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.
Open Carry by State
"Open carry" means carrying a firearm visibly rather than concealed. Whether it is legal — and whether it needs a permit — is set by each state's own law and is separate from concealed-carry reciprocity. Below is the status for all 50 states and DC.
Open carry is lawful without a license for anyone who may legally possess a firearm.
Open carry is legal but meaningfully limited (e.g. by locality or loaded/unloaded rules).
A carry permit/license is required to openly carry a handgun.
Open carry of a handgun is not permitted.
Open carry by state
| State | Open carry | Carry regime |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Alaska | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Arizona | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Arkansas | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| California | Prohibited | May-issue |
| Colorado | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| Connecticut | Permit required | May-issue |
| Delaware | No permit needed | May-issue |
| District of Columbia | Prohibited | May-issue |
| Florida | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Georgia | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Hawaii | Permit required | May-issue |
| Idaho | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Illinois | Prohibited | Shall-issue |
| Indiana | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Iowa | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Kansas | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Kentucky | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Louisiana | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Maine | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Maryland | Permit required | May-issue |
| Massachusetts | Permit required | May-issue |
| Michigan | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| Minnesota | Permit required | Shall-issue |
| Mississippi | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Missouri | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Montana | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Nebraska | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Nevada | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| New Hampshire | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| New Jersey | Permit required | May-issue |
| New Mexico | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| New York | Prohibited | May-issue |
| North Carolina | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| North Dakota | Restricted | Constitutional |
| Ohio | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Oklahoma | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Oregon | Restricted | Shall-issue |
| Pennsylvania | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| Rhode Island | Permit required | May-issue |
| South Carolina | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| South Dakota | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Tennessee | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Texas | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Utah | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Vermont | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Virginia | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| Washington | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| West Virginia | No permit needed | Constitutional |
| Wisconsin | No permit needed | Shall-issue |
| Wyoming | No permit needed | Constitutional |
"Restricted" means open carry is legal but meaningfully limited (e.g. a locality may ban loaded public carry, as in Oregon, or a license is needed to carry loaded, as in North Dakota). Tap any state for details and the governing statute.
Open carry — FAQ
- Which states allow open carry without a permit?
- 38 jurisdictions allow open carry of a firearm without any license (for a person who may lawfully possess one): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
- Which states prohibit open carry?
- Open carry of a handgun is prohibited in California, District of Columbia, Illinois, New York. A few other states restrict it heavily by locality or to unloaded firearms.
- Is open carry the same as concealed carry reciprocity?
- No. Open-carry legality is set by each state's own law and generally does not travel with a permit. Concealed-carry reciprocity — whether another state honors your permit — is a separate question covered on each state's reciprocity page.