Is a North Dakota 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 a North Dakota 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 (North Dakota)
- Permit
- North Dakota Concealed Weapon License — Class 1 Firearm License
- Issued by
- Director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (Office of Attorney General)
- 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
Whatever your permit status, New Hampshire law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- 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)
North Dakota vs New Hampshire: what changes at the state line
Crossing from North Dakota into New Hampshire changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → Yes); out-of-state permits honored (39 states → All states).
| Rule | North Dakota | New Hampshire |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | Yes |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 39 states | All states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a New Hampshire resident permit in North Dakota: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from New Hampshire
How a North Dakota resident permit fares in the states bordering New Hampshire:
- Maine — Recognized — holders 21+ only; permitless carry applies
- Massachusetts — Not recognized
- Vermont — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does New Hampshire honor a North Dakota 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 North Dakota?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on North Dakota'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
- ND Attorney General — Reciprocity with Other States (honors resident and non-resident licenses; Class 1/Class 2 lists) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Constitutional Concealed Carry (18+, any state/territory ID, inform-on-contact guidance) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Eligibility for a Concealed Weapon License (ages 18/21, residency and non-resident criteria) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-04 — Concealed Weapons (62.1-04-02, -03, -03.1, -04) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-02 — Possession of Weapons (liquor establishments, public gatherings, vehicle carry) — accessed 2026-08-08
- ND Attorney General — Online Application, New and Renewal — accessed 2026-09-27
- ND Attorney General — What Must Be Included With the Application — accessed 2026-09-27
- NDCC Chapter 62.1-03 — Handguns (62.1-03-01 carrying handgun) — accessed 2026-09-27