Small claims limit in New Hampshire: $10,000

The rule in New Hampshire

The small claims limit in New Hampshire is $10,000. The rule is RSA ch. 503; the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, Small Claims puts it this way: “a person or entity may sue any person or business whom it is alleged owes $10,000.00 or less”. The court that hears these cases: Circuit court district division small claims.

Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, New Hampshire ranks 13th from the top. That is exactly the median of $10,000. It is 4 times Kentucky's $2,500 floor and 40% of the $25,000 top figure. 15 other verified jurisdictions use the same $10,000 figure, including Alaska, District of Columbia, Illinois and Indiana.

Next door, Maine allows $10,000, Massachusetts allows $7,000 and Vermont allows $10,000. A claim of $10,000 that fits in New Hampshire would be $3,000 over the line in Massachusetts.

Worked check against the $10,000 figure: a $5,000 claim uses 50% of the limit and leaves $5,000 of room; a claim of exactly $10,000 still fits, because the rule caps the amount rather than excluding it; a claim of $10,001 is $1 over.

The source checked for New Hampshire does not publish a statewide filing fee, so this page shows none; the clerk of the court where the case is filed posts the current amount.

Deposit disputes are a common small claims case. New Hampshire caps deposits at 1 month's rent or $100, whichever is greater (deposit rules), so a claim for a full deposit stays under the $10,000 limit whenever the monthly rent is $10,000 or less.

Source: New Hampshire Judicial Branch, Small Claims · RSA ch. 503 · last checked October 20, 2026.

Where the case goes

A claim within the limit is filed with the Circuit court district division small claims. The linked source is the place to confirm forms, the filing fee and where to file before starting; the guides on filing a small claims case and serving the papers explain the usual steps in general terms.