New Hampshire Gun Laws
Gun Laws Overview
RIFLES & SHOTGUNS | HANDGUNS | |
---|---|---|
Permit to Purchase | No | No |
Registration of Firearms | No | No |
Licensing of Owners | No | No |
Permit to Carry | No | No* |
*A permit to carry is available, but it is not required to carry a handgun either openly or concealed. The list and map below are included as a tool to assist you in validating your information. We have made every effort to report the information correctly, however reciprocity and recognition agreements are subject to frequent change. The information is not intended as legal advice or a restatement of law and does not include: restrictions that may be placed on non-resident permits, individuals under the age of 21, qualifying permit classes, and/or any other factor which may limit reciprocity and/or recognition. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL. |
STATE STATUS | |
---|---|
Castle Doctrine | Enacted |
No-Net Loss | No Legislation |
Right to Carry Confidentiality | Provisions Enacted |
Right to Carry in Restaurants | Legal |
Right To Carry Laws | No Permit Required |
Right To Carry Reciprocity and Recognition | True Reciprocity |
Right to Keep & Bear Arms State Constitutional Provisions | With Provisions |
Laws on Purchase, Possession and Carrying of Firearms
Purchase
There are no state licensing requirements for the purchase of any rifle, shotgun or handgun. MORE |
Possession
There are no state licensing requirements for the possession of rifles, shotguns or handguns. It is unlawful for any person who has been convicted of a felony to own, possess or control any firearm. MORE |
Carry
New Hampshire is a permitless carry state, and New Hampshire Statute 159:6(III) provides that "The availability of a license to carry a loaded pistol or revolver under this section or under any other provision of law shall not be construed to impose a prohibition on the unlicensed transport or carry of a firearm in a vehicle, or on or about one’s person, whether openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded, by a resident, nonresident, or alien if that individual is not otherwise prohibited by statute from possessing a firearm in the state of New Hampshire." MORE |
Preemption
The state of New Hampshire shall have authority and jurisdiction over the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter pertaining to firearms, firearms components, ammunition, or firearms supplies in the state. MORE |
Machine Guns
In the absence of any state law governing automatic weapons, federal law controls the registration and regulation of machine guns in New Hampshire. |
Antiques and Replicas
Antiques, defined as any handgun "utilizing an early type of ignition," such as flintlocks, percussion and pin fires, are exempt from the above regulations. No handgun which utilizes centerfire or rimfire cartridges will be considered an antique. |
Range Protection
No person who owns, operates, or uses a shooting range in this state shall be subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution in any matter relating to noise or noise pollution... MORE |
Monday, September 12, 2005
"As I look forward to the hunting opportunities that await this fall," writes Bob Washburn, "I am mindful ...
Friday, April 1, 2005
A Hollis, N.H., man was awakened one night to the sounds of screaming in his back yard. The ...
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
A federal judge has refused to delay publication of a high school yearbook while a student fights to ...
Monday, November 1, 2004
A man showed up at David Oeser's Eliot, Maine, home at 1:30 in the morning, began pounding on ...
Monday, October 11, 2004
The photo shows a high school senior and the trappings of his hobby. And though its intended audience ...
Friday, September 3, 2004
On Saturday, September 4, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., make plans to attend Skip’s Gun & Sport ...
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Debates over whether citizens should be allowed to carry concealed handguns always seems to end up with fearful ...
Thursday, February 19, 2004
"If people misuse the guns they carry, punish them severely. But allow us, especially women, to have a ...
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
State residents would no longer need permits to carry concealed handguns under a bill considered Tuesday by the ...
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
After passing a reciprocity law this year in North Carolina, the state continues to reach agreements with other ...