Is a South Dakota Non-Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?

Why

• South Dakota does not issue carry permits to non-residents (no non-resident permits — the applicant must have physically resided in and be a resident of the county of application for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (sdcl 23-7-7.1)).

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.

Carry rules in New Hampshire

Recognition is only half the question. Once you're inside New Hampshire, its carry rules apply to you exactly as they do to locals.

• 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)

See all 3 places you can't carry in New Hampshire →

South Dakota vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line

Crossing from South Dakota into New Hampshire changes one rule: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes).

Going the other way, a New Hampshire non-resident permit in South Dakota: recognized — and 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 South Dakota 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

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does New Hampshire honor a South Dakota 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 South Dakota?

Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on South Dakota's law, not New Hampshire's.

Does South Dakota issue non-resident carry permits?

No. South Dakota issues carry permits to residents only (no non-resident permits — the applicant must have physically resided in and be a resident of the county of application for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (SDCL 23-7-7.1)). 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.