New Hampshire
Divorce, lawyers, and free legal help in New Hampshire — verified against official sources.
How divorce filing works in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Judicial Branch explains how to file a divorce petition — jurisdiction rules and guides for cases with and without minor children. Start there before anything else.
New Hampshire Judicial Branch — How to File a Divorce Petition
Jurisdiction rules and step-by-step guides for divorce with or without minor children.
courts.nh.gov — file for divorce →Find a divorce lawyer
New Hampshire Lawyer Referral Service
$25 nonrefundable admin fee; (603) 229-0002, Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
nhbar.org — lawyer referral →New to hiring a lawyer? Read Start Here first — it covers what to ask and what to bring.
Free or low-cost legal help
New Hampshire Legal Aid Programs
The Judicial Branch's list of legal-aid programs, including 603 Legal Aid ((603) 224-3333) and New Hampshire Legal Assistance.
courts.nh.gov — legal aid programs →Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Call 603-271-6562 or 1-800-894-5533 (in-state only) — NH DHHS DCYF Central Intake, 24 hours a day including weekends and holidays.
dhhs.nh.gov — report child abuse →NH Banking Department — Foreclosure Information & Assistance
The Banking Department refers consumers to free HUD counselors and legal assistance. Foreclosure Hotline: (800) 437-5991.
banking.nh.gov — foreclosure help →Call 211
Free, confidential referrals to local help. Dial 211 from any phone.
211.org →New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
Statewide 24/7 helpline 1-866-644-3574; Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-277-5570.
nhcadsv.org →Unpaid wages in New Hampshire
Your boss owes you pay and won't hand it over? Here's where to file and how long you have in New Hampshire.
Where to go
New Hampshire Department of Labor
Time limit to file
3 years
What the floor is
federal $7.25 applies
Changing your name in New Hampshire
Whether it's marriage, divorce, or just time for a fresh start — here's the process in New Hampshire.
How it works
petition the Probate Division (Circuit Court)
Typical court fee
~$170
Newspaper notice required?
no
Small claims court in New Hampshire
Suing someone without a lawyer, for smaller amounts, in a simpler court. Here's how it works in New Hampshire.
Maximum claim
$10,000
Filing fee
$90–$145 depending on claim size
Can you bring one?
yes
Clearing your criminal record in New Hampshire
Expungement or sealing can hide eligible arrests and convictions from background checks. Here's where New Hampshire stands.
Can records be cleared?
yes — annulment (seals the record)
What qualifies
most violations, misdemeanors, and felonies except certain violent/sexual offenses
Waiting period
1–10 years depending on offense
Learn more about clearing your criminal record in New Hampshire →
Child support in New Hampshire
How child support gets calculated — and when it ends — in New Hampshire.
How it's figured
income shares (both parents' adjusted gross incomes combined) RSA 458-C; DHHS Child Support Guideline Calculation Table
When it ends
age 18, or graduation (or 2 months after turning 19) if a full-time high school student
Lemon law in New Hampshire
Bought a new car that's constantly in the shop? New Hampshire's lemon law may get you a refund or a replacement.
Which vehicles qualify
new and leased (2+ year lease) passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and OHRVs up to 11,000 lbs
When it's legally a lemon
3+ repair attempts for same defect or 30+ business days out of service during the express warranty term
What you get
refund or replacement (via the state Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board)
Tenant rights in New Hampshire
Renting comes with rights most people never hear about until something goes wrong. Here are the key ones in New Hampshire.
Notice before eviction
30 days to end month-to-month (good cause required); 7-day notice to pay or quit for nonpayment
Deposit limits & return
$100 or 1 month's rent maximum (whichever is greater); returned within 30 days with an itemized list
When the landlord won't fix things
no repair-and-deduct statute; tenant may pay rent into court or terminate after notice
DUI / DWI in New Hampshire
Driving under the influence carries some of the stiffest penalties in everyday law. Here's how New Hampshire handles it.
Blood alcohol (BAC) limit
0.08; aggravated DWI at 0.16
Typical penalties
no mandatory jail (up to 12 months possible), $500+ fine, 9-month license revocation
How far back DUIs count
10-year lookback
Gun laws in New Hampshire
Gun laws vary a lot from state to state — what's perfectly legal in one state can be a crime in another. Here's the big picture for this state. Laws change often, so double-check anything before you act.
Carrying a concealed handgun
Permitless carry (no permit required since Feb 2017); optional shall-issue license for reciprocity
Carrying openly
Generally allowed without a permit
Background checks & waiting periods
Private sales: not required No waiting period.
Extreme risk protection
No red flag law on the books here.
Reciprocity
Honors many states' resident permits (not non-resident permits); permitless carry covers everyone who may lawfully possess.
Filming the police: your rights in New Hampshire
Federal appeals courts across the country have recognized a First Amendment right to photograph and record police officers performing their official duties in public. The U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on it directly. The right does not protect interfering with officers, trespassing, or breaking other laws while you record.
All-party consent
State law generally requires everyone recorded to consent — but on-duty officers in public have no reasonable expectation of privacy, so courts have held that recording them is protected. (N.H. Rev. Stat. § 570-A:2)
No buffer-zone law
New Hampshire has no law setting a minimum distance for filming police. You still must not interfere with officers doing their jobs.
All-party consent state for private conversations, but Gericke v. Begin, 753 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2014), held that openly filming police during a traffic stop in New Hampshire is a clearly established First Amendment right. RSA 91-A separately gives an explicit right to record public meetings. No buffer-zone law exists.
Drug & alcohol addiction help in New Hampshire
Addiction is a health issue, and help is out there — including court programs that can send people to treatment instead of jail. No insurance needed to call.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Free, confidential referrals to treatment — call 1-800-662-4357 (English & Spanish).
Human trafficking victims in New Hampshire
If you or someone you know is being forced to work or forced into sex against their will, you are a victim of a crime and help is available — immigration status does not matter.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 — free, confidential, for victims and anyone who suspects trafficking.
Bullying in New Hampshire
Every state has an anti-bullying law, and every school must have a plan. If your child is being bullied, document what happens and report it in writing to the school — and know what your state’s law requires.
New Hampshire anti-bullying law
Homelessness help in New Hampshire
If you are homeless or at risk of losing your housing, help is close by. Shelters, food, health care, and long-term housing programs exist in every community.
211 homeless services
Dial 211 and press 6 for homeless services in your area.
VA homeless veterans
Homeless veterans: call the VA National Call Center at 1-877-424-3838 (877-4AID-VET), 24/7.
Deed fraud & squatters in New Hampshire
Thieves can forge a deed to steal your home’s title — many counties offer free recording alerts that notify you if anything is filed against your property. And if someone is living in your property without permission, your state has specific rules for removing them: you generally cannot just change the locks.
FBI: protect your property from deed fraud
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center alert on parcel-owner impersonation →