Debt relief in New Hampshire: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
New Hampshire at a glance (checked November 2026)
| New Hampshire | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards and most consumer debts | 3 years |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | No ongoing garnishment; only wages already earned above $362.50 a week can be reached |
| State debt collection law | Unfair, Deceptive or Unreasonable Collection Practices Act (RSA 358-C) |
| Who licenses debt collectors | No state license; debt adjusters need one from the Banking Department |
| Where to complain | New Hampshire Attorney General's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's Unfair, Deceptive or Unreasonable Collection Practices Act (RSA 358-C) reaches further than the federal law, including many creditors collecting their own debts. Among other things, a collector can't call you at work more than once a month unless you ask it to in writing. If a collector breaks this law, you can sue for damages of at least $200 for each violation, plus your attorney's fees, and the Attorney General can enforce it too.
New Hampshire doesn't license collection agencies, but companies that offer debt adjustment, such as debt settlement, need a license from the Banking Department (RSA 399-D).
The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act applies to third-party collectors as well. They can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., must send you a validation notice, and have to stop collecting if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, until they verify it.
How long creditors have to sue
New Hampshire gives creditors 3 years for most debts, including credit cards, personal loans and medical bills (RSA 508:4), one of the shortest limits in the country. The clock usually starts when you default.
Once 3 years have passed, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to. Get advice before paying anything on an old debt. If a creditor does win in court, the judgment can be enforced for 20 years.
What can be garnished in New Hampshire
New Hampshire protects paychecks more than most states. Wages you earn after the garnishment papers reach your employer are protected, so a creditor can't set up an ongoing garnishment of your pay. With a New Hampshire court judgment, it can reach only wages you'd already earned at that point, and only the part above $362.50 a week, which is 50 times the federal minimum wage (RSA 512:21).
Instead, a creditor with a judgment can ask the court to order you to make regular payments you can afford, so go to that hearing. Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even after they're deposited in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in New Hampshire
- Nonprofit credit counseling can put your cards on one debt management plan, usually at lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- A 0% balance transfer can buy time if your credit is still good. Our balance transfer calculator shows the savings after the transfer fee.
- Debt settlement companies need a Banking Department license in New Hampshire, and federal rules ban their fees until a debt is actually settled. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: New Hampshire lets you choose between its own exemption list and the federal one. The state's homestead exemption protects much more home equity than the federal one. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you which list keeps more of what you own.
Where to get help or complain
- New Hampshire Attorney General, consumer complaints investigates unfair collection practices and takes complaints online, or call 603-271-3641.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- 603 Legal Aid has free guides on debt collection and helps people with low incomes find free legal help.
General information about New Hampshire law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.