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Small Claims Court Limits in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, small claims in the Circuit Court District Division cover debts or damages up to $10,000, and attorneys may appear if they file an appearance.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

New Hampshire at a glance

Maximum claim
$10,000
Excludes interest and costs; claims involving title to real estate are excluded. Claims over $5,000 go to mandatory mediation.
Lawyers allowed
Yes
An attorney must file an appearance and give copies to opposing parties at least 7 days before the hearing.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in New Hampshire

What is the small claims court limit in New Hampshire?

Maximum claim in New Hampshire: $10,000. Excludes interest and costs; claims involving title to real estate are excluded. Claims over $5,000 go to mandatory mediation.

Can you bring a lawyer to small claims court in New Hampshire?

Yes. Lawyers allowed in New Hampshire: yes. An attorney must file an appearance and give copies to opposing parties at least 7 days before the hearing.

Where do the New Hampshire small claims court limits come from?

The rules above come from RSA 503:1, RSA 503:2-a and RSA 503:4. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

A $5 surcharge (claims of $5,000 or less) or $60 surcharge (claims over $5,000) is added to the entry fee for the mediation fund (RSA 503:4).

If the claim exceeds $1,500, the defendant may request a jury trial in superior court.

What this means in practice

Before filing, send the other side a written demand that states what is owed, why, and a deadline to pay. A clear demand letter sometimes settles the dispute without court, and some courts ask whether you tried to resolve the matter first.

Bring organized evidence to the hearing: contracts, receipts, invoices, photos, text messages and any written promise to pay. Prepare a short timeline of what happened. Judges in small claims court decide cases quickly, so a clear, document backed explanation helps.

Winning a judgment does not mean you are paid automatically. If the other side does not pay voluntarily, you may need to use collection tools such as wage garnishment, a bank levy or a lien, and each of those has its own forms, fees and rules.

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