Non-Resident permit · MT → NH
Is a Montana Non-Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?
A Montana non-resident permit isn't something you can hold — the state doesn't issue one (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued). The question for New Hampshire is which resident or non-resident permits from other states it honors.
Why
- Montana does not issue carry permits to non-residents (permit requires at least 6 months' montana residency, us citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and montana id (mca 45-8-321; mt doj). no non-resident permits are issued).
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 (Montana)
- Permit
- Montana Concealed Weapon Permit
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — Permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued.
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
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)
Montana vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Montana into New Hampshire changes one rule: out-of-state permits honored (43 states → All states).
| Rule | Montana | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 43 states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a New Hampshire non-resident permit in Montana: permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies.
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 Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana?
- Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Montana's law, not New Hampshire's.
- Does Montana issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Montana issues carry permits to residents only (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued). 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
- Montana DOJ — Concealed Weapons (AG recognition list) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-329 — Concealed weapon permit reciprocity (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-321 — Permit to carry concealed weapon (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-316 — Carrying concealed weapons (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-328 — Carrying concealed firearm in restricted government offices (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-322 — Application, renewal, permit, and fees (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27
- MCA 45-8-351 — Restriction on local government regulation of firearms (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27