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Rental Application Fee Laws in New Hampshire

New Hampshire sets no dollar cap on rental application fees, but a landlord must disclose the fee in writing before collecting it and, if the unit is not rented to the applicant, return any amount above the actual documented screening and reasonable administrative costs within 30 days.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

New Hampshire at a glance

Fee limit
No dollar cap; written disclosure required
Before collecting the fee the landlord must disclose in writing the amount and any criminal background or credit check requirement.
Refund required
Yes, excess over actual costs if not rented
If the unit is not rented to the applicant, the landlord returns any amount beyond documented check costs and reasonable administrative costs within 30 days.
Portable screening report rule
Not addressed
The fee provision does not address portable reports.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in New Hampshire

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in New Hampshire?

Fee limit in New Hampshire: No dollar cap; written disclosure required. Before collecting the fee the landlord must disclose in writing the amount and any criminal background or credit check requirement.

Does a landlord in New Hampshire have to refund an unused application fee?

Yes, excess over actual costs if not rented. Refund required in New Hampshire: yes, excess over actual costs if not rented. If the unit is not rented to the applicant, the landlord returns any amount beyond documented check costs and reasonable administrative costs within 30 days.

Does New Hampshire law address reusable (portable) tenant screening reports?

Not addressed. Portable screening report rule in New Hampshire: not addressed. The fee provision does not address portable reports.

Where do the New Hampshire rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from N.H. Rev. Stat. 540-A:3, VIII. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The rule also covers fees charged in the lease renewal process.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.