New Hampshire security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in New Hampshire. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in New Hampshire
- Return timing
- Deposit (with any interest due) must be returned within 30 days of termination; any damage deductions require a written itemized list within the same 30 days (RSA 540-A:7).
- Accounting for deductions
- The written itemized list must state 'with particularity the nature of any repair necessary'; similar written accounting for unpaid rent or real-estate-tax shares.
- Deposit interest
- Deposits held 1 year or longer earn interest at the institution's regular savings rate; the tenant may request a payout every 3 years (RSA 540-A:6, I(c), II).
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
New Hampshire's deposit rules do not apply to certain small landlords (RSA 540-A:5): a single-family house rented out by an owner who has no other rental property, and owner-occupied buildings of 5 or fewer units - although the exemption does not apply to a unit occupied by a tenant aged 60 or older. If your landlord fits one of these exemptions, the deadlines and double-damages penalty here do not cover your tenancy.
Have you confirmed that the deposit protections described below apply to your rental?
New Hampshire's deposit rules do not apply to certain small landlords (RSA 540-A:5): a single-family house rented out by an owner who has no other rental property, and owner-occupied buildings of 5 or fewer units - although the exemption does not apply to a unit occupied by a tenant aged 60 or older. If your landlord fits one of these exemptions, the deadlines and double-damages penalty here do not cover your tenancy. If unsure, leave this unanswered; the disputed refund can still be analyzed without assuming these statutory remedies.
These statutory protections have not been established for this rental. The refund dispute remains based on the lease and the charges.
What starts the return clock?
Deposit (with any interest due) must be returned within 30 days of termination; any damage deductions require a written itemized list within the same 30 days (RSA 540-A:7).
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
The landlord must give a signed receipt for the deposit stating where it is held (except when paid by check); deposits go into a NH bank/escrow-type account, with interest owed if held a year or longer.
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗What could you recover?
Damages equal to twice the sum of the deposit plus any interest due, less lawful charges (RSA 540-A:8) - the doubled figure is the total award.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:8, I(b), including applicable notice requirements. A multiplier that already includes the deposit should not be added to that deposit again.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $10,000. Filing: $105 for claims up to $5,000, $160 above that (Circuit Court Rule 1.28). The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about New Hampshire deposit rights
How long does a New Hampshire landlord have to return a security deposit?
Deposit (with any interest due) must be returned within 30 days of termination; any damage deductions require a written itemized list within the same 30 days (RSA 540-A:7).
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in New Hampshire?
Noncompliance with the interest or return/itemization rules makes the landlord liable for double damages (RSA 540-A:8); deposit-handling violations are also NH Consumer Protection Act violations. Deposits unclaimed for 6 months become the landlord's. Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗Understand the possible recovery →Which coverage conditions should I check in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's deposit rules do not apply to certain small landlords (RSA 540-A:5): a single-family house rented out by an owner who has no other rental property, and owner-occupied buildings of 5 or fewer units - although the exemption does not apply to a unit occupied by a tenant aged 60 or older. If your landlord fits one of these exemptions, the deadlines and double-damages penalty here do not cover your tenancy. New Hampshire's deposit rules do not apply to certain small landlords (RSA 540-A:5): a single-family house rented out by an owner who has no other rental property, and owner-occupied buildings of 5 or fewer units - although the exemption does not apply to a unit occupied by a tenant aged 60 or older. If your landlord fits one of these exemptions, the deadlines and double-damages penalty here do not cover your tenancy. If unsure, leave this unanswered; the disputed refund can still be analyzed without assuming these statutory remedies. These statutory protections have not been established for this rental. The refund dispute remains based on the lease and the charges.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗What accounting should I ask for in New Hampshire?
The written itemized list must state 'with particularity the nature of any repair necessary'; similar written accounting for unpaid rent or real-estate-tax shares. The landlord must give a signed receipt for the deposit stating where it is held (except when paid by check); deposits go into a NH bank/escrow-type account, with interest owed if held a year or longer.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗What should I check about deposit interest in New Hampshire?
Deposits held 1 year or longer earn interest at the institution's regular savings rate; the tenant may request a payout every 3 years (RSA 540-A:6, I(c), II).
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗