New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate: Usury Laws and Legal Limits — Best Proven Guide (2026)

New Hampshire maximum interest rate is the answer to “maximum interest rate allowed by law in New Hampshire”. This guide gives the New Hampshire figures in a dated table, explains in plain words what they mean, walks through the steps, and points to the official forms and free help.

The New Hampshire maximum interest rate figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and New Hampshire sources as of October 2026; the statute named here is where to check them yourself.

What the New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate Means

Usury means charging more interest than the law allows. In New Hampshire, the legal rate is a default: it applies only when a debt carries interest but the parties never agreed on a rate. New Hampshire has no general cap for written contracts. Instead, it sets specific limits for certain licensed loans, such as payday and title loans.

The New Hampshire maximum interest rate Figures

The New Hampshire maximum interest rate figures on this page were verified against a dated 50-state compilation and New Hampshire sources as of October 2026; the statute named here is where to check them yourself.

Who the New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate Applies To

The default legal rate mainly matters for informal debts and agreements where no rate was written down. Banks chartered in other states and national banks generally follow their home-state or federal rules, not New Hampshire limits. Small loan, payday and title lenders must be licensed under RSA 399-A, which sets their rate limits.

Credit cards are usually issued by out-of-state or national banks, so New Hampshire rate limits generally do not apply to them.

Credit Cards and the New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate

Most credit cards come from national banks or banks chartered in other states. Federal law (12 U.S.C. § 85) lets a national bank charge the interest allowed in its home state to borrowers anywhere in the country. That is why a card rate can be legal even when it is far above a rate New Hampshire would allow for a local loan.

What Happens When a Lender Breaks the New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate

Under RSA 399-A:23, if a licensed lender charges more than the chapter allows, the loan contract is generally void and the lender may not collect any interest or charges. An exception exists for accidental or bona fide errors. The Banking Commissioner can order refunds to borrowers, issue cease-and-desist orders and impose administrative fines. Confirm the current remedies with the statute, the court clerk or an attorney.

How to Check a Loan Against the New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate

1) Find the APR on your loan agreement or Truth in Lending disclosure. 2) If no APR is listed, add up the total interest and fees, divide by the amount borrowed, and convert that to a yearly figure. 3) Identify the loan type (payday, title, small loan, bank loan or card). 4) Compare it with the limit for that loan type under RSA 399-A.

5) Check that the lender holds a New Hampshire Banking Department license.

Where to Report a Loan Above the New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate

The New Hampshire Banking Department’s Consumer Credit Division licenses small loan, payday and title lenders. The Department takes written complaints at 53 Regional Drive, Suite 200, Concord, NH 03301, phone (603) 271-3561. You may also file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.

Common Mistakes With New Hampshire maximum interest rate

The most common mistake is missing a deadline: court and creditor deadlines run whether or not you have read the papers, and a missed one usually cannot be undone. The second is relying on an old article or a friend’s experience in another state — the rules on this page differ from state to state and change often, which is why every figure here is dated.

The third is not keeping copies: every letter, form, receipt and bank statement may matter later, so keep them together and note the date you received each one.

Free Help With New Hampshire maximum interest rate in New Hampshire

You do not have to handle this alone or pay to get answers. The New Hampshire court self-help center explains the forms and the steps, and court clerks can tell you where and how to file, although they cannot give legal advice.

Legal aid organizations represent many people at no cost when income is limited, and the New Hampshire bar’s lawyer referral service can connect you with a lawyer for a low-cost first consultation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints about lenders, banks and debt collectors nationwide.

How We Verify the New Hampshire maximum interest rate Figures

Every figure in the table above comes from our 50-state data file, built by reading the New Hampshire statute or an official compilation of it, and each one carries the month we last checked it. Our writers do not change those figures; they explain them. When the law changes, the figure is updated and the date moves.

If something on this page no longer matches the statute, the statute controls — and we want to hear about it.

Under RSA 399-A:17, payday loans are capped at a 36 percent APR, interest only, with no other fees allowed. Since January 1, 2016, RSA 399-A:18 has capped title loans at 25 percent per month, plus the lender’s actual costs of perfecting the lien. The same section bars a new title loan to anyone who had a payday or title loan in the previous 60 days.

Loans with a term of 6 months or more and an APR of 36 percent or less are not treated as payday or title loans.

Next rung: the New Hampshire payday loan page covers the short-term loans that have their own caps.

New Hampshire Maximum Interest Rate FAQ

What is the maximum interest rate allowed by law in New Hampshire?

Without an agreement: 10% per year. In a written contract: written contracts may set other rates.

Official New Hampshire Sources & Resources

• Statute and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors 50-state usury survey (verified by each state regulator) — maximum legal interest rate: https://www.csbs.org/50-state-survey-consumer-finance-laws
• Statute and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors 50-state usury survey (verified by each state regulator) — maximum legal interest rate: https://facts.csbs.org/consumer-finance-law/dev
• New Hampshire statute / opinion: https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXVII/336/336-1.htm
• New Hampshire Banking Department – Consumer Complaints: https://www.banking.nh.gov/consumer-assistance/consumer-complaints
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov

This New Hampshire maximum interest rate guide was last verified against official New Hampshire sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current rule with the statute or a licensed attorney.

More New Hampshire Money Rights Guides

• New Hampshire Payday Loan Laws
• New Hampshire Judgment Expiration
• Money Rights Guides for All 50 States

Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Bonus Bank Daily is an independent educational resource — not a law firm, not a bank, not a debt collector and not a government agency. Judgment, levy, interest-rate and debt rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it.

Confirm the current rule with the statute, the court clerk or a licensed attorney in your state before you act.