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.
North CarolinaConcealed Carry Permit & Reciprocity
North Carolina is a shall-issue state — it is NOT a constitutional/permitless-carry state. To carry a handgun concealed you must hold a Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP); carrying a concealed handgun without a permit is a crime under N.C.G.S. § 14-269. The CHP is issued by the sheriff of the county in which the applicant resides (§ 14-415.13). Applicants must be 21 or older, must have been a resident of North Carolina for 30 days or longer immediately preceding the application, and must complete an approved firearms safety and training course that includes the actual firing of handguns and instruction in North Carolina's carry laws and the use of deadly force (§ 14-415.12); the permit is valid for five years (§ 14-415.11). North Carolina issues a single permit class and does NOT issue a non-resident permit — the applicant must be a North Carolina resident. A CHP holder must proactively disclose to any law enforcement officer that he or she holds a valid permit and is carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer (§ 14-415.11(a)). Open carry of a handgun is separately legal without a permit for a person who may lawfully possess a firearm, subject to sensitive-place restrictions and local ordinances. Under § 14-415.24 North Carolina broadly recognizes a valid concealed handgun permit or license issued by any other U.S. state. (A 2025 bill, SB 50, that would have created permitless carry was vetoed and, as of July 2026, had not been enacted over the veto.)
North Carolina North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)
- Issuing authority
- County Sheriff (of the applicant's county of residence)
- Carry regime
- shall issue
- Minimum age
- 21
- Fee
- $80
- Training
- Required
- Validity
- 5 years
Carry practicalities
Permitless carry
Not allowed
North Carolina is NOT a permitless/constitutional-carry state. Carrying a handgun CONCEALED about the person requires a Concealed Handgun Permit; carrying a concealed weapon without a permit is a crime under N.C.G.S. § 14-269 (a Class 2 misdemeanor for a first handgun offense, punishable as a Class H felony for a second offense). North Carolina is shall-issue — the sheriff must issue the CHP to a qualified applicant who is 21 or older, has been a North Carolina resident for 30 days, completes an approved training course, and is not disqualified (§§ 14-415.11, 14-415.12). Open carry of a handgun is separately legal without a permit (see openCarry). LEGISLATION-SENSITIVE: Senate Bill 50 (2025), which would have authorized permitless concealed carry for persons 18 or older, was vetoed by Governor Stein; the Senate overrode the veto but, as of 2026-07-09, the House had not enacted it over the veto (the override vote was postponed repeatedly), so a CHP is still required.
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Open carry
Permitless
Open carry of a handgun is legal in North Carolina without a permit for a person who may lawfully possess a firearm — N.C.G.S. § 14-269 criminalizes only CONCEALED carry of a weapon, and no statute prohibits general open carry. Limits apply: firearms (open or concealed) are barred on educational property (§ 14-269.2), in assemblies charging an admission fee and in establishments where alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed (§ 14-269.3), on certain State property and in courthouses (§ 14-269.4), and at funerals, parades, picket lines, and demonstrations on public property or in a public place (§ 14-277.2); local governments may also regulate the carrying of firearms on the public roads, sidewalks, and other public property they control. Openly carrying a firearm 'to the terror of the public' can also be charged as going armed to the terror of the people.
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Duty to inform
Required
North Carolina HAS a statutory duty to inform. Under N.C.G.S. § 14-415.11(a) a permittee who is carrying a concealed handgun MUST disclose to any law enforcement officer that the person holds a valid permit and is carrying a concealed handgun when approached or addressed by the officer, and MUST display both the permit and valid identification upon the officer's request. This is an affirmative, proactive notify-on-contact duty, not merely a produce-on-demand rule.
official source · verified 2026-07-09
Off-limits locations
- educational property — K-12 schools and college/university campuses, grounds, and school buses (a CHP holder may keep a handgun in a closed compartment within a locked vehicle, and may carry outside school operating hours or in a building used for religious worship during services)
- assemblies where a fee has been charged for admission
- establishments in which alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed (a CHP holder is excepted unless the premises is conspicuously posted against concealed carry)
- the State Capitol Building, the Executive Mansion, the Western Residence of the Governor, and their grounds
- courthouses and other court facilities
- law enforcement and correctional facilities (jails, prisons, detention facilities)
- any building housing only State or federal offices, and State/federal offices not located in a building open to the general public
- funerals, parades, picket lines, and demonstrations on public property or in a public place
- private premises where notice prohibiting concealed carry is posted, or where the owner or occupant has otherwise given notice
- while consuming alcohol, or while alcohol or a controlled substance is in the person's blood or breath (except for a lawfully prescribed therapeutic medication)
- federal facilities and other places where federal law prohibits firearms
Curated key categories, not exhaustive. The prohibited places for a CHP holder are enumerated in N.C.G.S. § 14-415.11(c), which incorporates § 14-269.2 (educational property), § 14-269.3 (assemblies charging admission and alcohol establishments), § 14-269.4 (State Capitol, Executive Mansion, courthouses), and § 14-277.2 (parades, funerals, demonstrations), and adds law-enforcement/correctional facilities, buildings housing only government offices, posted private premises, and a bar on carrying while consuming alcohol or while impaired. A CHP does not authorize carry where federal law prohibits it.
official source · verified 2026-07-09
North Carolina reciprocity summary
North Carolina honors 49 states' permits · honored by 39 states
Where a North Carolina permit is honored →Whose permits North Carolina honors →
Last verified 2026-07-09 against North Carolina General Assembly — N.C.G.S. § 14-415.11 (Permit to carry concealed handgun; scope of permit).
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North Carolina FAQ
- Does North Carolina have constitutional carry?
- No. North Carolina is a shall-issue state — a North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) is required to carry concealed, and the issuing authority must issue one to any applicant who meets the statutory requirements.
- How much does a North Carolina CHP cost?
- The CHP application fee in North Carolina is $80. The statutory fee is $80.00 for an original permit and $75.00 for a renewal (§ 14-415.19), plus up to $10.00 the sheriff may charge for taking the applicant's fingerprints. Reduced fees ($45.00 original / $40.00 renewal) are available for certain retired law-enforcement officers and honorably discharged veterans who submit the required documentation. Of the $80.00 original fee, $45.00 goes to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety for the required criminal-record check.
- Does North Carolina honor out-of-state concealed-carry permits?
- North Carolina honors concealed-carry permits from 49 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 North Carolina honors" page.
- Where is a North Carolina CHP honored?
- A North Carolina CHP is honored by 39 other states. See the full outbound reciprocity list for exactly which states and any resident-only or class restrictions.
- How long is a North Carolina CHP valid?
- A North Carolina CHP is valid for 5 years before renewal is required.