The laws regarding where you can carry concealed weapons in the United States vary greatly. There are 27 states that require no permit at all, while 23 states do. Of the states that require permits, some will recognize licenses from other states (known as reciprocity) and some won’t. For instance, the Michigan Concealed Pistol License (CPL) is recognized by 13 other states. That is probably due in part to the fact that Michigan requires you to take an approved firearm safety and training course in order to be licensed, such as CPL classes in Detroit.
There is a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives right now, H. R. 38, or the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, that would create right-to-carry reciprocity among all the states in the country. Although, according to Firearms News, “…the measure has a very steep hill to climb.” Until the bill – or something like it – gets passed, it’s important to know where you can and can’t carry concealed weapons when you travel within the United States.
States with Permitless Concealed Carry
There are currently 27 states that allow concealed carry without any permits whatsoever.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
States that honor Michigan’s Concealed Pistol License
Some will also only issue permits to residents and not allow non-residents to carry concealed weapons even if they are licensed in other states. However, in addition to being able to carry concealed weapons in permitless carry states, you can also do so with your Michigan CPL in the following 13 states:
- Alabama
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Louisiana
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
Age Requirements for Concealed Carry
In all of the 40 states where you can carry concealed weapons with your Michigan CPL or with no permits at all, there are still minimum age requirements that you will need to be aware of. That tends to range between 18 and 21, but the minimum age in some states is lower for people in the military. So you should check the age requirement for states you plan to visit before you get there.
Prohibited Premises
Even in states where you are allowed to carry concealed weapons, there will be places that you will still not be allowed to, such as schools, sports stadiums, bars, churches, hospitals, and more. These may also vary from state to state, so you should also be sure to verify that information before you go. Please note that, while the buildings are prohibited, the parking lots usually aren’t. So you can take your weapons in a car and just leave them there.
Please remember that all of this information is subject to change at any time, so always verify before you travel with a weapon.
