West Virginia gun laws
Last verified November 1, 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice. Gun laws change often and vary by city and county. Verify every rule with the state's agency or statutes before you carry or travel.
Carry
- Permitless (constitutional) carry: Yes, for eligible adults 21+
- 21+ U.S. citizens or legal residents not prohibited may carry without a license.
- Open carry: Not confirmed. Check with County sheriff.
- Permits: West Virginia permit guide
Vehicle transport
Property owners may not ban a lawfully possessed firearm kept out of view and locked in a vehicle in a parking lot (61-7-14(d)). No separate vehicle carry rule was found. Source
Places where carry is banned
School buses and primary and secondary school grounds, with exceptions, and premises housing courts (61-7-11a). Source
Magazines and assault weapons
- Magazine capacity limit: No statewide limit
- Assault-weapon restrictions: No statewide ban
Duty to inform
Not confirmed. Check with County sheriff.
Stand your ground and castle doctrine
No duty to retreat in any place you're lawfully present (stand your ground).
Red-flag law
No extreme risk protection order law.
Reciprocity
West Virginia honors out-of-state permits for non-residents 21+ only if the issuing state recognizes WV permits (W. Va. Code 61-7-6a).
The exact list isn't confirmed here. Check the destination's agency.
Sources
- code.wvlegislature.gov
- code.wvlegislature.gov
- giffords.org
- giffords.org
- giffords.org
- www.ncsl.org
- code.wvlegislature.gov
- code.wvlegislature.gov
Magazine, assault-weapon and red-flag lists come from Giffords Law Center summaries; stand-your-ground from NCSL. Carry, vehicle, banned-place, duty-to-inform and reciprocity details come from the state's own legislature, attorney general or state police pages.