2025 Legal Guide to Selling a Gun in New Hampshire (NH) for 2026

2026 Firearm Ownership Restrictions in New Hampshire

§ Sec. 159:3 Convicted Felons.

1. A person is guilty of a class B felony if he:
   (a) Owns or has in his possession or under his control, a pistol, revolver, or other firearm, or slungshot, … pistol cane, blackjack, dagger, dirk-knife, or other deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V; and
   (b) Has been convicted in either a state or federal court in this or any other state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States of:
   (1) A felony against the person or property of another; or
   (2) A felony under RSA 318-B; or
   (3) A felony violation of the laws of any other state, the District of Columbia, the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any territory or possession of the United States relating to controlled drugs as defined in RSA 318-B.
   1-a. A person is guilty of a class B felony if such person completes and signs an application for purchase of a firearm and the person is a convicted felon under the provisions of paragraph 1.
2. The state shall confiscate to the use of the state the weapon or weapons of persons convicted under this section.
3. It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section that a felony of which a defendant has been convicted in another jurisdiction would not have constituted a felony in the state of New Hampshire at the time such felony was committed.

§ Sec. 159:3-a Armed Career Criminals.

1. No person who has been convicted of any combination of 3 or more felonies in this state or any other state under homicide, assault, sexual assault, arson, burglary, robbery, extortion, child sexual abuse images, or controlled drug laws, shall own or have in his or her possession or under his or her control, a pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, or any other firearm.
2. Any person who violates paragraph I shall be guilty of a felony and, notwithstanding RSA 651:2, II, shall be sentenced to a minimum mandatory term of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than 40 years and shall be fined not more than $25,000.
3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, neither the whole, nor any part of the minimum mandatory sentence provided under paragraph II shall be served concurrently with any other term, nor shall the whole or any part of such additional term of imprisonment be suspended or deferred. No action brought to enforce sentencing under this section shall be continued for sentencing, nor shall the provisions of RSA 651:20 relative to suspensions or RSA 651-A relative to parole apply to any sentence of imprisonment imposed.

§ Sec. 159:7 Sales to Felons.
No person shall sell, deliver, or otherwise transfer a pistol, revolver or any other firearm, to a person who has been convicted, in any jurisdiction, of a felony. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a class B felony

§ Sec. 159:8-a Sales to Nonresidents; Attorney General.
No person holding a license issued under the provisions of RSA 159:8 shall sell a pistol or revolver to a nonresident unless such nonresident has authority under the laws of the state of his residence, to purchase a pistol or revolver in the state of his residence, or unless the director of the division of state police, for good cause shown, has issued to such nonresident a permit for the purchase of a pistol or revolver. The attorney general shall, at least once annually, file with the secretary of state a summary of the laws of each state of the United States relative to the purchase of pistols and revolvers in such states; and a licensee may rely upon such summary in determining if a nonresident offering to purchase a pistol or revolver has authority to make such purchase under the laws of the state of his residence.

§ Sec. 159:8-b Penalties.
If a licensee shall in any court be found guilty of a violation of any of the provisions of RSA 159:8-a, such court shall, for each such violation, order the suspension of his license for a period of 3 months, and may, in addition, impose a fine not in excess of $100.

§ Sec. 159:10 Sale without License.
Any person who, without being licensed as herein provided, sells, advertises or exposes for sale, or has in his possession with intent to sell, pistols or revolvers shall be guilty of a class B felony if a natural person, or guilty of a felony if any other person.

§ Sec. 159:11 False Information.
Any person who, in purchasing or otherwise securing delivery of a pistol, revolver, or other firearm, gives false information or offers false evidence of his identity, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first offense, and be guilty of a class B felony for any subsequent offense.

§ Sec. 159:12. Sale to Minors.

1. Any person who shall sell, barter, hire, lend or give to any minor any pistol or revolver shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
2. This section shall not apply to:
   (a) Fathers, mothers, grandparents, guardians, administrators or executors who give a pistol or revolver to their children or wards or to heirs to an estate.
   (b) Individuals instructing minors in the safe use of firearms during a supervised firearms training program, provided the minor’s parent or legal guardian has granted the minor permission to participate in such program.
   (c) Licensed hunters accompanying a minor while lawfully taking wildlife.
   (d) Individuals supervising minors using firearms during a lawful shooting event or activity.

FEDERAL DISQUALIFICATION CATEGORIES

• Conviction (felony or misdemeanor) where the crime has a maximum imprisonment term exceeding 1 year (even if a buyer did not receive actual imprisonment exceeding 1 year).
• Warrant (felony or out-of-state misdemeanor).
• Felony pre-trial release.
• Misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence restraining/stalking/protection order mental health adjudication or commitment.
• Unlawful use or addicted to a controlled substance (including marijuana).
• Dishonorable discharge from the armed forces.
• Renounced U.S. citizenship.
• Illegal alien.

Save the Hassle, Sell your Gun to Cash My Guns

Even though New Hampshire is a constitutional carry state with minimal firearm restrictions, the legal responsibility for private sellers remains high.

State law makes it a Class B felony to sell any firearm to a person who has been convicted of a felony (RSA 159:7).

Ensuring that you are not illegally transferring a firearm to a prohibited person can therefore be a source of stress and legal risk.

Cash My Guns offers a simplified, safe, and fully legal alternative for selling your handgun or long gun, ensuring 100% compliance with all New Hampshire and federal regulations.

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