Can NH police tell if you have a Concealed Carry Permit?

Joined
Nov 24, 2012
Messages
893
Likes
163
Location
Concord New Hampshire
Feedback: 1 / 0 / 0
I figure someone in this forum knows the answer .....

This is the story a friend of mine told me.....

My friend ( NH resident ) was driving in NH and was stopped by a police officer for a traffic infraction.

According to my friend, the police officer came up to his car and then took and ran his drivers license.

When the Officer came back to my friends car, he asked my friend if he was caring a concealed weapon.

I questioned my friends "story" because I don't believe there is any tie in between being issued a NH CCP and the NH driver license.

My question to you all is....

Does anyone actually know if/when a NH resident is issued a CCP, is that information somehow imputed into their NH driving license record?

A bet of a case of beer is riding on the answer !
 
If I remember correctly from when I asked a friend who is a cop in Nottingham, the answer is no, the police cannot see if you have a P&R license. They might be able to if you live in the town that issues the license. Keep in mind this is because there is no central database of license holders in NH. The towns keep a record but usually that record is not digitized. So when you show your license to an officer he either just accepts it as valid or he can call it in to ask the town that issued it to look it up.

I was pulled over a few months back by a statie for a headlight that went out. He asked if I was carrying but that is because my NES sticker with the AR15 gave it away lol (and he said as much). He did not call the license in. He looked at it and handed it back.
 
When my wife got stopped recently in the town that issued her P&RL, the officer came back and said, "So, I see you have a P&RL..." and started a gun conversation.

I believe that if you get stopped by the town that issued the license, they may have access to it, but to my knowledge there's no central state database that links P&RL's to DL's.

FWIW, I've been asked during a traffic stop if I was carrying even before I handed over my DL. (I was hurrying to MHT to catch a flight, and got stopped. When the officer came up to the car, I had the window down, my wallet in my left hand, and my hands on the wheel at 12:00. He started to say "Good Morning" and halfway through "Morning" he stopped, looked at me, and said "Are you carrying a gun?")
 
Maybe they are just asking. Last time I was pulled over by a state trooper up there that was his 2nd question, the first was do you know why I pulled you over.
 
From my experience, either police agencies source their holsters out to a company that has quality control "issues" with the retention snaps or they do have access to this information. It seems that about half the time when I get pulled over (I'm not a serial traffic scofflaw, but I put on a lot of miles so once or twice a year it seems), the officers snap is undone.

[shocked]
 
Got stopped twice in NH. Both times I was asked if I had firearms in the car. The last time I specifically asked if they cross checked against the plate.

She said she made a guess based on the fact I have a Gadsden Flag decal...

My guess is no they don't. They have to radio or call it in.
 
Maybe they are just asking. Last time I was pulled over by a state trooper up there that was his 2nd question, the first was do you know why I pulled you over.
Huh...isn't that profiling? Wouldn't a thunk it.
Got stopped twice in NH. Both times I was asked if I had firearms in the car. The last time I specifically asked if they cross checked against the plate.

She said she made a guess based on the fact I have a Gadsden Flag decal...

My guess is no they don't. They have to radio or call it in.
 
Just a reminder

You are under no obligation in NH to answer the question whether or not you are carrying
 
So do you say "No" (a lie), or "I choose not to answer that question", which, for all intents and purposes for the cop, is "Yes"?
 
Am I being detained or am I free to go

Nice! Asking two separate "Yes or No" questions in the same sentence, either answer being interpreted as "You are free to leave."

It's sort of like when they ask, "Do you mind if I take a look inside your vehicle?" Either a Yes or No response is construed as your consent for them to toss your vehicle.
 
Nice! Asking two separate "Yes or No" questions in the same sentence, either answer being interpreted as "You are free to leave."

It's sort of like when they ask, "Do you mind if I take a look inside your vehicle?" Either a Yes or No response is construed as your consent for them to toss your vehicle.

Oh no

Officer asks if they he/she can toss your vehicle and that gets an instand "I do no consent to a search without a warrant"

If you're ordered to exit the vehicle it gets locked when you get out and keys remain in your pocket

My local police are awesome guys.....they dont get this treatment.....they approach the car and say "hello jpk"

Its not the police each of us knows and hopefully trusts.....its the police we DON'T know who HAVEN'T earned our trust that are the issue.

And I totally get that it may be the same on the other end for police officers as well

I've met some state police that were great (mostly older officers)......have also met and witnessed some really scary crap from a bunch of younger/newer NHSP.........watched three of them escalate a situation unnecessarily a couple years back......lucky no one ended up getting hurt........pure luck imho.
 
Last edited:
Man you guys are in the wrong part of NH. The last dealings I had with a officer was when the chief of my town saw me leaving my house and stopped his car in the middle of the street put in in park so he could chat with me. He was excited because the town just ordered suppressors for all of their rifles and he wanted to tell me about them. He then assked me if the stamps he had signed for me had showed up yet. He doesn't care if you carry a gun or not. Heck he apologized to me that he was required to sign for my permit to conceal and how it was a clear violation of my rights. Come to western NH they treat you right here.
 
.............He asked if I was carrying but that is because my NES sticker with the AR15 gave it away lol (and he said as much). He did not call the license in. He looked at it and handed it back.

Many good reasons posted here to avoid bumper stickers / political statements on our cars / houses.

I avoid them.
 
I had my first NH stop in my town of residence. Officer did not ask if I was carrying and gave me a writing warning for excessive speed (I honestly didn't realize I was going that fast). My vanity license plate is a clear indicator I am a firearms enthusiast :D
 
So do you say "No" (a lie), or "I choose not to answer that question", which, for all intents and purposes for the cop, is "Yes"?

How about "Why do you ask officer?" this means he has to establish probable cause for the question or at least to ask it. I think the other answer is " I have a right to remain silent and not to answer questions"
 
Would it make any difference if you had a "non-resident LTC"?
ggboy

FWIW (probably not much)... A couple summers ago, in August, I was coming home from a certain event in the shadow of Mt. Washington and decided I wanted to stop by our land just to make sure all was well. I was dead tired, listening to the radio and running on caffeine when I came through the town next door, doing 45 in a 30 and got snagged by the CoP... and had the most remarkably pleasant law enforcement encounter I've ever had. He did the usual, in terms of running license and plates, but was extremely polite and professional, and he and I had a conversation about the land and our plans to build. (Verbal warning was the outcome.) But back to the topic: I've had a NR P&R for years - several renewals now - and, no, it never came up. So either he couldn't see it, or could and simply didn't care.
 
FWIW (probably not much)... A couple summers ago, in August, I was coming home from a certain event in the shadow of Mt. Washington and decided I wanted to stop by our land just to make sure all was well. I was dead tired, listening to the radio and running on caffeine when I came through the town next door, doing 45 in a 30 and got snagged by the CoP... and had the most remarkably pleasant law enforcement encounter I've ever had. He did the usual, in terms of running license and plates, but was extremely polite and professional, and he and I had a conversation about the land and our plans to build. (Verbal warning was the outcome.) But back to the topic: I've had a NR P&R for years - several renewals now - and, no, it never came up. So either he couldn't see it, or could and simply didn't care.

[smile]

By the firehouse by chance?

And, they don't see it and don't give a rat's butt about it anyway.
 
My Chief in MA loved my "I carry a .45 because they don't make a .46" tee shirt. I know this because he stopped to talk to me one day and told me.

Why do I not have a problem with a LEO asking me if I'm carrying??? If I am so effin what? I have a license to do so and if he/she doesn't like it than tough cookies.
 
This thread reminds me of the time I was stopped for a traffic violation by a veteran State Trooper. When I pulled my DL out of my wallet, my LTC fell out onto my lap. Trooper of course sees it. Conversation goes like this:

Trooper: Is that an LTC?

Me: Yes

Trooper: are you carrying now?

Me: Yes sir

Trooper: What and where?

Me: Glock 27, IWB

Trooper: Okay, just keep it there.


He never even asked to look at the LTC and I only got a verbal warning. I no longer keep my LTC under my DL.
 
I had my first NH stop in my town of residence. Officer did not ask if I was carrying and gave me a writing warning for excessive speed (I honestly didn't realize I was going that fast). My vanity license plate is a clear indicator I am a firearms enthusiast :D

Same here, verbal warning but no other questions about firearms. The officer was polite and the stop was quickly resolved.
 
Would it make any difference if you had a "non-resident LTC"?
ggboy

My brother, who lives in MA, does not have an NH non-res P&R. He had an unloaded Ruger SR9 in his trunk, locked. Beyond what NH compliance requires.

Pulled over on Rt-125 by SP in either Brentwood or Epping.

Cop asks if he has any firearms in the car and my brother answers in the affirmative.

My brother said that the officer informed him that he NEEDS a non-res P&R in order to carry/transport in NH. Conversation/debate went on for a few minutes. Left with a written warning on excessive speed and nothing happened to his Ruger.

I told him to simply print RSA Chapt. 159 and just keep it in his car in case it happens again. Of course, he might have to re-print that come this spring should Constitutional Carry become law here.

[wink]
 
Back
Top Bottom