Does North Dakota Accept Non-Resident Carry Permits? Here’s What We Found Out

BISMARCK, ND – We recently received a question from a reader that prompted a deeper look into North Dakota’s reciprocity laws for concealed carry. Specifically, the question was whether North Dakota recognizes non-resident concealed carry permits from other states. The answer, as it turns out, is more complicated than it should be.

The Initial Concern

A reader reached out to point out a potential error in our concealed carry reciprocity maps, stating:

“North Dakota does not recognize a CCL license/permit from another state unless there is reciprocal reciprocity and the licensee actually resides in that other state.”

This sparked an immediate review of North Dakota’s laws, and I found conflicting information.

Conflicting Laws in North Dakota Code

On the North Dakota Attorney General’s official website, the reciprocity section clearly states:

“North Dakota will honor a valid concealed carry license/permit (resident and non-resident) issued by a state that has agreed to recognize a North Dakota license.”

However, House Bill 1293 passed by the 67th Legislative Assembly in 2021 includes this language:

“An individual may carry a firearm concealed under this chapter if the individual qualifies for reciprocity under section 62.1-04-03.1 and the individual has the equivalent of a class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license from the state in which the individual is a resident.”

So which is it—resident permits only, or both resident and non-resident permits?

Direct Clarification from the ND Attorney General’s Office

To clear this up, I contacted the North Dakota Attorney General’s office directly. Here’s a portion of the response I received from the Concealed Weapon Licensing Unit:

“I believe there is some contradiction in our reciprocity between 62.1-04-02(3) and 62.1-04-03.1. 62.1-04-03.1 appears to allow individuals who possess