New Hampshire · Security Deposit Form Guide

Free New Hampshire Security Deposit Return Letter

Generate a compliant New Hampshire return letter under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7. A landlord must return the deposit, pay any interest due, and deliver a written itemized statement of any deductions within 30 days of the termination of the tenancy, or risk damages of twice the deposit plus interest under Sec. 540-A:8.

N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7 30-day deadline Itemized statement Free PDF

A New Hampshire security deposit return letter is the written accounting a landlord delivers with the deposit refund, and any interest due, at the end of a tenancy. Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7, the landlord must return the deposit and pay the interest due, if any, within thirty days of the termination of the tenancy, and must provide a written, itemized list of any damages for which the tenant is claimed liable. Our New Hampshire security deposit laws guide covers the wider framework, and the tenant screening laws by state hub helps you place tenants who leave the unit clean in the first place.

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Video: a plain-language walkthrough of the New Hampshire deposit return letter – the 30-day return-and-interest deadline, the written itemized statement of damages, and the double-damages penalty under Sec. 540-A:8.

Key Takeaways: New Hampshire Deposit Return

• N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7 governs residential deposit returns. The landlord must return the deposit, pay any interest due, and deliver a written itemized statement of damages within thirty days of the termination of the tenancy.
• Return, interest, and itemization share one 30-day window. A landlord who mails the refund on time but sends the itemization late has still missed the deadline; all three duties fall due together.
• Interest is owed on a deposit held one year or longer. Under Sec. 540-A:6 the rate equals the interest paid on regular savings accounts; deposits held under a year accrue no statutory interest.
• Double-damages penalty under Sec. 540-A:8. A non-compliant landlord is liable for twice the sum of the deposit plus interest, less lawful charges, and the violation is also a Consumer Protection Act violation with a void-waiver rule.

Generate Your New Hampshire Return Letter

Complete the form below to build a return letter ready to print, sign, and send by certified mail. Fill in the deposit math, add any interest owed on a deposit held a year or longer, itemize each deduction with a specific description, and the generator calculates the refund balance and assembles a dated, signed PDF letter automatically. Every figure you enter flows straight into the document, so the written itemized statement that N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7 requires is produced for you in a single step. If the deductions exceed the deposit and interest, the letter states the additional balance owed instead of a refund.

New Hampshire’s Deposit Return Framework

New Hampshire’s security deposit rules live in Chapter 540-A of the Revised Statutes Annotated, the Prohibited Practices and Security Deposits chapter, with the return duty in Sec. 540-A:7 and the collection, receipt, trust-account, and interest duties in Sec. 540-A:6. Compared with a single-statute state, New Hampshire loads several distinct obligations onto the landlord, and each of them can be the ground of a claim. The deposit is capped, a signed receipt is required, the money must be held in trust rather than commingled, interest is owed on longer-held deposits, and the return must be timely and itemized. Because the penalty in Sec. 540-A:8 doubles the deposit plus interest, a single dropped step can turn a routine move-out into a costly dispute.

The return letter sits at the end of that chain. It is the document by which the landlord discharges the Sec. 540-A:7 duty to communicate the deposit decision in writing, to itemize any damages, and to deliver the refund and interest inside the thirty-day window. Everything upstream, the receipt, the trust account, and the interest tracking, feeds into the numbers the letter reports, which is why the move-in documentation and the deposit records matter so much when a New Hampshire deposit is disputed.

About the New Hampshire Return Letter

The return letter is the document that proves the landlord did the accounting the law requires. Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7, when a landlord claims any part of the deposit, the landlord must provide the tenant with a written, itemized list of the damages for which the tenant is claimed liable, indicating with particularity the nature of any repair and providing satisfactory evidence that the repair has been or will be completed. The return letter is that written statement. It ties the deposit decision to a concrete, dated record the landlord can later produce if the tenant challenges a deduction.

The document does three things at once. It satisfies the statutory duty to communicate the deposit decision in writing and to itemize any amounts withheld. It gives the tenant a specific accounting to review and, if warranted, to dispute. And it creates a contemporaneous record that answers a later challenge. Without a properly delivered, itemized, timely letter, even legitimate deductions are exposed, because the itemization is a precondition to withholding and a landlord who cannot show a timely, particular accounting has little to stand on when the tenant points to the thirty-day clock.

The 30-Day Return-and-Interest Deadline

The deadline is the heart of Sec. 540-A:7, and its structure catches landlords who treat the refund and the itemization as separate tasks. The statute requires the landlord to return the deposit and pay the interest due, if any, within thirty days from the termination of the tenancy, and, where the landlord withholds any part of the deposit, to deliver the written itemized statement of damages inside that same window. All three obligations share one deadline. A landlord who mails the refund on day twenty-eight but sends the itemization on day thirty-five has still failed to comply, because the itemized statement is late.

The tenant should provide a forwarding address. If the tenant does not, the landlord should mail the letter, the refund, and any interest to the last known address and keep proof of the mailing. The safest practice is to calendar thirty days from the date the tenant surrendered possession, complete the itemized accounting well before that date, and send the package by certified mail so the delivery date is provable. Waiting until the deadline is near to start pricing repairs is how landlords miss it, and a missed deadline is what exposes the landlord to the Sec. 540-A:8 remedy.

Interest Under Sec. 540-A:6

New Hampshire does not require interest on every deposit. Under Sec. 540-A:6, a landlord who holds a security deposit for one year or longer must pay the tenant interest at a rate equal to the interest paid on regular savings accounts. The statute also lets a tenant request the accrued interest every three years, thirty days before the expiration of that year’s tenancy. For a tenancy shorter than one year, no statutory interest accrues, so the interest field on the form above should stay at zero. When interest is owed, calculate it from the bank’s posted savings rate for the period the deposit was held and pay it together with the refund inside the thirty-day window. Interest is one of the most frequently overlooked New Hampshire duties, and forgetting it on a long tenancy is its own violation.

The Deposit Cap, Receipt, and Trust-Account Rules

Section 540-A:6 also governs how much a landlord may collect and how the money must be held. A landlord may not demand or receive a deposit greater than one month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater. On receiving the deposit, the landlord must forthwith deliver a signed receipt stating the amount of the deposit and the institution where it is held, with a narrow exception for personal or government checks, where written notice about documenting the unit’s condition still applies. The deposit must be held in trust for the tenant at a bank, savings and loan, or credit union, or secured by a bond posted with the town or city, and it may not be mingled with the landlord’s own money or become an asset of the landlord. Each of these front-end duties can independently ground a claim, so a landlord who wants a clean move-out starts by getting the intake right.

The Bad-Faith Remedy and the Double-Damages Penalty

The remedy is what gives the deadline its teeth. Under Sec. 540-A:8, a landlord who does not comply with Sec. 540-A:6, IV or Sec. 540-A:7 is liable to the tenant in damages equal to twice the sum of the security deposit plus any interest due, less any payments already made and any lawful charges owing. In plain terms, mishandling a fifteen-hundred-dollar deposit can expose the landlord to roughly three thousand dollars before deductions. A violation is also treated as a violation of the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act, and any agreement by which a tenant purports to waive these protections is void. The double-damages exposure is why the discipline of a timely, particular, well-documented letter pays for itself.

Permissible Deductions Under the Statute

Section 540-A:7 lets the landlord claim only defined categories. The landlord may deduct the cost of repairing damage to the premises beyond ordinary wear and tear, unpaid rent, any real estate taxes owed by the tenant under the lease, and other lawful charges that remain unpaid under the rental agreement. Each of those categories is anchored to something the tenant did or failed to do; none of them reaches ordinary aging of the unit. The written statement must indicate with particularity the nature of any repair and include satisfactory evidence, which means a description, a figure, and supporting proof for every line, not a lump sum.

What to Send With the Return Letter

A complete deposit-return package usually includes:

• The return letter itself – generated above, signed and dated.
• The refund check – for the calculated balance, plus any interest due.
• Receipts or estimates for each deduction – the satisfactory evidence Sec. 540-A:7 requires.
• The move-in and move-out condition record – it establishes baseline condition against end-of-tenancy condition.
• Dated move-out photographs – paired with the condition record.
• A copy of the lease – for any deposit or tax provisions it contains.

Send the package by certified mail with return receipt to the forwarding address, retain the mailing receipt, and keep copies of everything for at least four years, which comfortably covers New Hampshire’s window for a later written-contract dispute.

Restricted-Property and Shared-Facility Tenancies

Some New Hampshire rentals fall under RSA 540-B rather than the standard 540-A framework, for example certain owner-occupied and shared-facility arrangements. Under Sec. 540-B:10, if there is no written agreement, the deposit for such a restricted-property tenancy must be returned within twenty days after the occupant has vacated. Confirm which chapter governs the tenancy before relying on the thirty-day rule, because the shorter twenty-day deadline can apply to these arrangements.

Wear and Tear Versus Damage in New Hampshire

New Hampshire treats ordinary wear and tear as the gradual deterioration of the unit from normal use over time – faded paint, minor carpet wear in walking paths, small scuff marks near door handles, and minor nail holes from hanging pictures. Damage is harm beyond ordinary use – large holes in walls, carpet stains or burns, broken fixtures, pet urine damage, smoke damage, missing items, or deliberate alterations. Only damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, unpaid rent, real estate taxes owed by the tenant, and other lawful unpaid charges are deductible. The move-in and move-out condition records and the dated photographs are the evidence that separates one from the other, which is why a thorough move-in and move-out checklist is the upstream document that makes a defensible deduction possible. For the wider statewide rules, our New Hampshire security deposit laws guide is the companion to this letter.

The Particularity Trap

New Hampshire’s itemization standard is stricter than a bare list of numbers. Sec. 540-A:7 requires the statement to indicate with particularity the nature of any repair and to attach satisfactory evidence that the repair has been or will be completed. A landlord who writes “repairs, four hundred dollars” has not indicated the nature of the repair with particularity and has attached no evidence, so that charge is exposed even if the underlying work was real. The safe approach is to describe each item concretely – what was damaged, where, and what the repair entailed – and to staple the receipt, invoice, or labor estimate to the letter. The generator above produces a per-line itemized table so the particularity requirement is easy to meet.

Common Landlord Mistakes in New Hampshire

The most-litigated New Hampshire deposit disputes share a short list of errors:

• Missing the thirty-day deadline, which triggers the Sec. 540-A:8 double-damages remedy even when the deductions were otherwise valid.
• Mailing the refund on time but sending the itemized statement late, when both are due inside the same thirty-day window.
• Sending a lump-sum figure instead of the particular, evidenced itemization the statute requires.
• Deducting for ordinary wear and tear, which is never chargeable against the deposit.
• Forgetting interest on a deposit held one year or longer, which is its own violation.
• Collecting more than one month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater, or skipping the signed receipt and trust account under Sec. 540-A:6.

Statute and Citation Reference

The table below summarizes the key figures a New Hampshire landlord needs when preparing a return letter. Confirm the current text of the statute before you rely on any single line, because codes are amended from time to time.

Item	New Hampshire Rule	Authority
Return and interest deadline	Return the deposit and pay any interest due within 30 days of termination of the tenancy	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7
Itemization required	Written itemized list of damages, with particularity, backed by satisfactory evidence	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7
Permissible deductions	Damage beyond wear and tear, unpaid rent, real estate taxes owed by tenant, other lawful unpaid charges	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7
Deposit cap	One month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:6
Receipt and trust account	Signed receipt on collection; deposit held in trust, not commingled, or bonded	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:6
Interest requirement	Regular-savings-rate interest on a deposit held one year or longer	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:6
Damages for violation	Twice the sum of the deposit plus interest, less payments and lawful charges; CPA violation; waivers void	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:8
Restricted property	Return within 20 days after occupant vacates where no written agreement	N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-B:10

Best Practices for a Defensible New Hampshire Return

The landlords who never see a deposit dispute tend to follow the same disciplined routine. They document the unit at move-in with a dated, signed condition checklist and photographs, so there is a clear baseline, and they deliver the Sec. 540-A:6 receipt and hold the deposit in a trust account. They repeat the condition exercise at move-out, ideally with the tenant present. They collect a forwarding address before the tenant leaves and confirm the date possession was surrendered. Then they price any repairs immediately, keep every receipt, compute any interest owed on a long-held deposit, and write the itemized letter within a week or two of move-out rather than waiting for the thirty-day deadline to close in.

The letter itself should be specific, calm, and complete. It should name the parties and the property, recite the tenancy dates and the surrender date, show the original deposit and any interest, list each deduction with a particular description and an amount, show the arithmetic down to the refund balance, and state how the refund is being delivered. It should go out by certified mail with return receipt, and a signed copy should be filed with the receipts. A landlord who follows that routine has, in almost every case, taken the double-damages remedy off the table before it can ever arise, because the record shows a good-faith, itemized, timely, evidenced accounting.

Tenant Screening as Prevention

The cleanest move-outs come from tenants who were screened thoroughly at the application stage. A verifiable income, a steady payment history, and a clean eviction record are the strongest predictors of a unit returned in good condition – which means a short return letter, a full refund, and no double-damages exposure. Screening is the upstream control that keeps the deposit accounting simple. Our overview of how to screen tenants step by step walks through the process, and the broader tenant screening laws by state guide covers the rules that apply when you pull a report.

New Hampshire Security Deposit Return Letter: FAQ

What is a New Hampshire security deposit return letter?

It is the written accounting a New Hampshire landlord delivers to a departing tenant with the deposit refund and any interest due. Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7, the landlord must return the deposit and pay the interest due, if any, within thirty days of the termination of the tenancy, and must provide a written, itemized list of any damages for which the tenant is claimed liable. The letter proves the landlord met that thirty-day duty.

How many days does a New Hampshire landlord have to return the security deposit?

Thirty days. N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7 requires the landlord to return the deposit and pay the interest due, if any, within thirty days from the termination of the tenancy. For a restricted-property tenancy governed by RSA 540-B with no written agreement, Sec. 540-B:10 sets a twenty-day deadline after the occupant vacates.

Does a New Hampshire landlord have to pay interest on the deposit?

Yes, when the deposit is held for one year or longer. Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:6, a landlord who holds a security deposit for one year or longer must pay the tenant interest at a rate equal to the interest paid on regular savings accounts. A tenant may also request accrued interest every three years, thirty days before the expiration of that year’s tenancy. Deposits held under a year do not accrue statutory interest.

What happens if a New Hampshire landlord wrongfully keeps the deposit?

Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:8, a landlord who does not comply with Sec. 540-A:6, IV or Sec. 540-A:7 is liable to the tenant in damages equal to twice the sum of the security deposit plus any interest due, less any payments made and any charges lawfully owing. A violation is also treated as a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, and any tenant waiver of these rights is void.

What can a New Hampshire landlord deduct from the security deposit?

Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7, a landlord may deduct the cost of repairing damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, unpaid rent, any real estate taxes owed by the tenant under the lease, and other lawful charges remaining unpaid. The itemized list must indicate with particularity the nature of each repair and include satisfactory evidence, such as receipts, labor estimates, bills, or invoices, that the repair has been or will be completed. Ordinary wear and tear is never deductible.

Is there a security deposit cap in New Hampshire?

Yes. Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:6, a landlord may not demand or receive a deposit greater than one month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater. The deposit must be held in trust for the tenant and may not be commingled with the landlord’s own money or become an asset of the landlord.

Does New Hampshire require a deposit receipt or a separate account?

Yes. Under Sec. 540-A:6, on receiving a deposit the landlord must deliver a signed receipt stating the amount and where the deposit is held, and the deposit must be held in trust at a bank, savings and loan, or credit union, or secured by a bond, and not commingled with the landlord’s own funds. A narrow exception to the receipt applies for personal or government checks, where written notice about documenting the unit’s condition still applies.

How should a New Hampshire landlord deliver the return letter?

Send the letter, the refund, and any interest due to the tenant’s forwarding address, or to the last known address if the tenant provided none. The defensible practice is certified mail with return receipt requested, which fixes a provable delivery date inside the thirty-day window. Keep a signed copy of the letter, the itemized statement, the paid receipts, and the mailing receipt together in one file.

Related New Hampshire Deposit and Rental Guides

• New Hampshire security deposit laws – the full framework behind this letter.
• New Hampshire deposit itemization form – the line-item breakdown that backs the letter.
• New Hampshire landlord-tenant laws – the wider statutory picture for the state.
• Security deposit laws by state – compare New Hampshire to its neighbors.
• Tenant screening laws by state – screen the tenant before they move in.
• How to screen tenants – the step-by-step screening process.

Screen New Hampshire Tenants Before You Hand Over Keys

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About the Author

Published by Tenant Screening Background Check · Editorial Team

Established 2004. Our editorial team has spent two decades helping landlords and property managers run lawful, FCRA-compliant tenant screening across all 50 states. We translate state landlord-tenant codes and federal screening rules into processes you can actually follow.

Updated 2026

Legal Disclaimer

This form and guide are for general informational purposes only and are not legal advice. New Hampshire security deposit law can change, and the facts of a particular tenancy can alter the outcome; improper documentation, an unitemized claim, a missed interest payment, or a missed deadline can forfeit deductions and expose a landlord to statutory damages. Review N.H. Rev. Stat. Sec. 540-A:7 and consult a licensed New Hampshire landlord-tenant attorney before withholding any part of a deposit. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.