New Hampshire at a glance
- Personal loansAllowed 36% APR
- Installment loansAllowed 36% APR
- Emergency loansAllowed 36% APR
- Payday loansAllowed 36% APR
- Title loansAllowed Cap set in statute
Loan options in New Hampshire
Every loan type we cover is listed, including the ones New Hampshire law does not allow, so you can see why and what else can work.
- Personal loansAllowedA lump sum you repay in fixed monthly payments. See what your state allows and what a loan can cost.
- Installment loansAllowedFixed payments over months, not weeks. See your state's rate limits and a worked cost example.
- Emergency loansAllowedMoney for an urgent bill, usually a smaller installment loan. Check your state's limits before you borrow.
- Payday loansAllowedA short loan usually due in one payment on your next payday. Allowed in fewer states, so read the fee limits first.
- Title loansAllowedA loan secured by your car title. Allowed in fewer states, and your car is at risk if you cannot repay.
Other ways to borrow
- Credit union payday alternative loans: small loans from federal credit unions with an APR capped at 28% under NCUA rules. (12 CFR 701.21)
- Credit-builder loans: a small loan held in savings while you pay it off, which can help build a payment history.
- Secured credit cards: a card backed by a deposit you make, which can help build credit when you pay on time.
- Payment plans: many utilities, hospitals and lenders offer hardship plans if you ask before you miss a payment.
What a loan can cost in New Hampshire
Worked examples at an illustrative rate, never above New Hampshire's rate cap for that loan amount where the law sets one. They are examples, not quotes.
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.
Resources in New Hampshire
Free and low-cost places to turn in New Hampshire, each linked to its official source and dated when we last checked it.
Lending regulator and complaints
New Hampshire Banking Department licenses lenders in New Hampshire. Check a lender's license here, and file a complaint if something goes wrong.
Check a lender's license File a complaint
banking.nh.gov Checked September 23, 2026
211
Call 211 or visit your local 211 site to reach help with rent, utilities, food and other urgent bills.
211nh.org Checked September 23, 2026
Legal aid
Free civil legal help for people with low incomes, including debt collection, repossession and eviction problems. Income limits vary.
nhla.org Checked September 23, 2026
Nonprofit credit counseling
Nonprofit counselors can help you build a budget or set up a debt management plan. Look for an NFCC or FCAA member agency.
nfcc.org Checked September 23, 2026
Federal complaints
Submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Submit a complaint to the CFPB
consumerfinance.gov Checked September 23, 2026 Available in Spanish
More New Hampshire resources appear here as we check each source.
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). 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.
The rules lenders follow in New Hampshire
These rules protect you as a borrower and explain the labels above. Each one links to the source we took it from. How we research state rules.
Allowed in New Hampshire: installment and personal loans, title loans and payday loans.
| 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 |
| Title loans[1][3] | Allowed | Cap set in statute | Not set by statute | Up to 30 days | Title Loan Lender license under RSA 399-A, issued by the New Hampshire Banking Department | N.H. RSA 399-A:18; RSA 399-A:19 |
| Payday loans[1][3] | Allowed | 36% APR | Up to $500 | 7 days to 30 days | Payday Loan Lender license under RSA 399-A, issued by the New Hampshire Banking Department | N.H. RSA 399-A:17 |
| 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.
Rate, fee and license rules in New Hampshire
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.
Title loans
- Rate cap
- Title loans may not "charge interest at higher than 25 percent per month" (RSA 399-A:18, I(f)), i.e., a maximum of 300% simple annualized nominal rate before considering fee-inclusive APR conventions; this is a monthly rate cap, not the 36% annual cap that applies to small and payday loans.
- Fees
- One dishonored-check fee per check permitted; actual pass-through costs (e.g., repossession) allowed (RSA 399-A:18, I(a)).
- License
- Title Loan Lender license under RSA 399-A, issued by the New Hampshire Banking Department.
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- "The annual percentage rate for payday loans shall not exceed 36 percent" (RSA 399-A:17, I).
- Fees
- "No other charges or fees shall apply to or be collected on payday loans" beyond interest within the 36% APR cap (RSA 399-A:17, II).
- License
- Payday Loan Lender license under RSA 399-A, issued by the New Hampshire Banking Department.
Money snapshot for New Hampshire
Guides for New Hampshire borrowers
Check your options in New Hampshire
New Hampshire questions
Does New Hampshire law allow payday loans?
New Hampshire law allows payday loans. The cost limit is 36% APR. Source: N.H. RSA 399-A:17.
What is the most a lender can charge in New Hampshire?
By loan type in New Hampshire: Installment and personal loans: 36% APR. Title loans: Cap set in statute. Payday loans: 36% APR.
Where can I file a complaint about a lender in New Hampshire?
You can file a complaint with New Hampshire Banking Department, and you can also submit one to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both links are under Resources in New Hampshire on this page.
How do I check a lender's license in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire Banking Department licenses lenders in New Hampshire. Use the license link under Resources in New Hampshire on this page to check a lender before you share your information.
Is there free help paying bills in New Hampshire?
Yes. Resources in New Hampshire on this page lists free help, including 211, legal aid and nonprofit credit counseling.
Can I get a loan in New Hampshire with a 500 credit score?
Lenders look at more than your score, such as income and existing debts, and each sets its own rules. BadCreditMD cannot tell you whether a lender will approve you.
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.