What people use personal loans for
A personal loan is a lump sum repaid in fixed monthly payments. People use one for a larger cost they want to spread out, such as a car repair, a move, medical bills or several higher-rate debts rolled into one payment. The examples below show what larger and smaller amounts can cost within New Hampshire limits.
What personal 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
- $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.
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
- $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.
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.
- Emergency loans in New Hampshire: allowed under New Hampshire law; see its limits and license rules.
- 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.
- 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.
Personal 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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- 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.