1. (a) Pursuant to RSA 215:2, the department shall issue licenses to engage in the business of guiding as follows:

   1. (1) Resident over 65 hunting guide;
   2. (2) Resident over 65 fishing guide;
   3. (3) Resident hunting guide;
   4. (4) Resident fishing guide;
   5. (5) Nonresident hunting guide; and
   6. (6) Nonresident fishing guide.

2. (b) No applicant shall be approved to sit for a practical skills examination for a hunting guide license or a fishing guide license unless:

   1. (1) The person is at least 18 years of age or older as required in RSA 215:5;
   2. (2) The person has successfully completed and is certified in, at minimum, a basic first aid course and a basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation course which requires individuals to perform the practical skills in the course in order to be certified; and

   3. (3) The person has a personal record free of convictions in any jurisdiction for:

      1. a. A fishing, hunting, or trapping violation in the 3 years preceding the date of application;
      2. b. A controlled substance violation in the 3 years preceding the date of application;
      3. c. A misdemeanor or non-violent felony in the 5 years preceding the date of application; and

      4. d. A felony involving violence against the person or property of another in the 10 years preceding the date of application.

         c) No applicant with a felony conviction involving violence against the person or property of another, at any time, in any jurisdiction, shall be approved to sit for a practical skills examination for a hunting guide license.

      5. (d) No applicant with a felony conviction involving violence against the person or property of another, at any time, in any jurisdiction, shall be approved to sit for a practical skills examination for a fishing guide license unless:
      6. (1) The felony conviction occurred at least 10 years prior to the date of application; and
      7. (2) The person has obtained a determination from a panel of 3 department-affiliated officials, appointed pursuant to Fis 1301.05(d), that the criminal conviction does not disqualify the individual from safely performing the duties of a fishing guide, pursuant to Fis 1301.05 below.
      8. (e) No applicant for a hunting guide license shall be approved to sit for a practical skills examination unless the person has successfully completed a hunter safety course in this state, or any other state or province, which requires individuals to perform the skills of safe firearm and archery equipment handling and familiarization at a field session in the presence of live instructors.
      9. (f) An applicant who is licensed as a guide in another state shall not be exempted from any of the application or examination procedures required by this part for licensure as a hunting guide or fishing guide in this state.
      10. (g) All fishing guide licenses and hunting guide licenses shall expire on December 31 of the year of issue, subject to renewal as provided in Fis 1301.04 below.

Source. (See Revision Note at chapter heading for Fis 1300) #12761, eff 5-1-19; ss by #14410, eff 10-22-25, EXPIRES 10-22-35