Despite our cowboy gunslinger reputation overseas and our proud history of firearm ownership, it can be rather difficult to bear arms legally in this country. The Constitution is clear about gun rights within the Second Amendment, but the piecemeal laws regarding concealed carry can vary from state to state.
While there is often a smile, wink, and nod policy toward crossing state lines to buy fireworks, doing so with an improperly licensed firearm can result in serious penalties and leave you legally unable to even own a gun!
There are lots of reasons why law-abiding folk would have to frequently cross state lines. In recognition of this reality, many of the states with concealed carry reciprocity are neighbors, but some, like Pennsylvania and Ohio, maintain different requirements.
Ohio has a training requirement and PA does not, so Ohio refuses to honor their permits. Utah, however, requires training even for non-resident permits, and so, Utah permit holders may carry concealed in the Buckeye State.
The web of reciprocity and requirements can be tough to navigate, but the Utah non-resident license is a popular choice because they have formal agreements with a large number of states, including Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington (State), and West Virginia. Utah's permit is also honored in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
What's more. Utah has a reputation for quickly turning around applications. Speed is an important concern when governmental bureaucracies can sit on your application for weeks to months, forcing you to leave your gun at home the whole time.
The whole point of concealed carry is to always be prepared. If you have to leave your weapon at home the one time you are put in a threatening situation, you may as well have never carried it at all. Having a non-resident Utah permit can decrease the chances you'll have to disarm and let you legally carry concealed in a wider variety of states.