A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In New Hampshire you can sue for up to $10,000 in the Circuit Court – District Division (small claims), without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
New Hampshire doesn't require a demand before you file, but the court encourages you to ask for payment and try to settle first. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
File in the district division where you or the defendant lives. If the defendant is out of state, file where they do business, made a contract with a resident, caused the harm, or own property.
Small Claim Complaint, completed online through the court's e-filing system. If the defendant asks for a hearing, the court sets a pretrial hearing (and mediation for claims over $5,000), then a trial. Timing depends on each court's backlog.
$90 for claims up to $5,000 and $145 for claims over $5,000, plus any online processing fee. The court mails the papers to the defendant, so there's usually no separate service fee. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Motion to waive filing fee (granted only in extraordinary circumstances).
The court mails the complaint to the defendant by first-class mail. If it comes back, you must give a new address or arrange service by the sheriff; out-of-state defendants are served through the Secretary of State. The defendant has 30 days from the court's mailing date to respond.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The defendant has 30 days to pay. If they don't, you can ask for a periodic payment hearing ($25), and later contempt or an arrest order if they skip it. You can also put a lien on their real estate.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. New Hampshire uses a 3-year deadline for most claims, starting when you discovered or should have discovered the harm. Contracts under seal can have 20 years.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 3 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 3 years |
| Damaged property | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
| Fraud | 3 years |
| Libel or slander | 3 years |
| Claims against a government agency | Suits against the State of New Hampshire or a town have special rules and notice deadlines; check with the clerk before filing. |
Yes, but you don't need one. Someone filing for a business or another person must file written authorization, such as a power of attorney or a business authorization.
You can sue for up to $10,000. If you ask for more, you give up the extra. The limit has been $10,000 since July 1, 2015. Claims over $5,000 must go to mediation first. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
Either side can appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court within 30 days, but only on questions of law; there's no new trial. You can first ask the judge to reconsider within 10 days.
Ask the court ahead of time if you need an interpreter.