Gun laws in New Hampshire
Gun laws in New Hampshire regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of New Hampshire in the United States.[1][2][3]
Summary table
| Subject/Law | Long guns | Handguns | Relevant statutes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State permit required to purchase? | No | No | NHRS XII §159:14 | |
| Firearm registration? | No | No | ||
| Assault weapon law? | No | No | ||
| Magazine capacity restriction? | No | No | ||
| Owner license required? | No | No | ||
| Carry license required? | No | No | NHRS XII §159:6 | Constitutional carry legal as of February 22, 2017.[4] Licenses remain available on a Shall-Issue basis for reciprocity purposes. |
| Open carry? | Yes | Yes | NHRS XII §159:6 NHRS XVIII §207:7 |
Handgun open carry without license. Loaded long guns prohibited from motor vehicles. |
| State preemption of local restrictions? | Yes | Yes | NHRS XII §159:26 | Includes knives. |
| NFA weapons restricted? | No | No | ||
| Peaceable Journey laws? | No | No | ||
| Background checks required for private sales? | No | No |
Concealed and open carry
Since 22 February 2017, New Hampshire is a constitutional carry state, requiring no license to open carry or concealed carry a firearm in public. Concealed carry permits are still issued for purposes of reciprocity with other states.[5]
The New Hampshire license is issued for carry of a "pistol or revolver," and is not a license to carry "weapons" as exists in some other states. The New Hampshire license is issued by the local mayor, selectmen, or police department at a cost of $10 for residents, and by the New Hampshire State Police at a cost of $100 for non-residents (changed from $20 on July 1, 2009). The term of issue of the license is five years. Turn around time is generally one to two weeks, with fourteen days being the maximum time allowed by law.[6]
New Hampshire has no laws restricting the age at which a person may possess and carry firearms.[7][8][9]
On June 2, 2016, the New Hampshire Supreme Court, in Bach v. New Hampshire Dept. of Safety, No. 2014–0721, 2016 WL 3086130, threw out a rule imposed by concealed carry permit issuing authorities that had required non-residents to have a permit to carry issued by the state in which they resided. The basis for invalidating such rule was that it denied a New Hampshire non-resident permit to residents of jurisdictions that are effectively No-Issue, such as New Jersey, California, Hawaii, and others.
References
- ^ "State Gun Laws: New Hampshire", National Rifle Association – Institute for Legislative Action. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ "New Hampshire State Law Summary", Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ "New Hampshire Statues – Chapter 159: Pistols and Revolvers". Gencourt.us. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
- ^ NRA-ILA. "NRA-ILA | New Hampshire: Governor Sununu Signs Constitutional/Permitless Carry Bill Into Law!". NRA-ILA. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ^ Pro-Gun New Hampshire - Frequently Asked Questions about NH Gun Laws Archived 2012-08-06 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "New Hampshire State Police – Permits and Licensing FAQs". Nh.gov. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
- ^ "New Hampshire". OpenCarry.org. 2012-09-27. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ^ "Minimum Age to Purchase & Possess in New Hampshire | Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence". smartgunlaws.org. Retrieved 2017-02-22.
- ^ "New Hampshire Statutes – Chapter 159: Pistols and Revolvers". Gencourt.state.nh.us. Retrieved November 23, 2011.