Resident permit · CT → NH
Is a Connecticut Resident Permit Valid in New Hampshire?
Your Connecticut resident permit is valid in New Hampshire. The state also has permitless carry, so the permit mainly buys you reciprocity certainty and some federal school-zone protection.
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 (Connecticut)
- Permit
- State Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers (Connecticut State Pistol Permit)
- Issued by
- Two-step - local police chief/chief executive officer issues a temporary state permit, then the DESPP Special Licensing and Firearms Unit issues the state permit
- Issue policy
- May-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
Your Connecticut habits may not match New Hampshire's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- 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)
Connecticut vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Connecticut into New Hampshire changes 4 rules: permitless carry (No → Yes); magazine limit (10 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (None → All states); open carry (No → Yes, no permit).
| Rule | Connecticut | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 10 rounds | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | All states |
| Open carry | No | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a New Hampshire resident permit in Connecticut: not recognized.
Driving on from New Hampshire
How a Connecticut 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 a Connecticut non-resident permit?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.
- Can a New Hampshire resident permit holder carry in Connecticut?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Connecticut'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
- CT DESPP - Connecticut State Pistol Permit — accessed 2026-08-08
- CT DESPP - Pistol Permit FAQ (non-resident application process) — accessed 2026-08-08
- CGS Chapter 529 - Secs. 29-28 (permits) and 29-35 (carrying without permit prohibited) — accessed 2026-08-08
- CGS Sec. 53-202w - Large capacity magazines (10-round limit) — accessed 2026-08-08
- CGS Sec. 53a-217b - Possession of a weapon on school grounds — accessed 2026-08-08