New Hampshire Gun Laws in Plain English
In New Hampshire, you can carry a concealed or open firearm without a permit if you are not a prohibited person. You do not need to register your guns, and there are no limits on magazine size or the type of firearm you can own. However, you must keep rifles and shotguns unloaded while in a vehicle. While you don't need a permit to carry in the state, getting one is recommended for reciprocity with other states and to be exempt from the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act.
Critical: New Hampshire Gun Law Gotchas
These are the most important things to know that could get you arrested or charged with a crime:
- #1The federal 1,000-foot Gun-Free School Zone (18 U.S.C. § 922(q)) applies - constitutional carry does NOT exempt you; you need a physical NH license.
- #2You cannot have a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle (RSA 207:7) - this is an anti-poaching law that applies to everyone.
- #3You cannot carry firearms in courtrooms or areas used by courts (RSA 159:19).
- #4While marijuana is decriminalized in NH, you are still federally prohibited from owning firearms if you use it (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3)).
- #5You cannot carry on OHVs (Off-Highway Vehicles) or snowmobiles without a license or reciprocity unless the specific vehicle statute has been harmonized (check RSA 215-A:20).
- #6Private colleges can ban firearms on their property as a condition of access/enrollment, even though public ones cannot.
- #7You must be 18 to possess a handgun, but federal law requires you to be 21 to buy one from a dealer.
- #8If you are subject to a domestic violence protective order, you must surrender all firearms immediately (RSA 173-B:5).
- #9You cannot carry in federal buildings, including Post Offices, even with a permit.
- #10Reciprocity with other states usually requires you to have a physical NH Pistol/Revolver License, not just constitutional carry rights.
- #11There is no 'Duty to Inform' law, but it is generally recommended to tell an officer if you are carrying.
- #12You can be charged with a felony if you possess a firearm after being convicted of a felony in ANY state (RSA 159:3).
Read these carefully - they cover common mistakes that lead to felony charges.