10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: Security deposit may not exceed one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater; landlord must deliver a signed receipt. (Interest due if held one year or longer.) (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:6, I(a)-(b), IV, confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Return the deposit (with interest if any) within 30 days after termination, with a written itemized list of damages claimed. Noncompliance with 540-A:6 IV or 540-A:7: damages equal to twice the deposit plus interest, less lawful charges. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:7, I; § 540-A:8, I(b), confirmed 2026-10).
How New Hampshire treats the landlord's core obligations
Late fees: No statewide cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period; chapters 540 and 540-A contain no late-fee provision. Late charges are enforceable only as 'lawful charges contained in the lease', and a tenant may defeat a nonpayment eviction (up to 3 times in 12 months) by paying all rent due plus such charges, $15 liquidated damages and the landlord's filing/service costs before the hearing. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:9, I(a), confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No dollar cap. Landlord must disclose the fee amount in writing before collecting it and, if the applicant is not given the unit, refund any amount beyond the documented cost of the background/credit check and reasonable administrative costs within 30 days. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:3, VIII, confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: 7 days' eviction notice for nonpayment of rent after demand (RSA 540:2 II(a) ground); tenant may defeat the eviction by paying all arrears, lawful charges, $15 liquidated damages and filing/service fees before the hearing (max 3 times in 12 months, § 540:9). (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:3, II; § 540:2, II(a); § 540:9, confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: Written notice of the amount and effective date at least 30 days before the increase; a tenant's refusal then constitutes good cause for eviction. No statewide rent cap. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2, IV, confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Residential tenancies: 30 days' written notice to quit stating the reason with specificity, in all cases except the 7-day grounds (nonpayment, substantial damage, health/safety behavior, or a domestic-violence perpetrator). Owners of 'restricted' property may terminate only for the good-cause grounds listed in RSA 540:2, II; conduct-based cause requires a prior written warning. (RSA 540:3, II–III; RSA 540:2, confirmed 2026-10). Entry: No fixed hour count. Landlord may not willfully enter without prior consent (540-A:3 IV); tenant may not willfully refuse access for necessary repairs or other reasonable lawful functions at a reasonable time after notice 'adequate under the circumstances' (540-A:3 V). A 48-hour written-notice rule appears in 540-A:3 V-b(b) for a specific entry context. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:3, IV-V, confirmed 2026-10).
New Hampshire has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What New Hampshire allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Security deposit may not exceed one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater; landlord must deliver a signed receipt. (Interest due if held one year or longer.)
“A landlord shall not demand or receive any security deposit in an amount or value in excess of one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
RSA 540-A:5 exempts certain landlords (e.g., owner-occupied buildings with few units); check definitions.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “1× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Return the deposit (with interest if any) within 30 days after termination, with a written itemized list of damages claimed. Noncompliance with 540-A:6 IV or 540-A:7: damages equal to twice the deposit plus interest, less lawful charges.
“a landlord shall return a security deposit to a tenant and pay the interest due, if any, within 30 days ... in an amount equal to twice the sum of the amount of the security deposit plus any interest due”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Penalty quote is from § 540-A:8 (https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LV/540-A/540-A-8.htm).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Not separately authorized. 'Security deposit' means all funds in excess of the monthly rent transferred from tenant to landlord for any purpose, so a pet deposit counts toward the cap of one month's rent or $100 (whichever is greater) for covered landlords. Landlords renting a single-family home with no other rentals, or units in an owner-occupied building of 5 or fewer units, are outside RSA 540-A:5-8 (except units occupied by persons 60+).
“"Security deposit" means all funds in excess of the monthly rent which are transferred from the tenant to the landlord for any purpose.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a New Hampshire lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period; chapters 540 and 540-A contain no late-fee provision. Late charges are enforceable only as 'lawful charges contained in the lease', and a tenant may defeat a nonpayment eviction (up to 3 times in 12 months) by paying all rent due plus such charges, $15 liquidated damages and the landlord's filing/service costs before the hearing.
“pays to the landlord, in cash, certified check, prepaid money order, electronic transfer, or other guaranteed or immediately drawable funds, including any form of payment specified in 540:9-a, I, all rent due and owing through the time of such payment plus other lawful charges contained in the lease, $15 liquidated damages, and any filing fee and service charges”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Absence-of-rule finding: full text of RSA ch. 540 and ch. 540-A searched for 'late'; no hits.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No dollar cap. Landlord must disclose the fee amount in writing before collecting it and, if the applicant is not given the unit, refund any amount beyond the documented cost of the background/credit check and reasonable administrative costs within 30 days.
“the landlord shall clearly disclose, in writing to prospective tenants, the amount of the fee ... return any amount beyond the actual cost of the documented background check”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(d) No statewide rent cap, rent-increase cap, or statute authorizing or preempting municipal rent control. A rent increase requires at least 30 days' written notice of the amount and effective date; a tenant's refusal to accept it is good cause for eviction only if that notice was given.
“A tenant's refusal to agree to a change in the existing rental agreement calling for an increase in the amount of rent shall constitute good cause for eviction under paragraph II(e) of this section, provided that the landlord provided the tenant with written notice of the amount and effective date of the rent increase at least 30 days prior”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
HB 1362 (2024), which would have let municipalities adopt rent stabilization (proposed RSA 31:39-f), was reported Inexpedient to Legislate (secondary sources; not verified on gc.nh.gov).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice New Hampshire requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Written notice of the amount and effective date at least 30 days before the increase; a tenant's refusal then constitutes good cause for eviction. No statewide rent cap.
“provided that the landlord provided the tenant with written notice of the amount and effective date of the rent increase at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the increase.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Residential tenancies: 30 days' written notice to quit stating the reason with specificity, in all cases except the 7-day grounds (nonpayment, substantial damage, health/safety behavior, or a domestic-violence perpetrator). Owners of 'restricted' property may terminate only for the good-cause grounds listed in RSA 540:2, II; conduct-based cause requires a prior written warning.
NH is a good-cause state for most residential property (RSA 540:2, I–II); "other good cause" includes legitimate business reasons.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
7 days' eviction notice for nonpayment of rent after demand (RSA 540:2 II(a) ground); tenant may defeat the eviction by paying all arrears, lawful charges, $15 liquidated damages and filing/service fees before the hearing (max 3 times in 12 months, § 540:9).
“For all residential tenancies, 30 days' notice shall be sufficient in all cases; provided, however, that 7 days' notice shall be sufficient if the reason for the termination is as set forth in RSA 540:2, II(a), (b), (d), or (h).”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
540:2 II(a) = 'Neglect or refusal to pay rent due and in arrears, upon demand.' A separate demand for rent precedes the eviction notice.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “7 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a New Hampshire landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No fixed hour count. Landlord may not willfully enter without prior consent (540-A:3 IV); tenant may not willfully refuse access for necessary repairs or other reasonable lawful functions at a reasonable time after notice 'adequate under the circumstances' (540-A:3 V). A 48-hour written-notice rule appears in 540-A:3 V-b(b) for a specific entry context.
“No landlord shall willfully enter into the premises of the tenant without prior consent ... at a reasonable time after notice which is adequate under the circumstances”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Paragraph V has two versions (one effective Oct. 8, 2026). consent/adequate notice still required.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Reasonable notice”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
New Hampshire next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 30 days grace
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
Rent-increase notice
30 days
45 days
30 days
60 days
Non-emergency entry notice
Reasonable notice
24 hours
Reasonable notice
48 hours
Pay-or-quit notice
7 days
7 days
14 days
14 days
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
No statewide protection on file
Protected statewide
No statewide protection on file
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Card surcharges banned
Card surcharges banned
Allowed within card-network limits
Lease disclosures on file
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for New Hampshire. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
• Radon test results (if performed)
Official sources
Primary sources a New Hampshire landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New Hampshire?
Security deposit may not exceed one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater; landlord must deliver a signed receipt. (Interest due if held one year or longer.) (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:6, I(a)-(b), IV, confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a New Hampshire landlord have to return the security deposit?
Return the deposit (with interest if any) within 30 days after termination, with a written itemized list of damages claimed. Noncompliance with 540-A:6 IV or 540-A:7: damages equal to twice the deposit plus interest, less lawful charges. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:7, I; § 540-A:8, I(b), confirmed 2026-10).
What is the maximum late fee in New Hampshire?
No statewide cap on late fees and no mandatory grace period; chapters 540 and 540-A contain no late-fee provision. Late charges are enforceable only as 'lawful charges contained in the lease', and a tenant may defeat a nonpayment eviction (up to 3 times in 12 months) by paying all rent due plus such charges, $15 liquidated damages and the landlord's filing/service costs before the hearing. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:9, I(a), confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a New Hampshire pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
7 days' eviction notice for nonpayment of rent after demand (RSA 540:2 II(a) ground); tenant may defeat the eviction by paying all arrears, lawful charges, $15 liquidated damages and filing/service fees before the hearing (max 3 times in 12 months, § 540:9). (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:3, II; § 540:2, II(a); § 540:9, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a New Hampshire landlord give before entering?
No fixed hour count. Landlord may not willfully enter without prior consent (540-A:3 IV); tenant may not willfully refuse access for necessary repairs or other reasonable lawful functions at a reasonable time after notice 'adequate under the circumstances' (540-A:3 V). A 48-hour written-notice rule appears in 540-A:3 V-b(b) for a specific entry context. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:3, IV-V, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in New Hampshire?
Written notice of the amount and effective date at least 30 days before the increase; a tenant's refusal then constitutes good cause for eviction. No statewide rent cap. (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2, IV, confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in New Hampshire?
Residential tenancies: 30 days' written notice to quit stating the reason with specificity, in all cases except the 7-day grounds (nonpayment, substantial damage, health/safety behavior, or a domestic-violence perpetrator). Owners of 'restricted' property may terminate only for the good-cause grounds listed in RSA 540:2, II; conduct-based cause requires a prior written warning. (RSA 540:3, II–III; RSA 540:2, confirmed 2026-10).
Does New Hampshire have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for New Hampshire. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in New Hampshire?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for New Hampshire, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a New Hampshire landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 2 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.