When people look at emergency loans
An emergency loan is usually a smaller installment loan for an urgent bill, such as a shutoff notice, a car that will not start or a medical copay. Before you borrow, ask the company you owe about a payment plan. The examples below start with smaller amounts, 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 under RSA 399-A, issued by the New Hampshire Banking Department | 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
Money snapshot for New Hampshire
Other options in New Hampshire
Worth checking whatever your credit: these can cost less than a high-rate loan.
- Installment loans in New Hampshire: allowed under New Hampshire law; see its limits and license rules.
- Payday loans in New Hampshire: allowed under New Hampshire law; see its limits and license rules.
- Personal loans in New Hampshire: allowed under New Hampshire law; see its limits and license rules.
- Title loans in New Hampshire: allowed under New Hampshire law; see its limits and license rules.
- Credit union payday alternative loans (PALs). Federal credit unions may offer small loans of up to $2,000 with terms of up to 12 months and an APR no higher than 28%, under NCUA rules (12 CFR 701.21). You usually need to be a member.
- Nonprofit credit counseling. A counselor accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling can help you build a budget or a debt management plan.
- Ask your creditor for a payment plan. Utilities, hospitals and many lenders offer hardship or extended payment plans if you ask before you miss a payment.
- Local assistance. Call 211, or visit 211.org, for emergency help with rent, utilities and food 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. Census Bureau, Population Division. Vintage 2024 National and State Population Estimates. 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
Illustrative range for installment loans in New Hampshire: APRs from 5.99% to 35.99%, where the state APR cap is 36%. This range is not a quote; each lender sets its own rates. Your APR depends on your credit, income, state and the lender.
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- Short-term loans are costly and are not a long-term financial solution. Borrow only what you can repay on time.
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- Questions about a lender licensed in New Hampshire? Contact the New Hampshire Banking Department or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.