Is an Arkansas Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?

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.

Carry rules in New Hampshire

Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter New Hampshire, these rules replace the ones you know from Arkansas.

• 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)

Arkansas vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line

Crossing from Arkansas into New Hampshire changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes); duty to inform police (Yes → No).

Going the other way, a New Hampshire resident permit in Arkansas: recognized — and permitless carry applies.

Driving on from New Hampshire

How an Arkansas 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 Arkansas non-resident permit?

Arkansas does not issue non-resident carry permits (Requires Arkansas residency for 90+ continuous days (§ 5-73-309(2)); exception — active-duty US Armed Forces members and their spouses are exempt from the residency requirement), so the question does not arise.

Can a New Hampshire resident permit holder carry in Arkansas?

Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Arkansas'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.