Non-Resident permit · IA → NH
Is a Iowa Non-Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?
Recognized — and permitless carry appliesVerified 2026-08-08
Yes, twice over. New Hampshire honors your Iowa non-resident permit, and it also allows permitless carry, so eligible adults can carry there even without one.
Why
- New Hampshire recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- New Hampshire allows permitless carry, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
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 (Iowa)
- Permit
- Nonprofessional Permit to Carry Weapons
- Issued by
- County sheriff (residents); Iowa Department of Public Safety (professional permits for non-residents)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Only the employment-related Professional Permit is issued to non-residents ('needed for employment related reasons' - Iowa DPS FAQ); the standard Nonprofessional Permit is Iowa-resident-only.
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
Whatever your permit status, New Hampshire law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- 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
- Courtrooms and areas used by a court (RSA 159:19, class B felony)
- Federal facilities (federal law)
- Federal school zones for carriers without a state-issued license (federal Gun-Free School Zones Act)
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Iowa non-resident permit valid in New Hampshire?
- Yes, twice over. New Hampshire honors your Iowa non-resident permit, and it also allows permitless carry, so eligible adults can carry there even without one.
- Do I have to tell police in New Hampshire that I am carrying?
- No statutory duty to inform a police officer of carrying appears in RSA Chapter 159.
- Does New Hampshire limit magazine capacity?
- New Hampshire sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Can I carry in New Hampshire without any permit?
- New Hampshire allows permitless concealed carry for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Where does New Hampshire publish its official reciprocity list?
- New Hampshire publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
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
- Iowa DPS - Weapon Permits — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa DPS - Weapon Permits FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.11A (Recognition), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.8 (permit eligibility, 18+ per 2025 Acts ch. 27), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.22 (under-18 handgun possession, as amended 2025), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08
- Iowa Code 724.4B (firearms on school grounds), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-08-08