When people look at emergency loans
An emergency loan is usually a smaller installment loan for an urgent bill, so ask the company you owe about a payment plan first; the examples below start small and stay within New Hampshire limits.
What emergency loans can cost
These examples show how cost adds up. They are illustrative, not a quote. Your lender sets the actual rate and terms.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $500
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $48.74
- Finance charge
- $84.88
- Total of payments
- $584.88
Example: a $500 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $48.74 costs $584.88 in total, including a finance charge of $84.88. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $1,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $97.48
- Finance charge
- $169.76
- Total of payments
- $1,169.76
Example: a $1,000 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $97.48 costs $1,169.76 in total, including a finance charge of $169.76. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $3,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $292.45
- Finance charge
- $509.40
- Total of payments
- $3,509.40
Example: a $3,000 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $292.45 costs $3,509.40 in total, including a finance charge of $509.40. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
What New Hampshire law allows
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3] | Allowed | 36% APR | Up to $10,000 | At least 6 months | Small Loan Lender license | N.H. RSA 399-A:16 |
| Verified against the statute and regulator on September 23, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the regulator before you borrow. | ||||||
Bars place each APR cap on a 0 to 400% scale; the pin marks the cap. A striped bar means the statute sets no numeric cap.
The rules in full
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- "The annual percentage rate for small loans shall not exceed 36 percent" (RSA 399-A:16, I). One application fee (max $100/borrower/year) and one participation/membership fee (max $100/borrower/year) are excluded from the APR calculation. A loan with a contractual term of 6 months or longer at an APR not exceeding 36% (calculated under 399-A:16, I) is treated as a small/installment loan rather than a title or payday loan (RSA 399-A:16, VII).
- Fees
- Excluded from APR: one application fee up to $100/borrower/year and one participation/membership fee up to $100/borrower/year; actual filing/recording fees and reasonable repossession/foreclosure costs also permitted (RSA 399-A:15, XI).
- License
- Small Loan Lender license under RSA 399-A, issued by the New Hampshire Banking Department.
Full detail for every loan type: New Hampshire lending laws.
Help in New Hampshire
Rent and jobs in New Hampshire
Typical rent and the jobless rate, to weigh before a loan payment.
Other options in New Hampshire
Cheaper options to try first
Worth checking whatever your credit: these can cost less than a high-rate loan.
- Credit union payday alternative loans (PALs), capped at 28% APR under NCUA rules (12 CFR 701.21).
- Nonprofit credit counseling through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
- A payment plan from the company you owe, if you ask before you miss a payment.
- 211 for help with rent, utilities and food: call 211 or visit 211.org.
More cheaper options in New Hampshire.
Other loan types allowed in New Hampshire
Emergency loans in nearby states
- VermontAllowed 24% APR (top tier)
- MassachusettsAllowed 23% APR
- Rhode IslandAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- ConnecticutAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- MaineAllowed 30% APR (top tier)
Sources
- gc.nh.gov. N.H. RSA 399-A:17. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- gc.nh.gov. N.H. RSA 399-A:16. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- banking.nh.gov. New Hampshire Banking Department. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: New Hampshire. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), All States, Seasonally Adjusted. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
Important disclosures
APRs vary by lender and state in New Hampshire. Each lender sets its own rates and terms and must show you the APR before you sign.
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- Questions about a lender licensed in New Hampshire? Contact the New Hampshire Banking Department or file a state complaint.
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