Resident permit · AK → NH
Is an Alaska Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?
Both doors are open: New Hampshire accepts your Alaska resident permit, and its permitless law covers eligible visitors regardless of permits.
Why
- New Hampshire recognizes valid carry permits from every US state.
- 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 (Alaska)
- Permit
- Alaska Concealed Handgun Permit (ACHP)
- Issued by
- Alaska Department of Public Safety (Permits and Licensing Unit)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
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)
Alaska vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Alaska into New Hampshire changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → Yes); duty to inform police (Yes → No).
| Rule | Alaska | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | Yes | 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, a New Hampshire resident permit in Alaska: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from New Hampshire
How an Alaska resident permit fares in the states bordering New Hampshire:
- Maine — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- Massachusetts — Not recognized
- Vermont — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does New Hampshire honor an Alaska non-resident permit?
- Alaska does not issue non-resident carry permits (dPS: 'No non-resident permits are issued.' Applicant must have been physically in Alaska 90+ days and intend to remain indefinitely; legal resident aliens meeting residency may apply), so the question does not arise.
- Can a New Hampshire resident permit holder carry in Alaska?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Alaska'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
- Alaska DPS — Concealed Handgun Permits (permit rules, AS 18.65.748 recognition, permitless 21+) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Alaska DPS — Frequently Asked Firearms Questions (duty to inform, permitless carry, prohibited places) — accessed 2026-08-08