Is an Ohio Non-Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?
You can leave the permit question aside, because no permit is needed in New Hampshire. Its permitless carry covers eligible residents and visitors, so an Ohio non-resident permit is not required; New Hampshire's carry rules still apply during your stay.
Why
- No permit is needed in New Hampshire, so out-of-state permits are not checked there.
- 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 (Ohio)
- Permit
- Ohio Concealed Handgun License (CHL)
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-residents may obtain an Ohio license only if employed in Ohio (R.C. 2923.125(D)(1)).
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
Crossing into New Hampshire swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- 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)
Ohio vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Ohio into New Hampshire changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → Yes).
| Rule | Ohio | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | All states |
Going the other way, a New Hampshire non-resident permit in Ohio: recognized — not for Ohio residents; permitless carry applies.
Driving on from New Hampshire
How an Ohio non-resident permit fares in the states bordering New Hampshire:
- Maine — Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
- Massachusetts — Not recognized
- Vermont — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does New Hampshire honor an Ohio resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a New Hampshire non-resident permit holder carry in Ohio?
- Recognized — not for Ohio residents; permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Ohio's law, not New Hampshire's.
- 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
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.126 — Duties of licensed individual (out-of-state license recognition) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.125 — Application and licensing process — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Revised Code 2923.111 — Concealed carry by a qualifying adult — accessed 2026-08-08
- Ohio Legislature — SB 215 (134th GA), effective June 13, 2022 — accessed 2026-08-08
- Geauga County Sheriff's Office — CCW Applications (fees, training, expiration) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Lucas County Sheriff's Office — CCW Permits (fee schedule, training) — accessed 2026-09-27