How to Look Up Eviction Records in New Hampshire 2026
Court portal, certified copy fees, and expungement laws for New Hampshire
Where to Search New Hampshire Eviction Records
Online portal: New Hampshire eCase
Certified copy fee: $0.50/page
In New Hampshire, an eviction record lives with the Circuit Court (District Division), the court that hears landlord-tenant possessory actions across the state. There is no fully searchable public eviction portal here: New Hampshire eCase exists, but online access to landlord-tenant case detail is limited, so in practice you reach most records by contacting the District Division location that handled the case in person or by written request. That makes New Hampshire a county-and-courthouse state rather than a one-click search state.
The expungement reality is just as important to understand up front. New Hampshire has no statutory right to expunge or seal an eviction record, so a filing that appears in the court file generally stays there. Certified copies cost $0.50 per page. For context on housing costs in the state, the average rent is about $1,280. Below, our team walks through how to find a record, how to read it, and what the lack of a sealing law means for both screening landlords and tenants.
How to look up a New Hampshire eviction record
Start with the court, not a search box. Because eviction cases run through the Circuit Court (District Division), you identify the specific District Division location that covers the town where the rental property sits, then request the file. New Hampshire eCase provides some electronic case information, but landlord-tenant access is limited, so a phone call, an in-person visit to the clerk's counter, or a written records request is usually the reliable path. Have the tenant's full name and, if you can, the case number or the approximate filing date ready to narrow the search. If you need a document you can rely on for screening or legal use, ask the clerk for a certified copy, which costs $0.50 per page. Uncertified viewing at the counter is generally free.
How to read what you find
The single most common mistake is treating any court entry as proof the tenant lost. A filing is not a judgment, a landlord-tenant case can be dismissed, settled, withdrawn, or decided for the tenant. Before you draw any conclusion, find the disposition: the line that records how the case actually ended. A possessory action that was dismissed or resolved in the tenant's favor says nothing negative about that renter, even though the case still appears in the file. Note who prevailed, whether a money judgment was entered, and the date. If the docket is ambiguous, ask the clerk to confirm the final outcome rather than guessing from the initial complaint. Reading the disposition correctly is the difference between an accurate screening decision and one built on an incomplete record.
Expungement and what it means for screening
New Hampshire offers no statutory eviction-record expungement or sealing. There is no dedicated process a tenant can file to wipe a landlord-tenant case from the court record, which means these filings tend to remain visible long after the matter is over. For landlords, that permanence does not lift your federal duties. Tenant-screening reports are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): you must use a record for a permissible purpose, give the applicant proper adverse-action notice if a report drives a denial, and let them dispute inaccuracies. Screening companies also have their own reporting-age limits. The pivotal caution stands regardless of the missing sealing law: do not deny an applicant on a filing alone, confirm the disposition first, because acting on a dismissed or pending case invites both a bad hire and a fair-housing complaint.
The tenant's side: limiting the damage
Because New Hampshire gives tenants no sealing or expungement remedy for eviction cases, the practical strategy is to manage the record rather than erase it. If a case was dismissed, withdrawn, or decided in your favor, get a certified copy of that disposition ($0.50 per page) so you can show a prospective landlord the outcome rather than letting the bare filing speak for you. If anything in the file is inaccurate, you can dispute the entry with the screening company under the FCRA and ask the Circuit Court (District Division) clerk to confirm the correct disposition. Keeping your own copy of the final order is the strongest defense when a future landlord pulls a report, since the underlying court record will not disappear on its own.
Step-by-Step: How to Search New Hampshire Eviction Records
- Go to New Hampshire eCase. Open https://www.courts.nh.gov in your browser.
- Search by party name. Enter the prospective tenant's full legal name (last name, first name) as a defendant/respondent. Try name variations including maiden names.
- Filter by case type. Select eviction, forcible detainer, unlawful detainer, or summary possession as the case type depending on the court's terminology.
- Review the disposition. Identify whether the case resulted in a judgment for the landlord (eviction), dismissal (tenant won or case settled), or is still pending. A filing alone does not mean the tenant was evicted.
- Check the filing date. Consider how old the record is, most tenant-screening best practices recommend discounting records older than 5-7 years.
- Request certified copies if needed. For a certified copy of the court record, contact the Circuit Court (District Division) clerk's office directly. Fees are typically $0.50/page.
This page was prepared by the Eviction Risk Map research team using public information from the New Hampshire Judicial Branch and its Circuit Court (District Division), which administers landlord-tenant cases statewide; New Hampshire has no eviction-record expungement statute, so none is cited. Last reviewed June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice, consult a New Hampshire attorney or the court clerk for guidance on a specific case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up an eviction record in New Hampshire?
Eviction (landlord-tenant) cases are handled by the Circuit Court (District Division). Identify the District Division location covering the property's town and request the file in person, by phone, or by written request. New Hampshire eCase offers some electronic information, but landlord-tenant access is limited, so contacting the clerk is the most reliable route. Bring the tenant's full name and, ideally, the case number or filing date.
Are New Hampshire eviction records public?
Yes. Landlord-tenant case files at the Circuit Court (District Division) are generally public records, and there is no statutory sealing right to remove them. However, online access through New Hampshire eCase is limited, so the public nature of a record often means viewing it at the courthouse counter rather than searching it fully online.
Can a tenant expunge an eviction record in New Hampshire?
No. New Hampshire has no statutory eviction-record expungement or sealing process, so an eviction filing generally remains in the court record. A tenant's best option is to obtain a certified copy of a favorable disposition (a dismissal or a decision in their favor) to show prospective landlords, and to dispute any inaccurate entry with the screening company under the FCRA.
How much does a certified copy of a New Hampshire eviction record cost?
Certified copies from the Circuit Court (District Division) cost $0.50 per page. Viewing a file at the clerk's counter is generally free; the fee applies when you need a certified document for screening, legal, or recordkeeping purposes.
Related New Hampshire Landlord Guides
Court portal information sourced from the New Hampshire court administrative office official website. Expungement laws from published New Hampshire statutes (see citations above). Last updated August 28, 2026. For informational purposes only, not legal advice.