New Hampshire debt: three years, and no ongoing wage garnishment
New Hampshire gives creditors only three years to sue on nearly every consumer debt, written contracts included. And even with a judgment, a creditor cannot set up an ongoing deduction from your paycheck the way it can in most states.
Free check first. If a dispute letter makes sense, it costs $29 ($19 for military, veterans, seniors and people with disabilities) with three follow-ups.
Who is asking you to pay?
Look at the company name at the top of the letter or in the caller ID.
New Hampshire at a glance
- Most debts, written or not
- 3 years (RSA 508:4)
- Sale of goods
- 4 years
- Ongoing wage garnishment
- Not available
- State collection law
- RSA 358-C, covers creditors
- Penalty per violation
- $200 plus fees and damages
- Judgments
- Often 20 years
General information about New Hampshire law, with sources below. Not legal advice.
Three years in New Hampshire
Three years for all personal actions not otherwise provided for, including open accounts and written contracts (RSA 508:4). Contracts for the sale of goods have four years (RSA 382-A:2-725).
Why wage garnishment is limited
Wages earned after the garnishment papers are served are exempt (RSA 512:21(I)), so a creditor cannot get an ongoing wage garnishment order. Wages earned before the papers are served can be reached only for a debt on a judgment, and even then 50 times the federal minimum wage per week stays exempt (RSA 512:21(II)).
That does not make a judgment harmless: judgments can last much longer, often discussed as twenty years, and creditors can use other methods.
To see how New Hampshire compares with other states, and the ways to stop or reduce a garnishment, read our guide to wage garnishment.
Our guide to time-barred and zombie debt explains what collectors may and may not do once the 3-year limit in New Hampshire has passed.
Limits vary a lot between states: by comparison, Oklahoma sets 3 years and West Virginia sets 5 years for similar debts.
Before paying anything in New Hampshire, read whether to pay a collection agency and how to request debt validation.
If your letter comes from a national company such as American Coradius International or Capital Management Services, our collector guides explain who they are and how to dispute.
For the court side of a New Hampshire debt, from the summons to a possible judgment, see how to defend a debt collection lawsuit.
New Hampshire's collection law covers creditors
The Unfair, Deceptive or Unreasonable Collection Practices Act (RSA 358-C) applies to creditors collecting their own consumer debts as well as to third-party collectors. A violation carries a penalty of $200 plus costs and legal fees for each violation, plus actual damages, and is automatically a violation of the Consumer Protection Act (RSA 358-A).
The federal dispute right applies to collectors: a written dispute inside the validation period makes the collector stop until it mails verification.
Questions people ask about debt in New Hampshire
What is the statute of limitations on credit card debt in New Hampshire?
Three years under RSA 508:4, which covers written contracts and open accounts.
Can my wages be garnished in New Hampshire?
Not on an ongoing basis. Wages earned after the garnishment papers are served are exempt under RSA 512:21(I).
Does New Hampshire law cover my original lender?
Yes. RSA 358-C applies to creditors collecting their own consumer debts.
What can I recover if a collector breaks New Hampshire law?
$200 plus costs and legal fees for each violation, plus actual damages.
How long does a judgment last in New Hampshire?
Much longer than the time to sue; it is often discussed as twenty years.