Concealed Handgun Carry Act of 2003

As Amended in 2005

Important – Please Read

In response to several inquiries, it is important to clarify information relating to the Department of Public Safety’s audit of other states’ concealed carry statutes.

First, it is important to note that the Department of Public Safety has not made final decisions to change reciprocity agreements or recognition of other states, but rather DPS is conducting an audit of those statutes to ensure compliance with New Mexico state law.

The information on this web page differentiates those states that have concealed carry laws that are substantially similar to New Mexico’s law (or more stringent) from those that do not.  For those states that have had reciprocity agreements with New Mexico, but do not now have a similar law to ours, NM DPS will contact those states to clarify which permit holders from that state are not allowed to carry a concealed weapon in New Mexico.  This will not affect the vast majority of permit holders in states with current reciprocity agreements.

For example, if New Mexico currently has a reciprocity agreement with a particular state that allows individuals under age 21, non-citizens, and/or individuals convicted of violent crimes to obtain a concealed carry permit, then NM DPS will work to adjust the reciprocity agreement to clarify to that state’s permit holders that they can carry a concealed weapon in New Mexico so long as they are a U.S. Citizen, over 21 years of age, and not convicted of disqualifying violent crimes.

Information on this webpage will be updated to include those states that (a) have a current reciprocity agreement that will not need to be adjusted because they have a concealed carry statute that is similar to New Mexico’s (or more stringent), (b) have a current reciprocity agreement that must be adjusted to ensure compliance with New Mexico law, and (c) have not entered into any reciprocity agreement with the state.

NMDPS has made a lot of progress in the last year concerning NM’s reciprocity with other states. We are aggressively seeking reciprocity with the states who qualify. Since many states amend their concealed carry laws each year, we have started an audit to determine if we are where we need to be in our agreements with other states. We are finding some changes need to be made. Thus, we are in the process of making those changes in order to be in compliance with New Mexico law.

New Mexico statute 29-19-12E requires that in order for a state to be recognized by NM, their provisions have to be “at least as stringent or substantially similar” to New Mexico. NMDPS has generally found six things that make a state substantially different from New Mexico, and therefore would disqualify that state from being recognized:

1.  Permits issued locally rather than by the state;
2. No fingerprint-based background check;
3. Permits issued to persons under 21 years of age;
4. Permits issued to resident aliens;
5. No classroom (static) training required;
6. No live-fire (dynamic) training required.

As we continue our audit and make changes accordingly, this page will be updated to reflect the most current information. This information is current as of April 8, 2013.

New Mexico currently recognizes concealed carry permits from or has reciprocal agreements with the following states: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

Alabama: http://www.ago.alabama.gov/Page-Alabama-Weapon-Law

Alaska: http://www.dps.state.ak.us/Statewide/PermitsLicensing/reciprocity.aspx  New Mexico recognizes Alaska concealed carry permits that are held by U.S. citizens.

Arizona: http://www.azdps.gov/Services/Concealed_Weapons/Reciprocity/

Arkansas: http://www.asp.state.ar.us/divisions/rs/rs_chl_law.html#rec

California: http://www.lasdhq.org/contact_us/inquiry/gen_pub_ccw_app.pdf

Colorado: http://cbi.state.co.us/ic/Reciprocity.html

Connecticut: http://www.ct.gov/dps/cwp/view.asp?a=2158&Q=294502&dpsNav .

Delaware: http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/crime/concealedweapons.shtml

Florida: http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/news/concealed_carry.html

Georgia (Title 16, chapter 11, Article 4): http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/Default.asp

Hawaii: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol03_Ch0121-0200D/HRS0134/HRS_0134-0009.htm

Idaho: http://www.ag.idaho.gov/concealedWeapons/concealedWeapons_index.html

Illinois: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/pubact91/acts/91-0690.html

Indiana: http://www.in.gov/isp/files/firearms_FAQ_02_08.pdf

Iowa: http://www.dps.state.ia.us/asd/SF2379_FAQ.pdf

Kansas: http://www.ksag.org/files/shared/conceal.carry.reciprocity.pdf

Kentucky: http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/conceal.htm

Louisiana: http://www.legis.state.la.us/lss/lss.asp?doc=97451

Maine: http://maine.gov/dps/msp/licenses/documents/Weapons/CFP%20Booklet.pdf
http://maine.gov/dps/msp/licenses/weapons_permits.html

Maryland: http://www.mdsp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=GwfGW-6srGs%3d&tabid=423&mid=1072

Massachusetts: http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs/chsb/firearms/Non-resident_20100126.pdf

Michigan: http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654—,00.html

Minnesota: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.714

Mississippi: http://www.dps.state.ms.us/firearms/firearms-permit-unit/

Missouri: http://ago.mo.gov/Concealed-Weapons/

Montana: http://www.doj.mt.gov/enforcement/criminaljustice/concealedweapons.asp

Nebraska: http://statepatrol.nebraska.gov/Concealed_Forms.aspx

Nevada: http://www.nvrepository.state.nv.us/ccw_changes.shtml

New Hampshire: http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/nhsp/ssb/permitslicensing/plupr.html

New Jersey: http://www.njsp.org/info/forms.html#firearms

New York: http://troopers.ny.gov/Firearms/

North Carolina: http://www.ncdoj.com/About-DOJ/Law-Enforcement-Training-and-Standards/Law-Enforcement-Liason/Concealed-Weapon-Reciprocity.aspx

North Dakota: http://www.ag.state.nd.us/BCI/CW/reciprocity.htm

Ohio: http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Enforcement/Concealed-Carry/Reciprocity-Agreements

Oklahoma: http://www.ok.gov/osbi/Concealed_Weapons_Licensing/Reciprocity/index.html

Oregon: http://licenseinfo.oregon.gov/?fuseaction=link_class&class_list=14705&class_name=Concealed%20handguns&LinkType=P

Pennsylvania: http://attorneygeneral.gov/crime.aspx?id=184

Rhode Island: http://www.riag.state.ri.us/documents/forms/pistol_instructions.pdf

South Carolina: http://www.sled.sc.gov/Reciprocity1.aspx?MenuID=CWP New Mexico recognizes South Carolina concealed carry permits that are held by U.S. citizens.

South Dakota: http://sdsos.gov/content/viewcontent.aspx?cat=adminservices&pg=/adminservices/concealedpistolpermits.shtm

Tennessee: http://www.tn.gov/safety/handgun/reciprocity.shtml

Texas:  By written agreement with the Governor of the state of Texas, dated July 12, 2012, New Mexico recognizes Texas concealed carry permits issued to U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years of age. http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/chl/index.htm

Utah: http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/FAQother.html

Vermont: http://www.atg.state.vt.us/issues/gun-laws.php

Virginia: http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Reciprocity.shtm

Washington: http://www.atg.wa.gov/ConcealedWeapons/Reciprocity.aspx

West Virginia:  http://www.statepolice.wv.gov/about/Pages/LegalDivisionFAQs.aspx

Wisconsin: http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dles/cib/ConcealedCarry/ConcealedCarry.asp.

Wyoming: http://www.whp.dot.state.wy.us/wydot/public_relations/concealed_carry/concealed_faq

*New Mexicans traveling to the following states should know these states require written reciprocity agreements before NM permits are recognized: Mississippi and Wisconsin. Invitations have been sent and New Mexico is waiting on responses.

Information contained on this page is not to be considered legal advice.  You should always contact an attorney licensed to practice law in your state for any legal advice.  In addition, you are strongly urged to contact the licensing authority in any state where you wish to carry a concealed weapon for any particular or other restrictive information that may not be reflected on this brief summation.  Please note that the permit issued by your state does not supersede New Mexico’s laws or regulations.  Legal conduct in your state may not be legal in New Mexico.