Last reviewed: October 16, 2026 Unclear
Reciprocity shown is for a standard resident permit. Non-resident and enhanced permit holders may have different reciprocity. Always verify before carrying. Use our full permit reciprocity map for all permit types →
Your Arkansas resident permit is honored in 38 states Arkansas honors resident permits from 49 statesArkansas Gun Laws
Reciprocity of Arkansas's Basic Resident Permit
Open Carry
Duty to Notify Law Enforcement
State Parks
Restaurants Serving Alcohol
Firearms at Colleges
Firearms at K-12 Schools
Church Carry
on a church by church basis
Hotels
Secure Storage Requirements
Magazine Capacity Limitations
Suppressor Ownership
Vehicle Possession Without Recognized Permit
Firearm Law Uniformity
Permit Training Requirements
Non-Resident Permits
Constitutional Carry
Duty to Retreat
Places Off Limits
- Arkansas Highway Police facilities
- Any part of a detention facility, prison, jail, or Division of Youth Services residential treatment facility, including their parking lots
- Courthouses, courthouse annexes, and other county buildings used for court proceedings or housing county offices, with narrow exceptions for certain county employees and elected officials where the quorum court has approved a security plan
- Any courtroom (judges may decide who carries into their own courtroom)
- Meeting places of the governing body of any governmental entity
- Meetings of the General Assembly or its committees
- Any state office
- Any athletic event not related to firearms
- The portion of any establishment licensed to serve alcohol, beer, or light wine for on-premises consumption — restaurants meeting the statutory definition are excepted
- School, college, community college, or university campus buildings and events. Exceptions exist for certain church-operated and private K-12 schools, authorized firearms activities, publicly owned campus parking lots where the gun stays in the vehicle, and licensees holding the Arkansas enhanced endorsement
- Inside airport passenger terminals, unless the firearm is cased and being checked as baggage
- Churches and other places of worship, though each congregation may decide who carries there
- Any place where federal law prohibits firearms
- Any parade or demonstration requiring a permit, if you're a participant
- Any place posted at each entrance with a notice readable from ten feet stating that carrying a handgun is prohibited
- Any private property where the owner gives you written or verbal notice — remaining or returning after notice is a violation
- Posted firearm-sensitive areas approved by the State Police at the Arkansas State Hospital, UAMS, or a collegiate athletic event — off limits even with the enhanced endorsement
- Publicly owned buildings and facilities generally, and the State Capitol grounds. The State Capitol Building and Arkansas Justice Building bar firearms loaded or unloaded
- Portions of municipal parks and recreational property containing a sports field during an event or practice, a municipal building, or an area leased for a special event
- Certain Arkansas state park buildings by directive, including lodges, restaurants and cafes, visitor centers, museum buildings with offices, maintenance buildings, marina sales offices, and the Bladesmith School at Old Washington — all must be posted
- City and county parks that have been posted with no-firearms signs, per AG opinion
- College and university dormitories and residence halls (storage prohibited)
- State parks located on Army Corps of Engineers land, per federal law
State Contact / Source
1 State Police Plaza Drive
Little Rock, AR 72209
501-618-8000
www.asp.state.ar.us
Permit Issuing Authority
Length of Permit Validity
Permit Application Process Arkansas Permit Reciprocity
While Concealed Carry Inc strives to maintain legal reference information updated on this website from publicly available sources; you as the reader and gun owner are responsible to do any and all necessary research and consult with a local attorney before making any decisions. Concealed Carry Inc is not a government agency is not affiliated with a government agency and is not liable for any misinformation, inaccuracies, or actions taken based on this information. We are not attorneys and this information is not legal advice. If you see any information you feel is outdated or incorrect please contact us.
Legal Summaries for all 50 states are available free on our site and mobile app.
Arkansas Concealed Carry Laws
Constitutional Carry
Yes.
Open Carry
Unclear
Permit honored in
38 states
Arkansas honors
49 states
Permit honored
Permitless carry
Not honored
There is some debate. A recent A.G. opinion asserts that one may open carry while on foot as long as one does not intend to use the handgun to commit a criminal offense.
Rule 3.2 Contact With Law Enforcement (b) In any official contact with law enforcement, if the licensee is in possession of a handgun, when the officer asks the licensee for identification (driver’s license, or personal information, such as name and date of birth), the licensee shall notify the officer that he or she holds a concealed handgun carry license and that he or she has a handgun in his or her possession.
Concealed Carry is legal in accordance with state laws that regulate the right to carry
You may carry in a bar ONLY with an enhanced permit. Restaurants are ok and are defined in 3-5-1202 as places where complete meals are actually and regularly served and have a seating capacity of at least 50 people and have capacity to serve suitable food for its guests.
Concealed guns allowed by law on public campuses for Enhanced Permittees only, but schools limit locations/who carries.
Arkansas permittee w/loaded handgun lawful in car only.
Churches act like any other private property and may restrict
No legal restriction - Reference article on page 67
None
No restrictions
Legal. State law does not require NFA registration. Hunting legal.
Any person who can legally own a handgun can possess a loaded handgun concealed in a vehicle
Uniform throughout state
Basic 5 hour class for the basic permit or 8 hour enhanced training for the enhanced permit. List of certified instructors maintained online. Any person who becomes a resident of Arkansas who has a valid license by a reciprocal state may apply to transfer his/her license.
Only active duty military and their spouse may apply for a non-resident permit.
Yes.
No Duty to Retreat
- Police stations, sheriff's stations, and Arkansas State Police stations
Arkansas State Police HQ
State Police
5 Years
Complete the required training and complete the license application (preferable online) and send the State Police all the paperwork and fingerprints along with the fee.
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