| New Hampshire Non-Resident Pistol/Revolver License |
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| Written by Dave Milthaler | |
| Tuesday, 16 September 2008 | |
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Why is it that an OH Drivers' License is good in all 50 states, but the OH CCW isn't? This is a topic for another story... While my upcoming vacation was approaching, I determined that I would be needing to obtain an additional Non-Resident Concealed Handgun License from somewhere to make my journey a bit more legal, since I was going to be traveling through the state of Alabama on my way to Destin, Florida for my nephew's wedding. From what bit of research I had done in the past, I decided to check out the New Hampshire Non-Resident Pistol/Revolver license, as it is only 20 bucks for a four-year term, and would give me carrying rights in Alabama, as well as other states which I would really not need immediately, but might need sometime in the future. The additional states are AL, GA, LA, MS, ND, PA (and NH obviously). Here's the catch: Although it's MY fault for not getting the application submitted sooner, the NH licensing department indicated on their web site's FAQ page (http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/nhsp/ssb/permitslicensing/faq.html) that “Applications are processed within 14 days of receipt.” I mailed the online application (http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/nhsp/ssb/permitslicensing/documents/dssp260.pdf) on the 5th of July, along with a check for the licensing fee and front/back copy of my OH CHL. A few weeks past, and I called the licensing department near the end of July wondering where my license was. My call was returned later that afternoon and the lady I talked to said that they did receive my application on the seventh, but haven't gotten to my application yet, and that processing time has been extended to thirty days. I was still hopeful that I would receive my NH license by the time I left for Florida, but I did not. Needless to say, I had to make extra “pit stops” to ensure my pistol was being transported properly across state lines, and fortunately did not have any encounters in AL where I would have needed to use it. At the time of writing this and recording debit card payments from my trip, I noticed that NH did cash my check for the licensing fee today. The good news as indicated by the lady in the NH licensing department, this means my non-resident license is on it's way. As most of us know, it does take some time to update information on a web site. I just wish that I had gotten my application in sooner. My personal advice would be that if you are planning a trip to the southern states any time soon and plan on carrying your gun, I highly recommend that you get your NH application submitted way ahead of time. The reason I see for the delay? The 2007 statistics indicate that NH has issued 10,559 Non-Resident Pistol Permits, creating $211,180.00 revenue for the state. I am sure that these numbers are up for this year as far as current trends indicate! |