How long does an eviction take in New Hampshire?
For unpaid rent, expect about 5 weeks from the first notice to the lockout in New Hampshire, and anywhere from 3.5 to 10.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
New Hampshire eviction timeline, step by step
- Notice to pay or leave 7 daysofficial source
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) source · secondary source - File the case and get a judgment about 10-30 days (typical 17)official source
Appearance due by the return day, 7 days after service; hearing within 10 days after source - Judgment to lockout 7-14 days (upper end is our model default)official source
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 source - If the tenant appeals 7-day windowofficial source
7 days to file notice of intent to appeal; rent must be paid during the appeal source
Timeline model: notice + filing-to-judgment window + judgment-to-lockout window; the high case adds 21 days for a contested hearing. Methodology.
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
Eviction costs in New Hampshire
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Court filing fee | $150 | Statewide: Landlord/tenant filing fee $150 official source source |
| Serving the tenant | $30-$77 | Not verified for New Hampshire; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Sheriff/marshal lockout | $75-$180 | Not verified for New Hampshire; the calculator uses the national default range. unverified |
| Lawyer, uncontested | $500-$1,500 | National rough estimate, not state-specific estimate |
| Lawyer, contested | $2,000-$5,000+ | National rough estimate estimate |
| Median gross rent | $1,558/mo | Census ACS 2024 1-year (±$46) data file |
Tenant protections
| 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 / pre-filing program | No | None statewide found in the sources we checked |
Eviction cost calculator for New Hampshire
| What | Typical | Low to high |
|---|
Full timeline and sources · Total = rent × (months behind + months to evict + months to re-rent) + court fees + lawyer + turnover. How we calculate.
Tenant screening
Reserved for a tenant-screening partner (credit, eviction and background checks). No partner yet; nothing here is a recommendation.
Rent-guarantee insurance
Reserved for a rent-guarantee or landlord insurance partner that covers unpaid rent and eviction costs. No partner yet.
Landlord-friendliness score: 74/100
Timeline 37.5/50 · right to cure 7/20 · statewide protections 30/30. How the score works.
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 EvictionMath estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked 2026-10-17.
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).
Is New Hampshire landlord-friendly for evictions?
New Hampshire scores 74 out of 100 on the EvictionMath 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
| Field | Source type | Link | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice period | official source | gc.nh.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Notice period (backup) | secondary source | www.nolo.com | 2026-10-17 |
| Court deadlines | official source | gc.nh.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Judgment to lockout | official source | www.courts.nh.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Appeal | official source | www.courts.nh.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Filing fee | official source | www.courts.nh.gov | 2026-10-17 |
| Service fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Lockout fee | unverified | none yet | 2026-10-17 |
| Median rent | official source | census.gov (ACS B25064) | 2026-10-17 |
Not yet verified for New Hampshire: service fee, lockout fee, post judgment max. Fields we couldn't source are left blank, never guessed. Found an error? Laws change; tell us via the newsletter reply.
Compare similar states
Delaware (73, 7 wk) · Michigan (75, 4 wk) · Pennsylvania (73, 7 wk) · Minnesota (72, 4.5 wk) · Alabama (77, 6 wk)