How Reciprocity Works In Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania gun laws operate at the state level on a “Shall Issue” policy. No permit is required if you are carrying a firearm in your home or place of business. Concealed carry permits are available to residents and non-residents with the minimum age being 21. Non-residents must already have a permit to carry in their home state if they want to obtain a Pennsylvania permit. There are no training requirements to obtain a permit.
REQUIREMENTS
APPLICATION
Follow these steps to obtain a permit
RENEWALS
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department – You will need to COME IN – IN PERSON to the Court House in Norristown with the following:
Note: Applicants with expired permits more than 60 days old will be considered new applicants. You have the following 2 types of permits to choose from:
ALL APPLICANTS WILL HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK RUN THROUGH THE PENNSYLVANIA INSTANT CHECK SYSTEM BEFORE ANY PERMIT IS ISSUED. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:15pm for picking up applications. Processing hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 3:30pm. Permits cannot be processed unless all of the above requirements are met.
LICENSE FEES
| Application Conditions | Original | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $20 | $20 |
Accepted forms of payment Money order, Cash, Personal check
Pennsylvania has reciprocity agreements with 19 states. All these reciprocity agreements can be read at the attorney generals website. Non-resident CCW licenses are honored from the states on Pennsylvania’s reciprocity list with the exception of those from Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Utah and Virginia. There is actually a section in each of the prior states agreements that says”legal resident of AZ, FL, MS, UT and VA”.
Pennsylvania will only honor the ND class 1 permit from North Dakota provided the holder is at least 21 years old.
Pennsylvania has reciprocity agreements with 19 states. All these reciprocity agreements can be read at the attorney generals website. Non-resident CCW licenses are honored from the states on Pennsylvania’s reciprocity list with the exception of those from Arizona, Florida, Mississippi, Utah and Virginia. There is actually a section in each of the prior states agreements that says”legal resident of AZ, FL, MS, UT and VA”.
Pennsylvania will only honor the ND class 1 permit from North Dakota provided the holder is at least 21 years old.
Pennsylvania state flag
(1) The Attorney General shall have the power and duty to enter into reciprocity agreements with other states providing for the mutual recognition of a license to carry a firearm issued by the Commonwealth and a license or permit to carry a firearm issued by the other state. To carry out this duty, the Attorney General is authorized to negotiate reciprocity agreements and grant recognition of a license or permit to carry a firearm issued by another state.
(2) The Attorney General shall report to the General Assembly within 180 days of the effective date of this paragraph and annually thereafter concerning the agreements which have been consummated under this subsection.
(b) Exceptions.–The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:
(15) Any person who possesses a valid and lawfully issued license or permit to carry a firearm which has been issued under the laws of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity agreement exists between the Commonwealth and the state under section 6109(k), provided:
Pennsylvania State Capitol Building
(a) Definition.–Notwithstanding the definition of “weapon” in section 907 (relating to possessing instruments of crime), “weapon” for purposes of this section shall include but not be limited to any knife, cutting instrument, cutting tool, nun-chuck stick, firearm, shotgun, rifle and any other tool, instrument or implement capable of inflicting serious bodily injury.
(b) Offense Defined.–A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if he possesses a weapon in the buildings of, on the grounds of, or in any conveyance providing transportation to or from any elementary or secondary publicly-funded educational institution, any elementary or secondary private school licensed by the Department of Education or any elementary or secondary parochial school
(a) Offense defined.–A person commits an offense if he:
(b) Grading.–
(d) Posting of notice.–Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each courthouse or other building containing a court facility and each court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a)(1) with respect to a court facility if the notice was not so posted at each public entrance to the courthouse or other building containing a court facility and at the court facility unless the person had actual notice of the provisions of subsection (a).
(e) Facilities for checking firearms or other dangerous weapons.–Each county shall make available at or within the building containing a court facility by July 1, 2002, lockers or similar facilities at no charge or cost for the temporary checking of firearms by persons carrying firearms under section 6106(b) or 6109 or for the checking of other dangerous weapons that are not otherwise prohibited by law. Any individual checking a firearm, dangerous weapon or an item deemed to be a dangerous weapon at a court facility must be issued a receipt. Notice of the location of the facility shall be posted as required under subsection (d).
(f) Definitions.–As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
“Court facility.” The courtroom of a court of record; a courtroom of a community court; the courtroom of a magisterial district judge; a courtroom of the Philadelphia Municipal Court; a courtroom of the Pittsburgh Magistrates Court; a courtroom of the Traffic Court of Philadelphia; judge’s chambers; witness rooms; jury deliberation rooms; attorney conference rooms; prisoner holding cells; offices of court clerks, the district attorney, the sheriff and probation and parole officers; and any adjoining corridors.
(a) General rule.–It is lawful for a law enforcement officer or any person who possesses a valid license to carry a firearm issued under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6109 (relating to licenses) to be in possession of a loaded or unloaded firearm while engaged in any activity regulated by this title.
§ 61.1. Additional Jurisdiction Over Properties.
The public areas of One Penn Center, 2601 North Third Street, Harrisburg, under the jurisdiction of the Department of State and subject to this chapter, include the interior offices of the Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation, State Athletic Commission and leased offices and facilities related thereto.
§ 61.3. Firearms and Weapons.
The possession of firearms or other prohibited offensive weapons as defined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 908(c) (relating to prohibited offense weapons), while on the leased premises of the Department with the exception of State or Federal officers, in connection with the performance of an official duty, is prohibited. This prohibition does not apply to attorneys listed as counsel of record in connection with the offering of an exhibit in any administrative proceeding, if the counsel of record who intends to offer the item as an exhibit, has obtained written authorization from a hearing examiner to do so.
(a) General Rule.–When carrying a firearm concealed on or about one’s person or in a vehicle, an individual licensed to carry a firearm shall, upon lawful demand of a law enforcement officer, produce the license for inspection. Failure to produce such license either at the time of arrest or at the preliminary hearing shall create a rebuttable presumption of nonlicensure.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), any person who carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license under this chapter commits a felony of the third degree.
(2) A person who is otherwise eligible to possess a valid license under this chapter but carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license and has not committed any other criminal violation commits a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(b) Exceptions.–The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:
(11) Any person while carrying a firearm in any vehicle, which person possesses a valid and lawfully issued license for that firearm which has been issued under the laws of the United States or any other state.
(15) Any person who possesses a valid and lawfully issued license or permit to carry a firearm which has been issued under the laws of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity agreement exists between the Commonwealth and the state under section 6109(k), provided:
(a) General rule.–No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth.
(a.1) No right of action.—
(b) Definitions.–As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
“Political subdivision.” The term shall include any home rule charter municipality, county, city, borough, incorporated town, township or school district.
(a) General rule.–No person shall carry a firearm upon the public streets or upon any public property during an emergency proclaimed by a State or municipal governmental executive unless that person is:
(b) Seizure, Taking and Confiscation.–Except as otherwise provided under subsection (a) and notwithstanding the provisions of 35 Pa.C.S. Ch. 73 (relating to Commonwealth services) or any other provision of law to the contrary, no firearm, accessory or ammunition may be seized, taken or confiscated during an emergency unless the seizure, taking or confiscation would be authorized absent the emergency.
(c) Definitions.–As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection: “Accessory.” Any scope, sight, bipod, sling, light, magazine, clip or other related item that is attached to or necessary for the operation of a firearm. “Firearm.” The term includes any weapon that is designed to or may readily be converted to expel any projectile by the action of an explosive or the frame or receiver of any weapon.
Definitions “Loaded.” A firearm is loaded if the firing chamber, the nondetachable magazine or, in the case of a revolver, any of the chambers of the cylinder contain ammunition capable of being fired. In the case of a firearm which utilizes a detachable magazine, the term shall mean a magazine suitable for use in said firearm which magazine contains such ammunition and has been inserted in the firearm or is in the same container or, where the container has multiple compartments, the same compartment thereof as the firearm. If the magazine is inserted into a pouch, holder, holster or other protective device that provides for a complete and secure enclosure of the ammunition, then the pouch, holder, holster or other protective device shall be deemed to be a separate compartment.
A person who is otherwise eligible to possess a valid license under this chapter but carries a firearm in any vehicle or any person who carries a firearm concealed on or about his person, except in his place of abode or fixed place of business, without a valid and lawfully issued license and has not committed any other criminal violation commits a misdemeanor of the first degree.
Listed below are exceptions as outlined in 18 Pa.C.S. § 6106. (2) (b) Exceptions:
1) Constables, sheriffs, prison or jail wardens, or their deputies, policemen of this Commonwealth or its political subdivisions, or other law-enforcement officers.
2) Members of the army, navy, marine corps, air force, or coast guard of the United States or of the National Guard or organized reserves when on duty.
3) The regularly enrolled members of any organization duly organized to purchase or receive such weapons from the United States or from this Commonwealth. 4) Any persons engaged in target shooting with rifle, pistol, or revolver, if such persons are at or are going to or from their places of assembly or target practice and if, while going to or from their places of assembly or target practice, the firearm is not loaded.
5) Officers or employees of the United States duly authorized to carry a concealed firearm.
6) Agents, messengers and other employees of common carriers, banks, or business firms, whose duties require them to protect moneys, valuables and other property in the discharge of such duties. (Individuals carrying a firearm as an incidence of their employment are required to be certified through the Lethal Weapons Training Act requirements set forth in 22 P.S. § 44(b).
7) Any person engaged in the business of manufacturing, repairing, or dealing in firearms, or the agent or representative of any such person, having in his possession, using or carrying a firearm in the usual or ordinary course of such business.
8) Any person while carrying a firearm which is not loaded and is in a secure wrapper from the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or to a place of repair, sale or appraisal or back to his home or place of business, or in moving from one place of abode or business to another or from his home to a vacation or recreational home or dwelling or back, or to recover stolen property under section 6111.1(b)(4) (relating to Pennsylvania State Police) or to a place of instruction intended to teach the safe handling, use or maintenance of firearms, or back to a location to which the person has been directed to relinquish firearms under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108 (relating to relief) or back upon return of the relinquished firearm or to a licensed dealer’s place of business for relinquishment pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108.2 (relating to relinquishment for consignment sale, lawful transfer or safekeeping) or back upon return of the relinquished firearm or to a location for safekeeping pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 6108.3 (relating to relinquishment to third party for safekeeping) or back upon return of the relinquished firearm.
9) Persons licensed to hunt, take furbearers or fish in this Commonwealth, if such persons are actually hunting, taking furbearers or fishing or are going to the places where they desire to hunt, take furbearers or fish or returning from such places.
10) Persons training dogs, if such persons are actually training dogs during the regular training season.
11) Any person while carrying a firearm in any vehicle, which person possesses a valid and lawfully issued license for that firearm which has been issued under the laws of the United States or any other state.
12) A person who has a lawfully issued license to carry a firearm pursuant to section 6109 (relating to licenses) and that said license expired within six months prior to the date of arrest and that the individual is otherwise eligible for renewal of the license.
13) Any person who is otherwise eligible to possess a firearm under this chapter and who is operating a motor vehicle which is registered in the person’s name or the name of a spouse or parent and which contains a firearm for which a valid license has been issued pursuant to section 6109 to the spouse or parent owning the firearm.
14) A person lawfully engaged in the interstate transportation of a firearm as defined under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3) (relating to definitions) in compliance with 18 U.S.C. § 926A (relating to interstate transportation of firearms).
15) Any person who possesses a valid and lawfully issued license or permit to carry a firearm which has been issued under the laws of another state, regardless of whether a reciprocity agreement exists between the Commonwealth and the state under section 6109(k), provided: (i) The state provides a reciprocal privilege for individuals licensed to carry firearms under section 6109. (ii) The Attorney General has determined that the firearm laws of the state are similar to the firearm laws of this Commonwealth.
(Note that before an exception would be granted under numbers 9 and 10, the person must obtain a valid Sportsman’s Firearm Permit from the county treasurer.)
Concealed carry permits/licenses are issued by the Sheriff in the applicants county of residence.
45 Days The application for a concealed carry permit/license must be processed within 45 days of the application being received.
Any person 18 or older and who has a license to hunt or has a permit relating to dogs can make an application for a Sportsman’s Firearm Permit to the county treasurer’s office.
The minimum and to possess and transport a handgun is 18. No license is required if the firearm is unloaded and secured in a vehicle.
For information on other states handgun laws please go back to the state laws page and select the state you are interested in.
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