How long does an eviction take in New Hampshire?
For unpaid rent, expect about 5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout, and anywhere from 3.5 to 10.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in New Hampshire actually earn?
We'll prefill New Hampshire's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $1,558/mo
- Property tax 1.46%–1.51%
- Insurance $715–$1,611/yr
- Vacancy 3.8%–4.7%
The New Hampshire eviction timeline
Each step comes from New Hampshire's rules, with the source linked. The typical case adds up to about 5 weeks; a contested hearing adds about 3 more. Timeline model.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
7 days7 days' notice; tenant can pay rent, fees and $15 to dismiss before the hearing up to 3 times a year (N.H. Rev. Stat. §§ 540:2, 540:3, 540:9)
- 2
File and get a judgment
10–30 days · typical 17Appearance due by the return day, 7 days after service; hearing within 10 days after
- 3
Judgment to lockout
7–14 days (upper end is our model default)Writ of possession can't issue until 7 days after notice of the judgment (Circuit Court District Division Rule 5.7); sheriff scheduling time is not set by rule
- 4
If the tenant appeals
7-day window7 days to file notice of intent to appeal; rent must be paid during the appeal
Can the tenant pay and stay? Tenant can pay all rent, costs and $15 before the hearing (max 3 times in 12 months). official source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in New Hampshire
Court fees come from the fee schedules we found, and each one says where it applies. Fees we couldn't verify are labeled Unverified and use the national default range. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Statewide$150Landlord/tenant filing fee $150
Serving the tenant
Unverified · national default$30–$77No official amount verified for New Hampshire yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Unverified · national default$75–$180No official amount verified for New Hampshire yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this state; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this state.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,558/moNew Hampshire median gross rent, ±$46. The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
Statewide rules that can slow things down
Statewide rent control: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Statewide just-cause rules: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Right to counsel for tenants: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
New Hampshire scores 74 out of 100
Faster timelines, fewer chances to pay-and-stay and fewer statewide tenant protections score higher.
New Hampshire eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in New Hampshire?
A nonpayment eviction in New Hampshire typically takes about 5 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 3.5 to 10.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an LandlordCost estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked Oct 17, 2026.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in New Hampshire?
7 days' notice; tenant can pay rent, fees and $15 to dismiss before the hearing up to 3 times a year (N.H. Rev. Stat. §§ 540:2, 540:3, 540:9).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in New Hampshire by paying the rent?
Tenant can pay all rent, costs and $15 before the hearing (max 3 times in 12 months).
How much does it cost to file an eviction in New Hampshire?
The court filing fee is $150 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in New Hampshire?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in New Hampshire costs a landlord roughly $2,600 to $3,700: about 5 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,558/month (about $1,800), court and service fees of about $255-$407 (some are national defaults because we could not verify them), and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 10.5 weeks can pass $6,200. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
Is New Hampshire landlord-friendly for evictions?
New Hampshire scores 74 out of 100 on the LandlordCost landlord-friendliness score (timeline 37.5/50, right to cure 7/20, statewide tenant protections 30/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for New Hampshire: service fee, lockout fee, post judgment max. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: states.json · states.csv.
- Notice periodofficial sourcegc.nh.gov ↗
- Notice period (backup)secondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourcegc.nh.gov ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcecourts.nh.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourcecourts.nh.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcecourts.nh.gov ↗
- Service feeunverifiednone found
- Lockout feeunverifiednone found
- Right to cureofficial sourcegc.nh.gov ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
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