Non-Resident permit · NH → ME
Is a New Hampshire Non-Resident Permit Valid in Maine?
Your New Hampshire Pistol/Revolver License is not honored in Maine. The workable path is Maine's permitless carry for adults 21+: qualify under that law and you may carry concealed without a permit.
Why
- Maine's official reciprocity list includes New Hampshire.
- The agreement covers only permits issued to New Hampshire residents.
- A non-resident permit from New Hampshire therefore does not qualify — the holder is not a New Hampshire resident.
- Maine allows permitless carry for eligible adults 21+, which extends to visitors who may legally possess a handgun.
Maine recognizes a permit 'issued by another state to its resident' only where that state recognizes Maine's resident permit - non-resident permits are not honored. Extra conditions: permit holders from Alaska, Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and Virginia must be 21+ (Virginia holders must also carry government-issued photo ID). In practice most visitors 21+ may simply carry permitless.
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 (Maine)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 23 states
- Permitless carry
- Yes (21+)
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Maine
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Maine, these rules replace the ones you know from New Hampshire.
- Permit holders have no proactive duty to inform. A person carrying WITHOUT a permit under Maine's permitless-carry law must immediately inform the officer that they are carrying a concealed handgun upon any routine stop, detention or arrest.
- Maine sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Maine allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- A person 21+ who may legally possess a firearm may keep a loaded concealed handgun in a vehicle without a permit, but if carrying without a permit must immediately inform law enforcement during any stop.
Off-limits places in Maine
Maine bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Courthouses
- Schools and school property
New Hampshire vs Maine: what changes at the state line
Crossing from New Hampshire into Maine changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes → Yes (21+)); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 23 states).
| Rule | New Hampshire | Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes | Yes (21+) |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 23 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Maine non-resident permit in New Hampshire: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Maine honor a New Hampshire resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Maine treats the two permit types differently.
- Can a Maine 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 Maine's.
- Where does Maine publish its official reciprocity list?
- Maine 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
- Maine State Police - Concealed Handgun Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Maine State Police - Concealed Carry in Maine — accessed 2026-08-08
- 25 M.R.S. 2003 - Permits to carry concealed handguns — accessed 2026-08-08
- 25 M.R.S. 2001-A - Threatening display of or carrying concealed weapon — 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