New Hampshire has NO state-mandated training requirement to carry a firearm, to obtain the optional Pistol/Revolver License under RSA 159:6, or to...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
New Hampshire has NO state-mandated training requirement to carry a firearm, to obtain the optional Pistol/Revolver License under RSA 159:6, or to purchase a firearm.
RSA 159:6 (the licensing statute) does not require training, an exam, classroom hours, or live-fire qualification as a condition of receiving the Pistol/Revolver License. Under RSA 159:6, I(a), the issuing authority "shall sign and issue a license" if it appears that the applicant "has good reason to fear injury to the applicant's person or property or has any proper purpose, unless the applicant is prohibited by New Hampshire or federal statute from possessing a firearm." Hunting, target shooting, or self-defense counts as a proper purpose. Training is not on the list of conditions.
RSA 159:6, III (constitutional carry) does not require training either. It provides that the availability of a license "shall not be construed to impose a prohibition on the unlicensed transport or carry of a firearm in a vehicle, or on or about one's person, whether openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded," by any person not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm. Lawful unlicensed carry is co-extensive with lawful possession.
This is true both for constitutional carry under RSA 159:6, III and for the optional license under RSA 159:6.
The only federal "training" hook is the Brady-alternative provision at 18 U.S.C. 922(t)(3). It exempts a transfer between a licensed dealer (FFL) and a buyer from the point-of-sale NICS check when the buyer holds a state-issued permit that meets the federal criteria. Under 922(t)(3)(A), the permit must allow the holder to possess or acquire a firearm, must have been issued within the last 5 years by the state where the transfer occurs, and the state's law must provide that the permit "is to be issued only after an authorized government official has verified that the information available to such official does not indicate that possession of a firearm by such other person would be in violation of law." That is a background-check standard. It does NOT require training. The NH Pistol/Revolver License can qualify despite the absence of any training requirement, because the criteria turn on a records check, not on instruction.
The absence of a legal requirement is not a recommendation against training. Practical realities for a NH carrier:
Most NH firearm-instructor curricula incorporate, at minimum:
A note on what NH use-of-force law actually allows, since training should track the statute and not folklore:
NH has many firearms-training providers, including:
While no NH state license requires training, common course offerings include:
For NH carriers planning to travel out of state, courses focused on multi-state reciprocity and the training, demonstration, and instruction (DTI) rules of destination states are useful, because some other states do require training before they will recognize or issue a carry credential.
Hunter education in NH is a hunting-license prerequisite, not a carry requirement. Under RSA 214:23-a (Certificate of Completion Required), no hunting license may be issued to or purchased by a resident or nonresident unless the applicant presents a certificate of completion from a basic hunter education program, satisfactory proof of completing an equivalent program in another state, province, or country, or proof of a prior hunting license. RSA 214:23-b (Program) authorizes the Fish and Game executive director to establish the training program and to prescribe the type of instruction, the qualifications of instructors, and the examination. RSA 214:23-c (Instructors) provides state-funded liability insurance for the authorized instructors. The course is free and hands-on and covers firearm safety, ethics, and hunter responsibility. None of this applies to carrying a pistol or revolver for self-defense.
NH does not impose a minimum age above 18 for adult carry. The controlling minimum-age rule for handguns is federal. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(x), it is generally unlawful to transfer a handgun or handgun ammunition to a person under 18, and generally unlawful for a person under 18 to possess one, with statutory exceptions. Those exceptions include possession and use, with prior written consent of a parent or guardian, in the course of employment, ranching or farming, target practice, hunting, or a course of instruction in the safe and lawful use of a handgun, transport of an unloaded handgun in a locked container to and from such an activity, possession by a juvenile member of the Armed Forces or National Guard in the line of duty, and possession in defense of the juvenile or others against an intruder in the residence. Parents and supervising adults should confirm that any minor's supervised use fits one of these exceptions.
The absence of state regulation means quality varies widely. Carriers selecting a course should look for:
NH does not require training to carry, to obtain a license, or to purchase a firearm. The optional RSA 159:6 license and constitutional carry under RSA 159:6, III both omit any training condition, and the federal Brady-alternative at 18 U.S.C. 922(t)(3) turns on a background check rather than instruction. Hunter education under RSA 214:23-a is a separate hunting-license prerequisite, not a carry requirement. The absence of a legal mandate is not an endorsement of carrying untrained. Quality training is strongly recommended for safe handling, accurate shooting under stress, and informed application of NH self-defense law.
This page covers one part of our New Hampshire concealed carry guide.
Read the complete New Hampshire guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.