New Hampshire Notice to Vacate: Notice Periods and Rules
In New Hampshire, tenants give at least 30 days written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and landlords give at least 30 days and usually need a legal reason. For unpaid rent, the notice period is 7 days. The details, exceptions and statute citations are below.
New Hampshire notice periods at a glance
| Tenant ending a month-to-month tenancy | 30 days N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:11, II |
|---|---|
| Landlord ending a month-to-month tenancy | 30 days (a legal reason is usually required) N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 540:2, I; 540:3, II |
| Longer tenancies and special cases | Since 1 July 2026 (2025 N.H. Laws ch. 263), an owner of restricted property may end a tenancy because a lease of 12+ months, or a shorter lease renewed for 12+ months in total, has expired. This requires written non-renewal notice at least 60 days before the lease ends and filing the possessory action within 6 months of expiry (RSA 540:2, II(i)). |
| Notice for unpaid rent | 7 days N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 540:2, II(a); 540:3, II; 540:4 |
| End of a fixed-term lease | For restricted property, lease expiry alone was not cause until 1 July 2026. Now a lease of 12 months or more can be ended at expiry only with 60 days' written non-renewal notice plus a 30-day eviction notice (RSA 540:2, II(i); 540:3, II). Nonrestricted property needs no cause. |
| How notice can be delivered | Demand for rent and eviction notice may be served by any person, either personally on the tenant or left at the tenant's last and usual place of abode; proof of service is an attested copy plus an affidavit of service (RSA 540:5, I). A prior warning notice for tenant-caused 'other good cause' may also go by certified mail (540:2, III). |
Most residential rentals are 'restricted property' and need one of the reasons in RSA 540:2, II. 'Other good cause' includes any legitimate business or economic reason (540:2, V). Exempt ('nonrestricted') rentals: single-family houses whose owner owns 3 or fewer, and units in owner-occupied buildings of 4 or fewer units. Those can be ended for no reason with 30 days' notice.
Every eviction notice must state the reason specifically. A nonpayment notice must tell the tenant about the right to stop the eviction by paying everything owed before the hearing, which can be used up to 3 times in 12 months (RSA 540:3, III-IV; 540:9). If a tenant's notice does not end on a rent due date, the tenant owes rent through the end of that month (540:11, II). Under 2024 N.H. Laws ch. 9, the 'notice to quit' was renamed the 'eviction notice' from 1 Jan 2025.
What a New Hampshire notice to vacate should include
- The names of every tenant on the lease and the full address, including unit number
- The date you are giving the notice and the date the tenancy ends
- A move-out date that gives at least the minimum notice above, counted from the day the notice is delivered
- For unpaid rent: the exact amount owed and how to pay it
- Your name, signature and contact details
- A record of how and when you delivered it (keep a copy)
Many month-to-month notices must also end on the last day of a rental period, so if rent is due on the 1st, the safest move-out date is the end of a month. Giving more notice than the minimum is fine; giving less usually makes the notice invalid.
New Hampshire notice to vacate FAQ
How much notice does a tenant have to give in New Hampshire?
For a month-to-month tenancy, at least 30 days in writing (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:11, II). If you have a fixed-term lease, check the lease: it may require notice before the end date or renew automatically.
How much notice does a landlord have to give in New Hampshire?
To end a month-to-month tenancy without a specific reason, at least 30 days (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 540:2, I; 540:3, II). Since 1 July 2026 (2025 N.H. Laws ch. 263), an owner of restricted property may end a tenancy because a lease of 12+ months, or a shorter lease renewed for 12+ months in total, has expired. This requires written non-renewal notice at least 60 days before the lease ends and filing the possessory action within 6 months of expiry (RSA 540:2, II(i)). Most residential rentals are 'restricted property' and need one of the reasons in RSA 540:2, II. 'Other good cause' includes any legitimate business or economic reason (540:2, V). Exempt ('nonrestricted') rentals: single-family houses whose owner owns 3 or fewer, and units in owner-occupied buildings of 4 or fewer units. Those can be ended for no reason with 30 days' notice.
What is the notice period for unpaid rent in New Hampshire?
The tenant gets 7 days to pay or move out (N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 540:2, II(a); 540:3, II; 540:4). If the tenant does neither, the landlord can file an eviction case; only a court can order the tenant out.
How do you deliver a notice to vacate in New Hampshire?
Demand for rent and eviction notice may be served by any person, either personally on the tenant or left at the tenant's last and usual place of abode; proof of service is an attested copy plus an affidavit of service (RSA 540:5, I). A prior warning notice for tenant-caused 'other good cause' may also go by certified mail (540:2, III).
Do I need to give notice at the end of a fixed-term lease in New Hampshire?
For restricted property, lease expiry alone was not cause until 1 July 2026. Now a lease of 12 months or more can be ended at expiry only with 60 days' written non-renewal notice plus a 30-day eviction notice (RSA 540:2, II(i); 540:3, II). Nonrestricted property needs no cause.
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Checked October 2026. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Guides
- 30-Day Notice to Vacate: Sample Letter and Rules
- 30-Day Notice to Landlord: Intent to Vacate Letter
- Lease Termination Letter: End-of-Term and Early Termination
- Notice to Vacate Template and Sample Letter
- Notice to Pay Rent or Quit
- 60-Day Notice to Vacate
- Lease Non-Renewal Letter