Veteran & Family-Owned • Since 2012
Training you today for your tomorrow.
Firearm & safety training • VA · MD · DC
Live in Virginia, visit family in Maryland, or spend weekends in DC? Learn what changes at each border. Train with Trouble Defense through the Multi-State CCW Package to pursue those three carry permits and an Arizona permit for travel farther from home.
Fairfax & Lorton, Virginia · Veteran-owned since 2012
Start with the places you actually go. For a Northern Virginia commuter, the biggest gains may be Maryland and DC. For a traveler, the useful question is which credential the next state will accept.
A Virginia Concealed Handgun Permit covers ordinary concealed carry in Virginia where allowed. For a Virginia resident, the resident permit also matters on trips to Pennsylvania, Colorado and Michigan, where the issuing state and the address on your ID can make a difference. It is the home-state foundation of the Multi-State CCW Package.
If you drive from Virginia to National Harbor, Maryland’s rules apply when you cross the line. Maryland does not recognize other states’ permits. Its Wear and Carry Permit gives an eligible holder a way to carry in permitted locations there. It can also travel farther than you might expect. Minnesota recognizes it.
For a visit to the District, pursue DC’s Concealed Pistol License and register the handgun you intend to carry with DC. Your Virginia or Maryland permit alone does not cover the visit. Even with a DC license, WMATA vehicles and stations are restricted.
You can apply from Virginia if you meet Arizona’s nonresident requirements. Wisconsin, for example, recognizes the Arizona permit for eligible visitors age 21 or older, while excluding the Virginia resident permit. Wisconsin also accepts Maryland and DC credentials, so that overlap counts only once. Arizona is the permit that stretches the Multi-State CCW Package far beyond the Beltway.
A worked example for a Virginia resident. Assume you are a US citizen age 21 or older, eligible in each destination, and hold a valid Virginia resident permit plus issued Maryland, DC and Arizona nonresident credentials earned through the Multi-State CCW Package. The count includes Virginia itself and counts every state once.
These states have a permitless carry law that can apply to an eligible visitor. Each state sets its own conditions, including where and how a handgun may be carried. Arizona is already in this group.
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Select a state to check the rule behind the count.
What the number means. There are 29 states with a permitless option, two counted through their own permits and eight through recognition. The 29 already offer qualifying visitors a way to carry without the Multi-State CCW Package. DC brings the example to 40 jurisdictions.
Already have a Virginia resident CHP? Using the same assumptions and the same list, that permit and permitless carry account for 36 of the 39 states. The three additional states are Maryland, Minnesota and Wisconsin. You also gain DC itself once DC licenses you and registers your handgun. More than one of your new permits may cover the same destination. Minnesota’s list · Wisconsin’s list
One additional state to confirm is Delaware. Delaware’s published list includes resident and nonresident Arizona permits, but the period shown ended January 15, 2026. We left Delaware outside the 39. If it is on your route, confirm with Delaware DOJ at 302-577-5039 before relying on your Arizona permit. See Delaware’s published list.
Imagine leaving Fairfax, meeting a friend at National Harbor, then spending the evening in the District. Here’s what to check along the way.
In this example, you start with a valid Virginia resident CHP. Before leaving home, check the handgun, the stops and the route you’ll take.
Crossing the Potomac changes which permit you need. For ordinary concealed carry in Maryland, you need your issued Maryland Wear and Carry Permit. Check the rules for the specific place you plan to visit. Maryland location rules.
The Maryland permit doesn’t carry over. You need the DC license and a DC-registered handgun. If the evening includes a Metro ride or a stop at a WMATA station, those are restricted even with the license. DC location rules.
A class certificate documents your training. For any location where you need a permit, wait for issuance and follow the destination’s rules. Each issuing authority decides your application.
Your home address can change the total even if you hold the same four credentials. For example, Pennsylvania’s agreement with Virginia covers Virginia residents age 21 or older. A Maryland or DC resident holding a nonresident Virginia permit cannot rely on that agreement. Check Pennsylvania’s rules.
The $500 is Trouble Defense’s training tuition. Budget separately for government application fees. Fingerprints, photos, range fees and ammunition may also cost extra. Check your registration details for the items included on your date.
Check every state you enter, including stops along the way. Confirm recognition of your exact permit, any residency and ID requirements, the rules for the handgun and magazine you plan to bring, vehicle transport and restricted locations. A rule allowing transport can differ from a rule allowing concealed carry. Maryland restricted places · DC restricted places
Yes. A change scheduled for July 1, 2027, limits use of out-of-state permits by Virginia residents in Virginia, with an exception for active-duty service members and their spouses. That makes the Virginia resident permit worth discussing if you currently rely on another state’s permit. Read the current and future Virginia statute.
Have a permit already? Call us with your home state and the places you visit.
Only need DC, Maryland and Virginia? The DMV Concealed Carry Package covers all three for $450.
Arizona is part of this package — see how the Arizona nonresident permit works.