CHARLESTON — Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced his office has affirmed concealed carry recognition with Kentucky, Virginia and nine other states.
This means Kentucky and Virginia will continue to recognize concealed handgun licenses issued to West Virginians who are age 21 and older. Kentucky additionally recognizes provisional licenses for West Virginians 18 to 20.
“Many West Virginians choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights, and this helps them rest assured that their license will be recognized when they travel outside the Mountain State,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “We hope to continue this recognition for many years to come.”
Each year, the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office engages in discussions with every state to ensure continued recognition of West Virginia’s concealed handgun licenses and explore the potential for expansion.
In addition to Kentucky and Virginia, the Attorney General’s Office also recently affirmed concealed carry reciprocity or recognition with Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming.
More announcements are expected as the Attorney General anticipates all existing concealed carry recognitions to continue or be enhanced as the annual discussions progress. See a full list of states at www.wvago.gov.
Recognition in Virginia, Iowa, Nebraska and New Mexico is limited to concealed carry licenses issued to adults age 21 and older. Those states do not recognize West Virginia’s provisional licenses as issued to ages 18 to 20 – a matter consistent with past years.
Provisional licenses are recognized in Alabama, Indiana, Montana, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming as well as Kentucky.
Concealed carry recognition with numerous other states remains active during this process.
Recognition from these states underscores the benefit of having a concealed carry license, as many states that allow West Virginians to carry concealed within their borders do so only on the basis of the person having a West Virginia concealed carry license.
Those wishing to obtain a concealed handgun license can do so by contacting their local sheriff’s office.
For a full list of states and more information regarding West Virginia concealed handgun licenses, please visit the Attorney General’s Gun Reciprocity page at www.wvago.gov.
