West Virginia Concealed Carry Laws
Last reviewed: September 14, 2026
Constitutional Carry
Yes. 18+ Open and Concealed.
Open Carry
Lawful
Permit honored in
36 states
West Virginia honors
36 states
West Virginia Gun Laws
Reciprocity of West Virginia's Basic Resident Permit
Permit honored
Permitless carry
Not honored
Open Carry
Lawful
Duty to Notify Law Enforcement
Only when asked by the officer
State Parks
Concealed Carry is legal in accordance with state laws that regulate the right to carry
Restaurants Serving Alcohol
No restriction
Firearms at Colleges
Concealed Carry on public "higher education campuses" with permit allowed. School may have their own restrictions at stadiums, daycare facilities, secure areas, offices, and a few other places.
Firearms at K-12 Schools
WV permittee with loaded handgun in vehicle ONLY lawful; permittee must be at least 21 and lock gun in secure compartment when car is unoccupied.
Church Carry
Churches act like any other private property and may restrict
on a church by church basis
on a church by church basis
Hotels
No legal restriction - Reference article on page 67
Secure Storage Requirements
None
Magazine Capacity Limitations
No restrictions
Suppressor Ownership
Ownership legal with federal compliance & Hunting Legal.
Vehicle Possession Without Recognized Permit
Anyone 21+ who can legally possess a firearm may have it in a vehicle
Firearm Law Uniformity
Mostly uniform. Localities can regulate municipally owned blds and rec centers.
Permit Training Requirements
Take a training course which could include any of the following:
(1) Any official National Rifle Association handgun safety or training course;
(2) Any handgun safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by an
official law-enforcement organization, community college, junior college, college or private or public
institution or organization or handgun training school utilizing instructors duly certified by the
institution;
(3) Any handgun training or safety course or class conducted by a handgun instructor certified as
such by the state or by the National Rifle Association;
(4) Any handgun training or safety course or class conducted by any branch of the United States
Military, Reserve or National Guard.
(1) Any official National Rifle Association handgun safety or training course;
(2) Any handgun safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by an
official law-enforcement organization, community college, junior college, college or private or public
institution or organization or handgun training school utilizing instructors duly certified by the
institution;
(3) Any handgun training or safety course or class conducted by a handgun instructor certified as
such by the state or by the National Rifle Association;
(4) Any handgun training or safety course or class conducted by any branch of the United States
Military, Reserve or National Guard.
Non-Resident Permits
Non-residents may apply
Constitutional Carry
Yes. 18+ Open and Concealed.
Yes. No permit is needed to open carry or concealed carry for residents and non residents 18+.
Duty to Retreat
No Duty to Retreat
Places Off Limits
- Federal government property and anywhere federal law prohibits firearms, including restricted-access areas of airports
- Any property where firearms are prohibited by the owner, lessee, or person charged with care, custody, and control. Entering armed isn't itself a crime, but refusing to relinquish the weapon or leave on request is a misdemeanor up to $1,000 and six months. No posting is required
- The State Capitol Complex. You may keep a firearm in a locked vehicle with the weapon out of normal view, but only with a permit West Virginia issues or honors. Pepper spray canisters over one ounce are also barred
- Regional jails, detention facilities, and Division of Corrections facilities
- County courthouses and any facility housing a court
- Public and private primary and secondary school buildings, grounds, property, school-sponsored functions, and school buses — a felony carrying two to ten years and up to $5,000. Private schools may adopt a written policy allowing possession. A person 18 or older with a valid concealed handgun permit may keep a concealed handgun in a vehicle in a school parking lot, traffic circle, or vehicular ingress or egress, stored out of view when occupying the vehicle, and locked in a glove box, interior compartment, locked trunk, or affixed locked container when not
- Municipally owned or operated buildings — courthouses, city halls, convention centers, administrative buildings — where a municipality has enacted an ordinance and posted at each entrance
- Municipally owned recreation facilities (pools, recreation centers, sports facilities, after-school program facilities) where a municipality has banned open or non-concealed carry. A municipality cannot bar a concealed handgun licensee who securely stores the firearm out of view during their time there
- Other municipally owned or operated property, where a municipality may bar people without a valid concealed handgun license
- Temporary municipal events of up to 14 days where pedestrian or vehicular traffic is closed off — municipalities may bar those without a license
- Public college and university areas the institution has restricted: organized events at stadiums or arenas seating over 1,000, campus daycare facilities, secure law enforcement areas, areas with adequate security screening, disciplinary proceeding rooms, sole-occupancy offices (not your own), K-12 school-sponsored functions on campus, private functions in leased space, patient-care and mental health counseling areas, high-hazard and animal laboratories, and on-campus residence halls except common areas
- Open carry in state parks, state forest recreational facilities, and marked trails — carry there must be concealed, and uncased long guns are barred outside hunting
- State parks located on Army Corps of Engineers land, per federal law
- Any property where firearms are prohibited by the owner, lessee, or person charged with care, custody, and control. Entering armed isn't itself a crime, but refusing to relinquish the weapon or leave on request is a misdemeanor up to $1,000 and six months. No posting is required
- The State Capitol Complex. You may keep a firearm in a locked vehicle with the weapon out of normal view, but only with a permit West Virginia issues or honors. Pepper spray canisters over one ounce are also barred
- Regional jails, detention facilities, and Division of Corrections facilities
- County courthouses and any facility housing a court
- Public and private primary and secondary school buildings, grounds, property, school-sponsored functions, and school buses — a felony carrying two to ten years and up to $5,000. Private schools may adopt a written policy allowing possession. A person 18 or older with a valid concealed handgun permit may keep a concealed handgun in a vehicle in a school parking lot, traffic circle, or vehicular ingress or egress, stored out of view when occupying the vehicle, and locked in a glove box, interior compartment, locked trunk, or affixed locked container when not
- Municipally owned or operated buildings — courthouses, city halls, convention centers, administrative buildings — where a municipality has enacted an ordinance and posted at each entrance
- Municipally owned recreation facilities (pools, recreation centers, sports facilities, after-school program facilities) where a municipality has banned open or non-concealed carry. A municipality cannot bar a concealed handgun licensee who securely stores the firearm out of view during their time there
- Other municipally owned or operated property, where a municipality may bar people without a valid concealed handgun license
- Temporary municipal events of up to 14 days where pedestrian or vehicular traffic is closed off — municipalities may bar those without a license
- Public college and university areas the institution has restricted: organized events at stadiums or arenas seating over 1,000, campus daycare facilities, secure law enforcement areas, areas with adequate security screening, disciplinary proceeding rooms, sole-occupancy offices (not your own), K-12 school-sponsored functions on campus, private functions in leased space, patient-care and mental health counseling areas, high-hazard and animal laboratories, and on-campus residence halls except common areas
- Open carry in state parks, state forest recreational facilities, and marked trails — carry there must be concealed, and uncased long guns are barred outside hunting
- State parks located on Army Corps of Engineers land, per federal law
State Contact / Source
West Virginia Attorney General
Capitol Bldg. 1, #26E
Charleston, WV 25305
304-558-2021
www.ago.wv.gov
Capitol Bldg. 1, #26E
Charleston, WV 25305
304-558-2021
www.ago.wv.gov
Permit Issuing Authority
State Police
Length of Permit Validity
5 Years
Permit Application Process
Apply at your local county sheriff office
West Virginia Permit Reciprocity
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 West Virginia resident permit is honored in 36 states
AK
AL
AR
AZ
CO
DE
FL
GA
IA
ID
IN
KS
KY
LA
MI
MN
MO
MS
MT
NC
ND
NE
NH
NV
OH
OK
PA
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VA
VT
WI
WY
West Virginia honors resident permits from 36 states
AK
AL
AR
AZ
CO
DE
FL
GA
IA
ID
IN
KS
KY
LA
MI
MO
MS
MT
NC
ND
NE
NH
NM
NV
OH
OK
PA
SC
SD
TN
TX
UT
VA
VT
WI
WY
Disclaimer:
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.
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.



