New Hampshire gun laws let any adult who can legally possess a firearm carry it openly or concealed without a permit. The state still issues a voluntary concealed carry license, mainly for people who want their permit honored in other states. Federal law, a handful of state statutes, and private property rules set the outer limits on where and how you can carry.
Carrying Without a Permit
New Hampshire is a constitutional-carry state. Anyone who can legally possess a firearm may carry it concealed with no license required, and open carry of a loaded handgun has long been legal as well.1New Hampshire Division of State Police. Permits and Licensing FAQs The state places no restriction on how a lawful owner chooses to carry.
There is also no duty-to-inform law. If police stop you while you are carrying, you are not required to volunteer that fact, though answering an officer’s direct questions honestly is always the safer choice.
The Voluntary Concealed Carry License
Even though you do not need one, the state still issues concealed carry licenses. The main reason to apply is reciprocity: roughly 30 states honor a New Hampshire license, so it matters if you travel armed.
Residents apply through their local police department or selectmen’s office. Non-residents apply to the New Hampshire State Police Permits and Licensing Unit.2New Hampshire Division of State Police. Pistol and Revolver Licensing Under RSA 159:6, the issuing authority must act within 14 days, and a denial must be given in writing. The license is valid for at least five years, with renewal aligned to the fifth anniversary of the holder’s birthday after issuance. The fee is $10 for residents and $100 for non-residents.3New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 159:6 – License to Carry
One quieter reason to hold the license: the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act bars knowingly possessing a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, with an exception for holders of a state-issued license where the state verified their eligibility.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts Because New Hampshire’s permit is voluntary, someone carrying without one could arguably fall outside the exception when passing near a school. For anyone who lives or drives near schools regularly, that is a practical argument for getting the license.
Who Cannot Possess a Firearm
State law under RSA 159:3 bars anyone convicted in any state or federal court of a felony against a person or property, or a felony involving controlled drugs, from owning or possessing a firearm or other deadly weapon. Violating that ban is itself a Class B felony.5New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 159:3 – Convicted Felons
Federal law reaches further. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(g), firearms are prohibited for anyone who has a felony conviction (defined as a crime punishable by more than one year), is under indictment for such a crime, is a fugitive from justice, uses or is addicted to controlled substances, has been adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution at age 16 or older, is subject to a qualifying domestic restraining order, has a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, was dishonorably discharged from the military, has renounced U.S. citizenship, or is unlawfully present in the United States.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts
The domestic violence prohibition catches more people than any other category. Under the Lautenberg Amendment, even a simple assault conviction counts if the victim was a spouse, partner, or family member as defined by the statute. It applies retroactively and removed the exemption that once protected police officers and military members, so a qualifying conviction prohibits possession even on duty.6Department of Justice Archives. Restrictions on the Possession of Firearms by Individuals Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence
Buying a Firearm
New Hampshire sets no minimum age for possessing a firearm, but state law limits who can transfer one to a minor: only a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian may give or sell a gun to someone under 18.
Federal law controls purchases at licensed dealers. You must be at least 18 to buy a rifle or shotgun and at least 21 to buy a handgun from a federally licensed dealer. The dealer runs a background check through NICS, and most clear within minutes. If the FBI cannot make a determination within three business days, the dealer is legally permitted to complete the transfer, though not required to.7Federal Bureau of Investigation. About NICS New Hampshire adds no state waiting period and no separate state check.
Private sales between individuals do not require a background check under either state or federal law. Knowingly selling to someone in a prohibited category is still a crime under both. Some private sellers run the transaction through a licensed dealer for a voluntary background check; dealers usually charge a transfer fee for that service.
Where Firearms Are Restricted
Constitutional carry does not open every door. Certain locations are off-limits under federal law, state statute, or property-owner rights.
Federal Locations
Firearms are prohibited in all federal facilities, meaning buildings owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work. Possession in a non-court federal building carries up to one year in prison; possession in a federal courthouse carries up to two.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Post offices and postal property are covered by a separate rule that flatly bans firearms, open or concealed, on any postal property.9eCFR. 39 CFR 232.1 – Conduct on Postal Property
State Locations
RSA 159:19 prohibits any firearm, loaded or unloaded, openly or concealed, in a courtroom or any area used by a court. This applies whether or not you hold a license.10New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 159:19 – Courthouse Security
RSA 159:26 preempts local firearms regulation. No city, town, or other political subdivision may pass ordinances regulating the sale, possession, use, or transportation of firearms beyond what state law requires, so a town cannot create its own restrictions.11New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 159:26 – Firearms, Ammunition, and Knives; Authority of the State
Private Property
Businesses, hospitals, and places of worship can prohibit firearms on their premises. There is no specific criminal penalty in New Hampshire for walking past a “no firearms” sign, but if you are asked to leave and refuse, you can be charged with criminal trespass.
Self-Defense and Use of Force
RSA 627:4 allows the use of deadly force when you reasonably believe another person is about to use unlawful deadly force against you or a third person, is likely to use unlawful force during a burglary, is committing or about to commit a kidnapping or forcible sexual assault, or is committing a felony against you inside your home.
Outside the home, you generally must retreat before using deadly force if you can do so with complete safety. The castle doctrine is the main exception: you have no duty to retreat if you are inside your dwelling or its curtilage and you were not the initial aggressor. Law enforcement officers acting under their authority are also exempt from the retreat requirement. This is effectively New Hampshire’s stand-your-ground rule within the home; it does not extend to every public encounter the way some other states’ laws do.
Traveling With a Firearm
The federal Firearm Owners’ Protection Act gives a safe-harbor rule for interstate travel. You may transport a firearm from any place where you legally possess it to any other place where you legally possess it, so long as the gun is unloaded and neither the firearm nor ammunition is readily accessible from the passenger compartment. In a vehicle without a separate trunk, the firearm and ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms The protection covers you while moving through restrictive states, but not extended stops. A quick meal or fuel stop is part of the journey; checking into a hotel for the night in a state where you cannot legally possess the firearm is not.
Flying is stricter. TSA requires firearms to be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container, then checked as baggage, and you must declare the firearm to the airline at the ticket counter. Ammunition must be in its original packaging or a container designed to carry it and goes in checked baggage only. Loaded magazines must be securely boxed or placed inside the locked hard-sided case with the unloaded firearm. Firearms and ammunition are never allowed in carry-on bags.13Transportation Security Administration. Transporting Firearms and Ammunition
Penalties
Possessing a firearm as a convicted felon is a Class B felony under RSA 159:3, with a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.5New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Code 159:3 – Convicted Felons14New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 651:2
Using a firearm during another crime raises the stakes. Robbery with a deadly weapon is a Class A felony under RSA 636:1, carrying up to 15 years in prison, with a court-imposed minimum of up to half the maximum. A second or subsequent offense involving felonious use of a firearm carries a mandatory additional three years, served consecutively with no possibility of parole on that added term.14New Hampshire General Court. New Hampshire Revised Statutes Section 651:2
On the federal side, a prohibited person who possesses a firearm faces up to 15 years under 18 U.S.C. 922(g) and 924(a)(8), as amended by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.15Department of Justice. Quick Reference to Federal Firearms Laws Straw purchases, where someone buys a firearm on behalf of a person who cannot legally buy one, now carry a maximum of 25 years under 18 U.S.C. 932. Firearms trafficking carries up to 15 years. Both offenses can also bring fines up to twice the gross profits and forfeiture of the firearms and proceeds involved.16Federal Register. Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Conforming Regulations
State and federal firearms charges can be brought at the same time for the same conduct because they arise under separate legal systems. A felon caught with a gun in New Hampshire could face a Class B felony under RSA 159:3 and a federal charge under 18 U.S.C. 922(g), with the sentences potentially running consecutively.