New Hampshire notice periods
A New Hampshire landlord must give 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the tenant must give the same. The state requires a lawful reason (just cause) to end most tenancies, so notice alone is not enough. A rent increase needs 30 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 7-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The New Hampshire rules in detail
Landlord: 30 days' written eviction notice stating the specific reason, and for 'restricted property' only for a good-cause ground in RSA 540:2, II (other good cause includes any legitimate business or economic reason); 7 days for nonpayment, substantial damage, health/safety behavior or DV-perpetrator cotenant (ground added by 2024, 9:1,3, eff. 1 Jan 2025). HB 60 (2025, ch. 263, eff. 1 Jul 2026) adds RSA 540:2, II(i): expiration of a lease with an original/cumulative term of 12+ months is good cause if the landlord gave at least 60 days' written non-renewal notice and sues within 6 months. Tenant: statute does not fix a tenant notice period; 30 days is customary (UNVERIFIED as statute)
Tenant's refusal of a rent increase is good cause for eviction only if the landlord gave written notice of the amount and effective date at least 30 days before the increase takes effect (RSA 540:2, IV)
7 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- New Hampshire requires a lawful reason to end most tenancies. The notice must state the reason, and some reasons carry longer periods or relocation assistance.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Source: RSA 540:2; RSA 540:3.
Related New Hampshire rules
- Late fees: No statutory cap or grace period; late fees must be provided for in the lease and reasonable. Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: The greater of 1 month's rent or $100; returned Deposit plus any interest due returned within 30 days from termination of the tenancy, with a written itemized list of damages (and evidence repairs have been or will be made) or of unpaid rent/charges. Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: New Hampshire landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in New Hampshire?
30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Landlord: 30 days' written eviction notice stating the specific reason, and for 'restricted property' only for a good-cause ground in RSA 540:2, II (other good cause includes any legitimate business or economic reason); 7 days for nonpayment, substantial damage, health/safety behavior or DV-perpetrator cotenant (ground added by 2024, 9:1,3, eff. 1 Jan 2025). HB 60 (2025, ch. 263, eff. 1 Jul 2026) adds RSA 540:2, II(i): expiration of a lease with an original/cumulative term of 12+ months is good cause if the landlord gave at least 60 days' written non-renewal notice and sues within 6 months. Tenant: statute does not fix a tenant notice period; 30 days is customary (UNVERIFIED as statute) The landlord also needs a lawful reason.
How much notice does a tenant have to give in New Hampshire?
30 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in New Hampshire?
30 days. Tenant's refusal of a rent increase is good cause for eviction only if the landlord gave written notice of the amount and effective date at least 30 days before the increase takes effect (RSA 540:2, IV)
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in New Hampshire?
7 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.