Montana Gun Laws

Montana is another state which operates on a “Shall Issue” policy. Compared to other states, Montana is very permissive. You must be 18 and a resident to obtain a permit and the applications are processed on a local level by the county sheriff’s office..

Concealed carry is legally allowed without a permit if you’re outside a city or town if you’re in doing the following activities:

Logging
Mining
Camp
Fishing
Hunting
Hiking
Farming
Backpacking

 Montana Gun Laws Quick Facts 

             Open Carry Permitted? 
             Yes
        
             Carry In Vehicle? 
             Yes 
        
             Carry In State Park? 
             Yes 
        
             Carry In Restaurants? 
             Yes 
        
             Constitutional Carry? 
             No 
        
             No Weapon Sign Enforced? 
             No 
        
             Must Notify Officer? 
             No

Montana CCW Reciprocity List

States Honoring CCW

            Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

          

States NOT Honoring CCW

            California
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Illinois
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Jersey
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Washington

Honors These States CCW Permits

            Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

How Reciprocity Works In Montana

Any individual who has a permit to conceal carry in another reciprocal U.S. state is legally allowed to carry a firearm in Montana. During their time in Montana, they will be subject to the laws of the county and state.

Get Your Concealed Carry Weapon Permit Online in Minutes

Click Here to Get Your CCW PERMIT

Reciprocity Agreements In Montana

Montana: Where Is CCW Allowed?

Places Allowed

State parks
State and national forests
Road side rest areas
Vehicle
All areas of the state – except those listed below

Places Not Allowed

Any room where alcoholic beverages are sold, dispensed and consumed.
Any building that is leased by a local school district and used for instruction or student activities.
Portions of a building used for state or local government offices and related areas in the building that have been restricted.
A bank, credit union, savings and loan institution, or similar institution during the institution’s normal business hours. It is not an offense under this section to carry a concealed weapon while;
using an institution’s drive-up window, automatic teller machine, or unstaffed night depository; or
at or near a branch office of an institution in a mall, grocery store, or other place unless the person is inside the enclosure used for the institution’s financial services or is using the institution’s financial services.

On trains.
Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by Federal Law.

Montana: Conceal Carry Laws

Open Carry

Yes

Without a Permit/License Open carry in Montana is legal and accepted. However, be aware that it is illegal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit in cities or towns. Concealed is defined as a handgun or a knife with a blade 4 or more inches in length that is wholly or partially covered by the clothing or wearing apparel of the person carrying or bearing the weapon. It is legal to carry a concealed weapon outside city or town limits without a permit.

Carry In Vehicle

Yes

Without a Permit/License With no permit you can carry concealed outside of cities and towns. This applies in or out of a vehicle. In a city or town then a loaded firearm must be in the glove box or console. The Issue is whether or not the firearm is concealed (see open carry section). If you have a permit then you can carry concealed in a vehicle

Carry In State Parks

Yes

You are permitted to carry in state parks, state forests, WMA’s and roadside rest areas.

Carry In Restaurants

Yes

In Restaurants That Serve Alcohol You cannot carry a concealed firearm in a restaurant but it is legal to carry openly in restaurants that serve alcohol. “Yes” or “No” states if you can carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol. Some restaurants may be posted with “NO GUN” signs. Check with the staff if this means just the bar area. If we have indicated a “Yes” then it should be legal to have a meal without drinking alcohol.

Constitutional Carry

No Weapon Signs Enforced

“No Weapons” signs are not mentioned in Montana gun laws. There are no legal penalties for entering a private property or business that has posted these signs. They have no force of law unless they are posted in areas that are mentioned in the law as being off limits.

Must Notify Officer

Must Inform Officer on Contact By Law Montana gun laws do not state you have to inform a law enforcement officer that you are carrying a firearm or carry a permit if you are a resident. If you are using a permit from another state that Montana honors then the law says you must be carrying your permit/license and ID.

The information provided on the Website is for general information purposes only and is not an alternative to legal advice from your lawyer. This post may contain references to products and services from our partners. We may receive commissions from our partners when you click on some of the links. Learn More

Montana Gun Laws Quick Facts