Guide
Where to Look in New Hampshire
Most New Hampshire records sit with the towns and counties, so a search usually goes from the town clerk or assessor to the county registry of deeds and then to the court for that county. These six state offices help at each step.
- LUCIE, New Hampshire Judicial BranchFree account search of Circuit and Superior Court cases
- Secretary of State QuickStart business searchCorporations, LLCs and trade names with registered agents
- NH Department of Corrections inmate locatorPeople now held in New Hampshire state prisons
- NH State Police Sex Offender RegistryRegistered offenders living, working or studying in New Hampshire
- County Registry of Deeds, NH.govLinks to the registry of deeds of each of the 10 counties
- Division of Vital Records AdministrationBirth, marriage, divorce and death records and who may order them
Guide
About New Hampshire Public Records
New Hampshire's main public records law is the Right-to-Know Law, RSA Chapter 91-A, passed in 1967. An agency must answer a records request within five business days.
Transparency is further enshrined in the New Hampshire Constitution, specifically Part I, Article 8, which guarantees the public's right to government accountability. However, the state balances this with strong privacy leanings. For instance, New Hampshire has never adopted Marsy's Law via constitutional amendment; instead, victim rights are managed strictly through statute (RSA Ch. 21-M:8-k).
New Hampshire keeps many records at the town level. Property assessments and local copies of vital records are kept by its 234 towns and cities, while deeds and the courts are organized by its 10 counties.
Guide
Official New Hampshire State Sources
The state business search is linked in Where to Look; professional licenses are checked with the OPLC.
The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) runs about 50 professional boards, so its license lookup can confirm where a person works.
Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC)
Guide
New Hampshire Court Records
The New Hampshire Judicial Branch has three levels: the Supreme Court, the Superior Court (felonies, major civil cases and jury trials) and the Circuit Court, which since July 2011 combines the former District, Family and Probate courts.
There are no county court clerks: Superior Court clerks are state employees assigned to each county.
LUCIE, linked in Where to Look, lets the public search non-confidential electronically filed cases: civil, small claims, name change and estate cases in the Circuit Court and civil and criminal cases in the Superior Court. Other case documents can be seen at public kiosks in the courthouses.
For federal cases, researchers must use PACER. New Hampshire has only one federal district (the District of New Hampshire), located entirely in Concord. Appeals go to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.
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Property and Tax Records in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no general income tax or broad sales tax, so towns rely on the property tax, and property is assessed by the 234 towns and cities, not by the counties.
Deeds, mortgages and liens are recorded by the 10 county registries of deeds, so a property search uses both the town and the county.
To find tax cards and property valuations, do not search the county. Instead, identify the specific town and look for their municipal assessor portal. Most NH towns contract with third-party vendors like Axis GIS or Vision Government Solutions (VGSI) to host their public tax databases online.
Guide
Business and Licensing Records
In addition to the OPLC mentioned above, several independent agencies govern specific financial and legal professions. The New Hampshire Bar Association maintains the directory of licensed attorneys, while the state's Banking Department and Insurance Department handle corporate compliance for financial institutions.
Because there is no personal income tax, many people from other states form New Hampshire LLCs, so the QuickStart business search, linked in Where to Look, often shows who stands behind a company.
Guide
Corrections and Inmate Records
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections runs the State Prison for Men and the Correctional Facility for Women in Concord and the Northern NH Correctional Facility in Berlin. The Lakes Region Facility in Laconia closed in 2009.
People serving short sentences or awaiting trial are held in the 10 county jails (houses of correction). Federal prisoners, including those at FCI Berlin, are listed in the Bureau of Prisons locator.
Guide
Vital Records (Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce)
New Hampshire maintains a strict, closed vital records system. The Division of Vital Records Administration (DVRA) in Concord manages the centralized state database, but local Town and City Clerks hold duplicate original records.
The state requires requesters to prove a "direct and tangible interest" to access these documents. This means the general public cannot randomly pull someone's birth or death certificate.
Birth records in New Hampshire only become public 100 years after the event. Death, marriage, and divorce records become public after 50 years. Any record newer than these thresholds is strictly embargoed to family members and legal representatives.
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Voter and Campaign Finance Records
New Hampshire holds the first presidential primary, and the Secretary of State publishes disclosure records for state candidates, political committees and lobbyists.
Voter registration data is more restricted than in many states. Campaigns and parties can buy voter lists, but the public cannot search them; registration is done with the town or city clerk. You can check your own registration on the state lookup.
Guide
Archives, Genealogy, and Obituary Resources
The New Hampshire State Archives in Concord holds government records back to the 1600s, and the New Hampshire Historical Society, a private society, has a large genealogy collection.
Early New Hampshire families are often found in Massachusetts Bay Colony records, and the Milne Special Collections of the University of New Hampshire hold local histories and town reports.
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County and City Resources
The counties that come up most often:
Hillsborough: The largest county, containing the state's population centers (Manchester and Nashua). It has two Superior Courts (North and South).
Rockingham: the Seacoast region (Portsmouth, Exeter, Salem, Derry), where many people commute to Massachusetts.
Merrimack: Anchored by Concord, the state capital and hub of state-level records.
Strafford: Dover and Rochester, and the University of New Hampshire in Durham.
Grafton & Cheshire: The western flank. Grafton hosts Dartmouth College (Hanover), while Cheshire centers on Keene.
Coos: the thinly settled North Country (Berlin, Lancaster, Colebrook), the most rural county.
Belknap and Carroll: the Lakes Region and White Mountains, with many seasonal homes owned by people who live in other states.
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People Search Tips for New Hampshire
When searching for individuals in New Hampshire, researchers must account for the state's distinct economic geography. Because New Hampshire lacks an income tax, there is a heavy phenomenon of "tax migration", individuals claiming NH residency while maintaining businesses or primary ties in high-tax neighboring states like Massachusetts.
This creates a predictable cross-border research pattern. If a subject lives in Salem or Nashua, investigators should instinctively check Massachusetts court and property records (Middlesex and Essex counties particularly) for business filings and litigation.
Also, because the "Town Meeting" form of government dominates (often utilizing the SB2 alternative ballot system), municipal meeting minutes frequently contain extensive public debates regarding zoning, property boundaries, and local disputes, naming local citizens frequently.
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Privacy and Legal Framework
The New Hampshire Data Privacy Act (RSA 507-H) took effect on January 1, 2025. It sets rules for how businesses handle personal data, is enforced by the Attorney General and does not close public records.
Public records follow the Right-to-Know Law, which opens government records but shields certain personal details, above all in vital records.
Straight answers
New Hampshire People Search, questions
Can I look up New Hampshire court cases online?
Yes. LUCIE, the New Hampshire Judicial Branch portal, covers Superior Court criminal and civil cases except domestic violence, plus non-confidential e-filed Circuit Court civil, small claims, name change and estate cases. The Branch says not to use it for background checks.
How do I order a New Hampshire court record check?
For a fee, the Judicial Branch Central Processing Center runs an electronic records check of the New Hampshire trial courts. Results come as case summaries, an index of a case that is not the official court record.
Can I get another person's New Hampshire criminal record?
The State Police Criminal Records Unit releases public conviction history from the central repository to anyone who asks and pays the fee. Non-conviction data goes only to law enforcement or the person on the record.
How do I find someone in a New Hampshire state prison?
Use the Department of Corrections Inmate Locator. Its data comes from the DOC Offender Records Office in Concord and shows active sentencing information by the statute under which the person was convicted.
Does the New Hampshire sex offender registry list everyone registered?
No. The Department of Safety public registry is a public record but not the entire list of registered offenders. Questions go to the local police or New Hampshire State Police Sexual Offender Registration at (603) 223-3870.
Who can order a New Hampshire death certificate?
Only people with a direct and tangible interest in the record. Apply to the Division of Vital Records Administration or any of the 234 city and town clerks. The search fee is $15 and is charged whether or not a record is found.
Are old New Hampshire death, marriage and divorce records public?
Yes, once they are old enough. New Hampshire vital records are private by statute, but death, marriage and divorce records more than 50 years old and birth records more than 100 years old are in the public domain.
Can I see the New Hampshire voter list for my town?
Yes. Under RSA 654:31, each town or city public checklist is open for examination by any person before an election. The supervisors of the checklist or the clerk must furnish a paper or electronic copy to anyone who asks.