NH vs Maine Gun Laws

NH gives away conceal carry permits... Maine makes you reach a little. NH is more expensive for non-resident, Maine requires a training cert.
 
NH gives away conceal carry permits... Maine makes you reach a little. NH is more expensive for non-resident, Maine requires a training cert.

Maine does more than make you reach a little.

Pay $35
Provide passport photo.
Provide Birth Certificate (or passport).
Provide copies of all permits from all other states.
Provide proof of "handgun safety"
Demonstrates to the issuing authority a knowledge of handgun safety. The applicant may fully satisfy this requirement by submitting to the issuing authority, through documentation in accordance with this subparagraph, proof that the applicant has within 5 years prior to the date of application completed a course that included handgun safety offered by or under the supervision of a federal, state, county or municipal law enforcement agency or a firearms instructor certified by a private firearms association recognized as knowledgeable in matters of handgun safety by the issuing authority or by the state in which the course was taken. A course completion certificate or other document, or a photocopy, is sufficient if it recites or otherwise demonstrates that the course meets all of the requirements of this subparagraph.

Basically, any handgun class will work as long as it is not more than 5 years old and you have to take the class again when you renew if the class is too old, at least this is my understanding. A Mainer will be along to clarify this.

The application says they may require you to submit to fingerprinting.

http://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/licenses/documents/Weapons/resident application package.pdf

Good for 4 years whereby you do the above over again.

Current wait is 150 days according to the Maine State Police website.

Actual laws on conceal carry in Maine:
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/25/title25ch252sec0.html

For NH it is ten times easier.

Application:http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/nhsp/ssb/permitslicensing/documents/dssp85.pdf

Fill out application, which includes the same stuff you put on a 4473 plus three references (only addresses) and a reason for the license (Target shooting, hunting and self defense are all valid and none of them change whether you will be denied). No photo, no fingerprints, no class, nada.
10 minutes later, the application is done.

Mail to town (police station) you moved to with $10 check or drop off in person, they will decline your check and insist you pay when the license is ready (they do not cash check until your license is cleared either).
Then you wait 14 days MAX (by law) and you will have a license in hand or a denial letter. If you have a MA LTC, you will not be denied an NH one.

Good for 4 years whereby you do the above over again and you check off renawal instead of original on the application.
Laws on carry in NH:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XII/159/159-mrg.htm


Coming from Mass Maine doesn't seem that bad since it is shall issue. But coming from NH where it is stupid simple (or a state with constitutional carry) you go WTF Maine!
 
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Maine does more than make you reach a little.

Pay $35
Provide passport photo.
Provide Birth Certificate (or passport).
Provide copies of all permits from all other states.
Provide proof of "handgun safety"

Coming from Mass Maine doesn't seem that bad since it is shall issue. But coming from NH where it is stupid simple (or a state with constitutional carry) you go WTF Maine!

No argument there. I was under the impression the proof of safety only applied to Non-residents... which is $60 rather than $35 (I still have a packet waiting to be mailed for a non-res but keep putting off digging up a birth cert). I think my LTC course was 5 years this month, I should get on that.

Outside the permitting process, I believe it to be the same.... though NH has the benefit of having recently ruled a mag and gun can be stored together in a vehicle. Maine also lacks a true stand your ground law, but instead has an absence of laws in this area similar to Vermont. Figures lie and liars figure, but the figures say there are 6x more guns in Maine than people.... guns are also an holy shit part of the economy... on the other hand NH has a substantially more obstructionist government structure.
 
NH: Can't carry in the courts. That's it. Federal law still applies so no federal property or K-12 schools. K-12 schools are a legal gray area due to how the license approval process is worded. Private universities can do what they want (like any private property). Public universities have via administrative fiat said no guns but technically NH preemption disallows this. Legal gray area.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XII/159/159-19.htm
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XII/159/159-26.htm


Maine: Can't carry on public school property or the property of an approved private school. Not sure what an approved private school is. This does not specify K-12 or not. Maines license meets the federal law exception but this state law may apply to k-12 too. I would need to dig deeper. Someone familiar with the ME law could tell you more.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec6552.html

Also cannot carry into any establishment that serves alcohol if it is posted. See posts below on this next part. [STRIKE=You also cannot drink a drop of alcohol and carry.]You also cannot drink a drop of alcohol and carry.[/STRIKE] (NH you can carry into a bar and you can even have a beer and while it is technically not illegal to carry and be drunk, it is not a good idea to do so).
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec1057.html

And cannot carry in courts or judicial branch property. Federal laws also apply just like in NH.
 
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No argument there. I was under the impression the proof of safety only applied to Non-residents... which is $60 rather than $35 (I still have a packet waiting to be mailed for a non-res but keep putting off digging up a birth cert). I think my LTC course was 5 years this month, I should get on that.

Outside the permitting process, I believe it to be the same.... though NH has the benefit of having recently ruled a mag and gun can be stored together in a vehicle. Maine also lacks a true stand your ground law, but instead has an absence of laws in this area similar to Vermont. Figures lie and liars figure, but the figures say there are 6x more guns in Maine than people.... guns are also an holy shit part of the economy... on the other hand NH has a substantially more obstructionist government structure.

Yea. Half the reason I haven't gotten my ME license ( and I have reason to since all my relatives are in ME and my parents own a cottage there) is because I just haven't ever bothered to get passport photos and now it has been more than 5 years since I last took an NRA handgun class so now I can't even apply. So the cost of the application more than doubled for me. I don't go into Maine much so it isn't that huge of a deal not having the license.
 
Also cannot carry into any establishment that serves alcohol. You also cannot drink a drop of alcohol and carry. (NH you can carry into a bar and you can even have a beer and while it is technically not illegal to carry and be drunk, it is not a good idea to do so).
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec1057.html

Well TIL... shit. I've OC'd in quite a few "Licensed Establishments" not thinking shit of it... damn that NH false sense of security. I recommend Sebego Brewing Co in Scarborough, Gritty McDuff's in Auburn, and Joseph's Steakhouse in Waterville.

For a full list of places I've packed heat: http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=-KEpoX6hUZP2duOCXSmZFA
 
Yea. Half the reason I haven't gotten my ME license ( and I have reason to since all my relatives are in ME and my parents own a cottage there) is because I just haven't ever bothered to get passport photos and now it has been more than 5 years since I last took an NRA handgun class so now I can't even apply. So the cost of the application more than doubled for me. I don't go into Maine much so it isn't that huge of a deal not having the license.
Any 2x2" color mug shot will do. Doesn't have to be an official passport photo. Hell, mine was still on the full sheet of paper I printed it out on.
 
Also cannot carry into any establishment that serves alcohol. You also cannot drink a drop of alcohol and carry. (NH you can carry into a bar and you can even have a beer and while it is technically not illegal to carry and be drunk, it is not a good idea to do so).
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec1057.html

I suggest that you READ the link you posted carefully!

You can not carry in an establishment that serves alcohol ONLY if it is POSTED!

I have a ME permit and have vacationed there. I have NEVER seen a restaurant posted in ME, although I'm sure that some are.

Also you missed an important forbidden place: The Capital area and location of ME SP (where I had to pick up my permit personally in Augusta). I don't have the cite handy but that is a weird restriction. NOTE: I just tried to find this info and came up empty-handed. I do recall reading it but unsure where now.


Yea. Half the reason I haven't gotten my ME license ( and I have reason to since all my relatives are in ME and my parents own a cottage there) is because I just haven't ever bothered to get passport photos and now it has been more than 5 years since I last took an NRA handgun class so now I can't even apply. So the cost of the application more than doubled for me. I don't go into Maine much so it isn't that huge of a deal not having the license.

All my "passport" photos over a lot of years were taken with my digital camera and printed on my inkjet printer. Not a big deal to have you SO shoot a couple of pics of you for this against a blank wall. Prior to this I used the kiosks that used to be in every shopping mall to print out pictures for $2-3. Doubt those exist anymore, but they were handy vs. going to a photo store and getting hit with $15-18 bill for passport photos.
 
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All my "passport" photos over a lot of years were taken with my digital camera and printed on my inkjet printer. Not a big deal to have you SO shoot a couple of pics of you for this against a blank wall. Prior to this I used the kiosks that used to be in every shopping mall to print out pictures for $2-3. Doubt those exist anymore, but they were handy vs. going to a photo store and getting hit with $15-18 bill for passport photos.

You can get them taken at Walgreen's for $9.00. You get 2 photos.
 
I suggest that you READ the link you posted carefully!

You can not carry in an establishment that serves alcohol ONLY if it is POSTED!

I have a ME permit and have vacationed there. I have NEVER seen a restaurant posted in ME, although I'm sure that some are.

Also you missed an important forbidden place: The Capital area and location of ME SP (where I had to pick up my permit personally in Augusta). I don't have the cite handy but that is a weird restriction.




All my "passport" photos over a lot of years were taken with my digital camera and printed on my inkjet printer. Not a big deal to have you SO shoot a couple of pics of you for this against a blank wall. Prior to this I used the kiosks that used to be in every shopping mall to print out pictures for $2-3. Doubt those exist anymore, but they were handy vs. going to a photo store and getting hit with $15-18 bill for passport photos.

My law reading ability isn't the best at 2am [laugh] good catch. This is why I provided the link to the law.
 
Someone want to discuss this? Looks like you can have a beer as long as you don't go over the legal limit or is the wording too undefined such that a beer will get you in trouble?

While under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs or a combination of liquor and drugs or with an excessive alcohol level, the person possesses a firearm in a licensed establishment.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec1057.html
 

I'm gonna disagree with your fix here:

I. No person shall knowingly carry a loaded or unloaded pistol, revolver, or firearm or any other deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V, whether open or concealed or whether licensed or unlicensed, upon the person or within any of the person's possessions owned or within the person's control in a courtroom or area used by a court.

II. Firearms may be secured at the entrance to a courthouse by courthouse security personnel.
III. For purposes of paragraph I, "area used by a court'' means:
(a) In a building dedicated exclusively to court use, the entire building exclusive of the area between the entrance and the courthouse security.
(b) In any other building which includes a court facility, courtrooms, jury assembly rooms, deliberation rooms, conference and interview rooms, the judge's chambers, other court staff facilities, holding facilities, and corridors, stairways, waiting areas, and elevators directly connecting these rooms and facilities.
 
Is that new? I always thought it was the courtroom itself, not the actual building.

Last change to the law (according to the RSA website) is Jan 2001. Since I got into reading the text of gun laws in 2008/2009 I've known that the text was worded that way.

When was the last time you read the RSA? NH law WRT guns doesn't change often so it is easy to go ten years or more without reading the law.
 
My law reading ability isn't the best at 2am [laugh] good catch. This is why I provided the link to the law.

I studied that carefully before vacationing in Maine! [smile]

My IANAL interpretation is that for those of us who may have an occasional single glass of beer or wine with dinner, we're probably OK. This seems to be the case in MA, ME and NH but can always be open to interpretation since I am unaware of any specific limit called out in the laws of NH and ME (and know that there is no specified limit in MA).
 
Reminds me that I should probably apply for my ME non-res... Not in ME too often, but nice to be able to freely travel across the entire northern NE without worrying about compliance.
 
To answer the original question; yes.

There are nuances of course and both a far and away better than Mass or any other state behind the iron curtain.

Basically since the guns laws are close, I would suggest someone look at the other factors before determining which state is best for them.
 
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