New Hampshire Pistol/Revolver License Fees and Costs

State fees: the license

Per RSA 159:6, I(b):

• Resident Pistol/Revolver License: $10. The statute directs this fee "for the use of the town or city granting said licenses."
• Nonresident Pistol/Revolver License: $100. The statute directs this fee "for the use of the state."

These are the only state fees attached to the license. The license is valid for not less than 5 years from the date of issue (RSA 159:6, I(a)), and renewal is at the same fee. The cost of the application and license forms is paid out of the fees received from nonresident licenses (RSA 159:6, I(b)).

What is NOT a fee in NH

• No background-check fee at the federal NICS level when purchasing from an FFL using a NH license, because the NH license qualifies as a NICS permit alternative under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(t)(3).
• No training fee, because no training is required.
• No photograph fee, because no photograph is required (RSA 159:6, II).
• No fingerprint fee, because no fingerprint is required (RSA 159:6, II).
• No range qualification fee, because no qualification is required.
• No mandatory permit-to-purchase fee. NH has no permit-to-purchase requirement.
• No firearm registration fee. NH does not register firearms.
• No state excise tax on firearm sales beyond ordinary state sales tax, and NH has no state sales tax.

Federal fees

• NICS background check fee: $0 to the buyer. The FFL absorbs the FBI's operational cost.
• Federal NFA tax stamp: see the next section for the current rates under 26 U.S.C. Section 5811 and 26 U.S.C. Section 5821. These are federal, not NH-specific.
• Federal Firearm License (FFL): for sellers, not buyers. The cost is roughly $30 to $200 depending on type, payable to ATF.

Federal NFA tax (current rates)

The federal National Firearms Act tax was amended by Pub. L. 119-21 (signed July 4, 2025). The amendment applies to calendar quarters beginning more than 90 days after that date.

Under the amended 26 U.S.C. Section 5811(a), the transfer tax is now:

• $200 for each firearm transferred in the case of a machinegun or a destructive device.
• $0 for any firearm transferred that is not a machinegun or destructive device.

Under the amended 26 U.S.C. Section 5821(a), the making tax is now:

• $200 for each firearm made in the case of a machinegun or a destructive device.
• $0 for any firearm made that is not a machinegun or destructive device.

In plain terms, under the current statute the transfer or making tax on a suppressor, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or "any other weapon" is $0. The $200 stamp applies only to machineguns and destructive devices. The earlier flat $200 rate and the earlier $5 rate for "any other weapon" no longer appear in the statute.

A NH carrier acquiring an NFA item still completes the full federal ATF process (Form 1 to make, Form 4 to transfer), which requires fingerprint cards and passport-style photographs. Those incidental costs (roughly $20 to $100 for cards and photos) are a federal application requirement, not a NH requirement, and exist regardless of whether the tax itself is $0 or $200. NH adds no state stamp or state tax to NFA items.

Practical out-of-pocket costs for a NH carrier

For the unlicensed carrier:

• $0 to NH. NH is a constitutional-carry state. RSA 159:6, III provides that the availability of a license does not impose any prohibition on the unlicensed carry of a firearm, openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded, by any resident, nonresident, or alien who is not otherwise prohibited by statute from possessing a firearm. NH imposes no fee on the act of carrying.

For the licensed resident carrier:

• $10 to the issuing town or city for the initial license (RSA 159:6, I(b)).
• $10 at each renewal, which occurs within the month of the fifth anniversary of the license holder's date of birth (RSA 159:6, I(b)).

For the licensed nonresident carrier:

• $100 for the use of the state for the initial license (RSA 159:6, I(b)).
• $100 at each renewal.

For ammunition and firearms:

• Standard retail prices. NH has no state sales tax and no firearms excise tax beyond ordinary commerce.

For training:

• No state-mandated training. Optional training varies from roughly $50 for a half-day basic-pistol course to several thousand dollars for an extended defensive-handgun course at a private academy.

Federal Brady alternative: a time saving, not a fee saving

The NH license qualifies for the federal NICS exemption under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(t)(3). That provision exempts a transfer where the buyer presents a state-issued permit that allows possession or acquisition of a firearm, was issued within the prior 5 years, and was issued only after a government official verified that the buyer is not prohibited by law. A NH license holder may therefore purchase from an FFL without a separate point-of-sale NICS check. This is not a fee saving, because NICS itself is free to the buyer, but it saves time and reduces the FFL's processing burden.

Federal Gun-Free School Zones Act carve-out: intangible value

The NH license qualifies the holder for the federal GFSZA carve-out at 18 U.S.C. Section 922(q)(2)(B)(ii). That clause exempts a license holder when the issuing state requires law enforcement to verify the applicant's eligibility before issuance. The license holder may lawfully possess a firearm within the 1,000-foot federal school-zone perimeter in NH, off school property. This carve-out has no monetary cost, but it has practical value for any NH carrier who lives, works, or routinely travels near a K-12 school. Note that the unlicensed constitutional carrier does not get this federal carve-out, which is one of the few concrete advantages the optional NH license still provides.

Why the $10 resident fee is exceptional

The $10 NH resident license fee is one of the lowest in the country. Many states charge $50 to $200 for initial issuance, plus separate fingerprint, photograph, and background-check fees. NH's combination of a $10 fee, no fingerprint, no photograph, no training requirement, and issuance within 14 days makes the NH license one of the most accessible in the United States. Recognition of the NH license in other states is pursued under RSA 159:6-d, which directs the director of the division of state police to negotiate reciprocal agreements so that other jurisdictions recognize the NH license. RSA 159:6-d governs outbound recognition only. It is the mechanism by which NH seeks to have its license honored elsewhere. It does not control whether NH honors out-of-state licenses. NH allows carry by any non-prohibited adult because it is a constitutional-carry state under RSA 159:6, III, with or without any license.

Hunting license fees: separate

Hunting in NH requires a hunting license under RSA 214:1, which is separate from the carry license. RSA 214:1 requires a person to hold a valid license before they fish, hunt, trap, or take wild birds or animals in the state. Fees vary. See NH Fish and Game (https://www.wildlife.nh.gov). This is unrelated to the carry framework.

Range fees: private market

NH commercial ranges and gun clubs set their own fees, typically $15 to $30 per day for public ranges and $200 to $500 annual for club memberships. Some NH state-owned facilities offer free public range access, such as the Owl Brook Hunter Education Center.

Summary

The cost of carrying in NH is essentially zero. Constitutional carry is free under RSA 159:6, III. The optional license costs $10 for residents and $100 for nonresidents, valid for at least 5 years. There are no training, photograph, fingerprint, or registration fees. Federal fees apply to FFL purchases and NFA items independent of NH law, and under the 2025 NFA amendment the transfer and making tax is $0 for everything except machineguns and destructive devices. NH offers one of the lowest-cost licensing environments in the United States.