Non-Resident permit · NH → IL
Is a New Hampshire Non-Resident Permit Valid in Illinois?
Illinois says no. Your New Hampshire non-resident permit isn't recognized, permitless carry isn't available to you, and carrying regardless is a chargeable offense. Check Illinois's own permit options, which it does issue to non-residents, if you travel there often.
Why
- Illinois does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
ISP (official 2025 brochure): 'Illinois does not recognize concealed carry licenses from other states.' Sole carve-out: a resident of another state with a valid concealed carry license from their home state may carry a concealed firearm within a vehicle while traveling through Illinois; if the vehicle is left unattended the firearm must be stored in a locked vehicle or locked container out of plain view (430 ILCS 66).
The permit (New Hampshire)
- Permit
- New Hampshire Pistol/Revolver License
- Issued by
- Local chief of police, selectmen or mayor (residents); NH State Police (non-residents)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-resident licenses are issued by the NH State Police Permits and Licensing Unit ($100, 5 years); resident licenses by the local licensing authority ($10). RSA 159:6 sets no minimum age — federal law governs handgun possession by minors. NH-issued non-resident licenses are valid only in NH or states that recognize them.
The destination (Illinois)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 15 rounds
Carry rules in Illinois
Crossing into Illinois swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- Disclosure is on-demand only: upon an officer's request during a stop, the licensee or qualifying non-resident must disclose that they possess a concealed firearm, present the license on request, identify the firearm's location, and permit the officer to secure it for the stop (ISP brochure, per the Concealed Carry Act).
- Illinois limits magazine capacity to 15 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Illinois is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Illinois recognizes.
- Illinois CCL holders may carry loaded and concealed in a vehicle; non-residents with a valid home-state license may carry loaded/concealed only within a vehicle; everyone else must transport firearms unloaded and enclosed in a case (or broken down / not immediately accessible).
Off-limits places in Illinois
Illinois bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Schools and school property
- All state government buildings (posted prohibited areas), courts
New Hampshire vs Illinois: what changes at the state line
Crossing from New Hampshire into Illinois changes 4 rules: permitless carry (Yes → No); magazine limit (None → 15 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All states → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → No).
| Rule | New Hampshire | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | 15 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | No |
Going the other way, an Illinois non-resident permit in New Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Illinois
How a New Hampshire non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Illinois:
Frequently asked questions
- Does Illinois honor a New Hampshire resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can an Illinois non-resident permit holder carry in New Hampshire?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on New Hampshire's law, not Illinois's.
- Where does Illinois publish its official reciprocity list?
- Illinois 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
- Illinois State Police - Concealed Carry License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police - Transport Your Firearm Legally (ISP 1-154, 7/25) - out-of-state recognition, vehicle exception, officer disclosure — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police - Assault Weapons / Protect Illinois Communities Act (magazine limits) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau - FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- 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