 1 / Act 2 of the 2024 Second Extraordinary Session, R.S. 14:95(M)). A person 18 or older who may lawfully possess a firearm may carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The Louisiana Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP), issued by the Louisiana State Police, remains available and is worth holding for out-of-state reciprocity; it is issued to applicants 21 or older (residents and non-residents), requires a demonstration of firearms competency, costs $25 per year ($125 for a five-year permit, half price at 65+), and is valid for five years (a lifetime option is also available). Louisiana is a duty-to-inform state: a person carrying — with or without a permit — who is approached by an officer in an official manner must notify the officer they are armed, submit to a pat-down, and allow the officer to temporarily disarm them (R.S. 40:1379.3(I)(2)). Open carry is lawful without a permit. Louisiana's recognition of out-of-state permits is mutual — it honors permits (holder 21+) from states that honor a Louisiana permit.
Louisiana Louisiana Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)
- Issuing authority
- Louisiana State Police
- Carry regime
- constitutional
- Minimum age
- 21
- Fee
- $125
- Training
- Required
- Validity
- 5 years
Carry practicalities
Permitless carry
Allowed — minimum age 18
Louisiana has permitless (constitutional) carry since July 4, 2024 (SB 1 / Act 2 of the 2024 Second Extraordinary Session, R.S. 14:95(M)). A person 18 or older who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed handgun without a permit. A person carrying under permitless carry is still subject to Louisiana's duty to inform and its prohibited-place restrictions.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Open carry
Permitless
Open carry of a handgun is lawful in Louisiana without a permit for a person 18 or older who may lawfully possess a firearm. Open carry remains subject to the prohibited-place restrictions of R.S. 40:1379.3(N) and to private-property and posted-location rules.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Duty to inform
Required
Louisiana IS a duty-to-inform state. A permittee armed with a handgun — or a person carrying under permitless carry (R.S. 14:95(M)) — who is approached by a police officer in an official manner or with an identified official purpose must notify the officer that they have a weapon, submit to a pat-down, and allow the officer to temporarily disarm them (R.S. 40:1379.3(I)(2)). This is an affirmative, proactive notification duty.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Off-limits locations
- law enforcement offices, stations, and sheriff's offices
- detention facilities, prisons, and jails
- courthouses and courtrooms
- polling places
- municipal, city, and other government buildings and meetings of governing bodies
- the State Capitol building
- the secured (past-screening) areas of airports
- places of worship, unless authorized by the person with authority over the place of worship
- parades and demonstrations for which a permit is required (active participants)
- establishments whose primary business is serving alcohol for on-premises consumption
- K-12 schools and school campuses
- places where carrying a firearm is prohibited by federal law
Curated key categories, not exhaustive. The statutory prohibited places are enumerated in R.S. 40:1379.3(N). Private-property owners may also prohibit carry.
official source · verified 2026-07-10
Louisiana reciprocity summary
Louisiana honors 36 states' permits · honored by 36 states
Where a Louisiana permit is honored →Whose permits Louisiana honors →
Last verified 2026-07-10 against Louisiana State Police — Concealed Handgun Permit Reciprocity.
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Get notified when your state's reciprocity changes.
Louisiana FAQ
- Does Louisiana have constitutional carry?
- Yes. Louisiana is a constitutional (permitless) carry state — eligible adults may carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The CHP remains available and is still worth holding for reciprocity in states that don't recognize permitless carry.
- How much does a Louisiana CHP cost?
- The CHP application fee in Louisiana is $125. $25 per year — $125 for a five-year permit; the fee is reduced by half for applicants 65 or older. A lifetime permit is available at a higher one-time fee (R.S. 40:1379.3(H), (V)).
- Does Louisiana honor out-of-state concealed-carry permits?
- Louisiana honors concealed-carry permits from 36 other states, subject to the qualifiers (resident-only or permit-class restrictions) noted on each reciprocity pair. See the full inbound list on the "who Louisiana honors" page.
- Where is a Louisiana CHP honored?
- A Louisiana CHP is honored by 36 other states. See the full outbound reciprocity list for exactly which states and any resident-only or class restrictions.
- How long is a Louisiana CHP valid?
- A Louisiana CHP is valid for 5 years before renewal is required.