Rent increases in New Hampshire
Source: RSA 540:2, IV; RSA 540:3, II; RSA 540:13-a, 13-b · Checked against the statute
- Notice
- 30 days
- Statewide cap
- No statewide cap
- During a lease
- No state statute
- Local rent control
- No state law on it
When can a rent increase start in New Hampshire?
Choose the state and the date the notice is given.
How much notice is required
For restricted property (most rentals), a tenant's refusal of a rent increase is good cause for eviction only if the landlord gave written notice of the new amount and effective date at least 30 days before it takes effect. Owners of nonrestricted property can end any residential tenancy with a 30-day written eviction notice. (RSA 540:2, IV; RSA 540:3, II)
| Applies to | When | Notice |
|---|---|---|
| Any tenancy | — | 30 days |
- The notice must be in writing.
Example: a notice handed over on November 2, 2026 in New Hampshire
Earliest date the new rent can start, with rent due on the 1st, worked out from the New Hampshire rule above:
- For a month-to-month tenant of 1 year raising rent 5% or a month-to-month tenant of 3 years raising rent 12% or a week-to-week tenant raising rent 5%: Wednesday, December 2, 2026
Raising rent during a lease
No New Hampshire statute addresses raising rent during a fixed-term lease.
City and county rent control
No New Hampshire statute authorizes or bars local rent control.
Retaliatory rent increases
A rent increase or substantial change in the tenancy within 6 months after a tenant's code complaint, the landlord fixing a reported violation, a tenant action under RSA 540-A, or tenants meeting together creates a rebuttable presumption of retaliation. Retaliation is a defense to eviction unless the tenant owes a week's rent or more. (RSA 540:13-a; RSA 540:13-b)
Also good to know
- 'Nonrestricted property' = single-family houses of an owner with no more than 3 such houses, units in owner-occupied buildings of 4 or fewer units, and foreclosed single-family houses held by a lender; all other residential rentals are 'restricted' (RSA 540:1-a).
- 2025 ch. 263 (HB 60), effective July 1, 2026, added lease expiration (for leases of 12 months or more, with 60 days' written non-renewal notice) as an eviction ground; it did not change the 30-day rent-increase notice.
Other New Hampshire renting rules in numbers
- Security deposit
- One month's rent or $100, whichever is greater (RSA 540-A:6, I(a)). Return deadline: 30 days after the tenancy terminates.
- Tenant's notice to move out
- 30 days
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 7 days (pay or move out)
- How a written notice is delivered (eviction-notice rules)
- The demand for rent and the eviction notice may be served by any person, on the tenant personally or left at the tenant's last and usual place of abode. Proof is a true attested copy with an affidavit of service. The district court provides demand and eviction-notice forms; a valid notice must include the same information as those forms (RSA 540:5).
- Notice for other lease violations
- 30 days (notice to vacate, no right to fix)
- Small claims court limit
- $10,000 — where most deposit and rent disputes are filed.
- Repairs
- Time to repair: 14 days. Repair and deduct: not addressed by state law; withholding rent: allowed with limits.
- Deposit kept wrongly
- A landlord who doesn't comply with the interest or return rules owes twice the deposit plus interest due, less valid charges (RSA 540-A:8, I(b)). Violating the amount, receipt, trust or transfer rules is an unfair trade practice under RSA 358-A:2.
- Lawful reasons to end a lease early
- Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking; Military service (state law)
Sources
- RSA 540:2 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- RSA 540:3 Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- RSA 540:1-a Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- RSA 540:13-a Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- RSA 540:13-b Retrieved October 15, 2026.
Laws change. This page was checked against the sources above on October 15, 2026. It is legal information, not legal advice; for a dispute, contact your state's legal aid. See our methodology.