Non-Resident permit · CO → NH
Is a Colorado Non-Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?
The premise fails at the first step. Colorado issues no non-resident carry permit (no non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a))), so reciprocity with New Hampshire never comes into play for this permit type.
Why
- Colorado does not issue carry permits to non-residents (no non-resident permits. armed-forces members stationed in colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in colorado, are deemed legal residents (c.r.s. 18-12-203(1)(a))).
New Hampshire has no inbound recognition statute because none is needed — no license is required to carry. Any out-of-state permit holder (or non-holder) who may lawfully possess a firearm may carry. RSA 159:6-d addresses only outbound reciprocity for NH licenses; the State Police publish the list of states honoring NH resident licenses.
The permit (Colorado)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — No non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a)).
The destination (New Hampshire)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in New Hampshire
Crossing into New Hampshire swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- No statutory duty to inform a police officer of carrying appears in RSA Chapter 159.
- New Hampshire sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- New Hampshire allows permitless concealed carry for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Since Feb 22, 2017, no license is required to carry a loaded pistol or revolver openly or concealed in a vehicle for anyone not prohibited from possessing firearms.
Off-limits places in New Hampshire
New Hampshire bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Courtrooms and areas used by a court (RSA 159:19, class B felony)
- Federal facilities (federal law)
Colorado vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Colorado into New Hampshire changes 3 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes); magazine limit (15 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (34 states → All states).
| Rule | Colorado | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 15 rounds | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 34 states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a New Hampshire non-resident permit in Colorado: not recognized.
Permits that do work in New Hampshire
These non-resident permits are honored in New Hampshire, ranked by how many states honor each one. They are issued to people who live outside the issuing state, subject to its eligibility rules.
- North Dakota non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
- Ohio non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
- Idaho non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
- Texas non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
- Florida non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
- South Carolina non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
Driving on from New Hampshire
How a Colorado non-resident permit fares in the states bordering New Hampshire:
- Maine — No such permit issued
- Massachusetts — No such permit issued
- Vermont — No such permit issued
Frequently asked questions
- Does New Hampshire honor a Colorado resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because New Hampshire treats the two permit types differently.
- Can a New Hampshire non-resident permit holder carry in Colorado?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Colorado's law, not New Hampshire's.
- Does Colorado issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Colorado issues carry permits to residents only (no non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a))). Non-residents who want multi-state coverage usually obtain a non-resident permit from a state that offers one, such as those listed in our non-resident permit guide.
Official sources
- NH RSA Chapter 159 — Pistols and Revolvers (159:4 repealed, 159:6, 159:6-d, 159:19) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NH State Police — Pistol and Revolver Licensing (incl. outbound reciprocity list) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation - CHP Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation - Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-203 - Criteria for obtaining a permit (CBI-hosted) — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-204 - Permit contents, carrying requirements (CBI-hosted) — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-214 - Authority granted by permit, carrying restrictions (CBI-hosted) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado General Assembly - SB24-131 Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Attorney General - statement on 15-round large-capacity magazine limit — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-205 — permit fee not to exceed $100 (CBI-hosted PDF, via Wayback) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Colorado General Assembly — HB24-1174 Concealed Handgun Carry Permit Training — accessed 2026-09-27
- Colorado General Assembly — SB21-256 Local Regulation Of Firearms — accessed 2026-09-27
- Denver Police — Concealed Handgun Permits (local fee example) — accessed 2026-09-27