Non-Resident permit · NH → IA
Is a New Hampshire Non-Resident Permit Valid in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa is a permitless-carry state that also honors New Hampshire non-resident permits. Carrying on the permit keeps things simpler in some situations, such as school-zone rules under federal law.
Why
- Iowa recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- Iowa allows permitless carry for eligible adults 18+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Iowa Code 724.11A: a valid permit or license issued by another state to any nonresident of Iowa is treated as a valid Iowa permit to carry (it cannot be used by Iowa residents and does not satisfy the permit-to-acquire requirement of 724.15).
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 (Iowa)
- Recognition policy
- Honors permits from all states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (18+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Iowa
Whatever your permit status, Iowa law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- No proactive duty-to-inform provision in Iowa Code ch. 724; the former duty to carry and show the permit on demand (724.5) was repealed by the 2021 permitless-carry law.
- Iowa sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Iowa allows permitless concealed carry from age 18 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Since July 1, 2021 a non-prohibited adult may carry a loaded handgun, open or concealed, in a vehicle without any permit.
Off-limits places in Iowa
Iowa bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- K-12 school grounds (Iowa Code 724.4B - class D felony; narrow exceptions for unloaded/secured firearms in vehicles)
- Courthouses and court-occupied areas (Iowa Judicial Branch supervisory order, not statute)
New Hampshire vs Iowa: what changes at the state line
Crossing from New Hampshire into Iowa changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes → Yes (18+)).
| Rule | New Hampshire | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes | Yes (18+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, an Iowa non-resident permit in New Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Iowa
How a New Hampshire non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Iowa:
Frequently asked questions
- Does Iowa honor a New Hampshire resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can an Iowa 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 Iowa's.
- Where does Iowa publish its official reciprocity list?
- Iowa 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
- 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
- Iowa Code 724.7 (Nonprofessional permit to carry weapons), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-09-27
- Iowa Code 724.9 (Firearm safety training), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-09-27
- Iowa Code 724.11 (Issuance of permit to carry weapons; fees), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-09-27
- Iowa Code 724.8B (Persons ineligible to carry dangerous weapons), 2026 ed. — accessed 2026-09-27
- 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