State law guide · Checked November 14, 2026

New Hampshire landlord rules: late fees, deposits and rent increases

New Hampshire's landlord and tenant chapters say nothing on late fees, and they are specific about deposits. Here is what the Revised Statutes Annotated say in chapters 540 and 540-A, with the section for each rule.

Late fees in New Hampshire

Limit

None in the statute. N.H. RSA chs. 540, 540-A

Grace period

None in the statute. N.H. RSA chs. 540, 540-A

Other conditions

None in the statute. N.H. RSA chs. 540, 540-A

Security deposits in New Hampshire

Maximum deposit

One month's rent or $100, whichever is greater. Where rent is paid quarterly or less often, the deposit on top of the opening rent payment still can't exceed one month's rent. N.H. RSA § 540-A:6, I(a)

Return deadline

30 days from the end of the tenancy. N.H. RSA § 540-A:7, I

Itemized deductions

Required, as a written itemized list of any damages claimed. The statute sets no separate deadline for the list. N.H. RSA § 540-A:7, I, II

Interest

Owed on a deposit the landlord holds for one year or longer. The rate equals the rate paid on regular savings accounts at the New Hampshire bank, savings and loan or credit union where the deposit is held. If deposits are pooled, the actual interest earned is shared proportionately. The tenant may request accrued interest every three years. N.H. RSA § 540-A:6, IV

How it's held

In trust, not mingled with the landlord's own money. Deposits may be pooled in a single trust account at a bank, savings and loan or credit union organized under New Hampshire law. Instead, the landlord may post a bond with the city or town clerk, written by a company located in New Hampshire, for the total deposits. The landlord gives a signed receipt stating where the deposit is held, unless the tenant paid by check. N.H. RSA § 540-A:6, I, II

Penalty

Twice the deposit plus any interest due. This applies to a landlord who breaks the interest or return rules. Breaking the cap, receipt or trust rules is also a Consumer Protection Act violation. A lease term waiving these rights is void. N.H. RSA § 540-A:8

Rent increases in New Hampshire

Notice to raise rent

30 days' written notice of the amount and effective date, for a refusal to count as good cause for eviction. No separate section sets a notice period for a rent increase. The good cause rules apply to restricted property as RSA 540:1-a defines it. Check your lease for its own notice term. N.H. RSA § 540:2, IV

Statewide cap

None in the statute. N.H. RSA chs. 540, 540-A

City rent control

The statute doesn't address it. Chapters 540 and 540-A say nothing on local rent control. N.H. RSA chs. 540, 540-A

This page covers New Hampshire state law for ordinary residential rentals. Cities and counties can add their own rules, and subsidized housing and mobile home lots follow different ones. The deposit rules in chapter 540-A don't cover an owner who rents a single-family residence and owns no other rental property, or an owner of an owner-occupied building of five units or less, except units with a tenant aged 60 or older (RSA 540-A:5, I).

Questions landlords ask

Free templates you can use in New Hampshire

These are plain templates that aren’t tied to one state. Fill in the numbers your statute and lease call for.

• Rent increase letter kit: increase notice, renewal offer, pricing worksheet and delivery log.
• Late rent notice kit: friendly reminder, past-due notice, payment plan and delivery log.
• Security deposit return kit: itemized return letter, wear-and-tear guide and move-out checklist.
• Move-in kit: inspection checklist and deposit receipt, signed by the tenant.
• Rent ledger: running tenant balances and printable statements.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes state statutes as read on November 14, 2026; laws change and courts interpret them. Check the current statute (N.H. Revised Statutes Annotated, chapter 540-A) or talk to a local attorney before you act.