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 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
New Hampshire is a "Shall-issue state" for a license to carry a loaded concealed handgun. Open carry without a license is legal[5] and concealed carry without a license (constitutional carry) is legal as of February 22, 2017.
Note that the NH 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 NH license is issued by the local mayor, selectmen, or police dept at a cost of $10 for residents, and by the NH 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 1 – 2 weeks, with 14 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
- ^ "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.