Omar Bennett
New Hampshire has some of the most lenient gun laws in the United States. The state's constitution states that all persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defence of themselves, their families, their property and the state. In 2017, New Hampshire became a constitutional carry state, meaning that no state permit is required for citizens to carry handguns openly or in a concealed manner. However, the state still issues concealed carry permits for purposes of reciprocity with other states.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Constitutional carry | Yes |
| Permitless carry | Yes |
| Required age | 18 years (federal minimum) |
| Required background check | No |
| Required firearms registration | No |
| Required firearms safety training | No |
| Required demonstration of firearms safety knowledge | No |
| Required fingerprinting or photograph | No |
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What You'll Learn
- New Hampshire is a shall-issue, permitless carry state
- No permit, background check or registration is required to buy a handgun from a private individual
- Open carry and concealed carry are legal without a license for anyone over 18
- New Hampshire has no laws restricting the age at which a person may possess and carry firearms
- New Hampshire's gun laws are among the most permissive in the United States
New Hampshire is a shall-issue, permitless carry state
New Hampshire is a "shall-issue" state, meaning that local law enforcement must issue a license to carry a loaded handgun if the applicant has a good reason to fear injury or has any proper purpose. Proper purposes include hunting, target shooting, or self-defense. New Hampshire is also a permitless carry state, meaning that no state permit is required for citizens who can legally possess a firearm to carry handguns openly or in a concealed manner. This is supported by Article 2-a of the Constitution of New Hampshire, which states that "All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state."
In 2017, New Hampshire repealed its law requiring people to have a license to carry hidden, loaded guns in public. This means that anyone, including non-residents, may carry a concealed firearm without a license as long as they are not prohibited from possessing firearms under federal or New Hampshire law. New Hampshire offers resident and non-resident licenses, with the non-resident licenses issued by the New Hampshire State Police at a cost of $100. There is no minimum age to carry a firearm in New Hampshire, although the federal minimum age is 18 years old.
New Hampshire's gun laws are among the most permissive in the United States. While the state has not had a mass shooting event since 1982, its per capita gun death rate is double that of neighboring Massachusetts, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. This difference in gun death rates is driven entirely by a difference in suicide rates between the two states, as New Hampshire has the lowest per capita murder rate of any state, which is less than half of that in Massachusetts.
Although New Hampshire is a permitless carry state, concealed carry permits are still issued for purposes of reciprocity with other states. The New Hampshire license is issued for the carry of a "pistol or revolver" and is not a license to carry other types of weapons. The director of the division of state police is required to negotiate and enter into reciprocal agreements with other jurisdictions to recognize New Hampshire concealed carry permits.
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No permit, background check or registration is required to buy a handgun from a private individual
New Hampshire has some of the most permissive gun laws in the United States. The state's gun laws are governed by Article 2-a of the Constitution of New Hampshire, which states: "All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state."
New Hampshire is a "shall-issue, permitless carry" state, meaning that residents do not need a permit to carry a firearm. However, residents must apply to the local law enforcement office for a Pistol/Revolver License (PRL) if they wish to carry a concealed weapon. The state does not require a permit, background check, or registration to buy a handgun from a private individual. Open carry and concealed carry are legal in New Hampshire without a license for anyone aged 18 or older who can legally possess a firearm. There is no minimum age to carry a firearm in the state, though the federal minimum age is 18 years old.
While New Hampshire does not require a waiting period for finalizing a gun purchase, federal law mandates that licensed firearm dealers must conduct a background check on anyone purchasing a gun. The New Hampshire Department of Safety conducts background checks for handgun sales, while the FBI handles long gun sale background checks. These checks are usually done on the spot but can take up to several days.
It is important to note that there are additional regulations in New Hampshire that restrict the possession of firearms in certain locations, such as courtrooms, school grounds, licensed childcare facilities, foster homes, and prison grounds. The state also has a stand your ground law, which justifies the use of force by a person who is lawfully in a place or location and is threatened with bodily injury or loss of life.
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Open carry and concealed carry are legal without a license for anyone over 18
New Hampshire has some of the most permissive gun laws in the United States. The state's Constitution states that "all persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defence of themselves, their families, their property and the state".
In 2017, New Hampshire repealed its law requiring people to have a license to carry a hidden, loaded gun in public. This means that anyone over the age of 18, including non-residents, may carry a concealed firearm without a license, provided they are not prohibited from possessing firearms under federal or New Hampshire law. The federal minimum age to carry a firearm is 18 years old, but New Hampshire has no laws restricting the age at which a person may possess and carry firearms.
New Hampshire is a "shall-issue, permitless carry state", meaning that residents can apply to the local law enforcement office for a Pistol/Revolver License, and non-residents can apply to the State Department of Justice. There is no permit, background check, or firearms registration required to buy a handgun from a private individual.
Open carry and concealed carry are legal in New Hampshire without a license for anyone over the age of 18 who can legally possess a firearm. However, it is important to note that New Hampshire still issues concealed carry permits for purposes of reciprocity with other states. These permits are issued by the local mayor, selectmen, or police department at a cost of $10 for residents and $100 for non-residents.
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New Hampshire has no laws restricting the age at which a person may possess and carry firearms
New Hampshire is a constitutional carry state, meaning that it generally allows people to openly carry firearms in public without a license or permit. This is based on the state's interpretation of the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees the right to keep and bear arms. While there are some
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New Hampshire's gun laws are among the most permissive in the United States
New Hampshire's gun laws are unique in that there is no minimum age requirement to carry a firearm. While the federal minimum age to carry a firearm is 18 years old, New Hampshire has no state laws restricting the age at which a person may possess and carry firearms. Additionally, the state does not require applicants for a firearm license to undergo firearms safety training or demonstrate knowledge of firearms safety. This is in contrast to many other states, which have strict requirements for firearm ownership and carry permits.
The state's gun laws are driven by Article 2-a of the Constitution of New Hampshire, which states, "All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property, and the state." This constitutional right is further protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to bear arms for all law-abiding citizens.
While New Hampshire's gun laws are among the most permissive in the country, it's important to note that the state has not had a mass shooting event since 1982. Additionally, its per capita gun death rate is the 9th lowest in the country, despite having a higher rate of suicide by firearms compared to neighbouring states with stricter gun laws, such as Massachusetts. New Hampshire also boasts the lowest per capita murder rate of any state, which is less than half of that in Massachusetts.
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Frequently asked questions
Constitutional carry means that the state's law does not prohibit citizens who can legally possess a firearm from carrying handguns, either openly or in a concealed manner, and thus no state permit is required.
Yes, New Hampshire is a constitutional carry state. In 2017, Governor Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 12, which repealed the requirement that people carrying hidden, loaded guns in public have a license.
New Hampshire's gun laws are among the most permissive in the United States. There are no laws restricting the age at which a person may possess and carry firearms, although the federal minimum age is 18 years old. New Hampshire also has no requirements for firearm safety training or background checks for those seeking to obtain a gun license.
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