Service of process in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, civil process is governed primarily by RSA chapter 510, which provides that writs are served by giving an attested copy to the defendant or leaving it at the defendant's abode. Service is most often made by a sheriff or deputy, though a disinterested person who is at least 18 and not a party may also serve. New Hampshire does not license process servers and, as of June 2026, has not adopted the UIDDA.
ProcessServerState provides procedural-information-only summaries of state process-server rules. This is not legal advice. Service of process is a critical step in litigation — if you fail to serve correctly, your case can be dismissed. For complex or contested matters, consult a licensed attorney or a court self-help center. Not affiliated with any court or sheriff's office.
Is a license required in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire does not license or register process servers. Service is commonly performed by a sheriff or deputy, but a disinterested non-party adult 18+ may also serve.
Who may serve process in New Hampshire?
- County sheriff
- Any non-party adult (18+)
- Certified / registered mail
- Publication (by court order)
Service deadline (New Hampshire)
No fixed statewide day-count from filing; under RSA ch. 510 and the court-issued summons, process must be served by the return day stated on the summons. The operative deadline is the return day printed on each summons rather than a single statewide number of days.
UIDDA: New Hampshire has not adopted the UIDDA; out-of-state subpoenas follow a non-UIDDA process.
Sheriff / Marshal civil-process route
Civil-process fees are set by each county and listed on the local sheriff's civil-process page. Not all counties publish a fee schedule — confirm with the county where service will be made.
Statute / Rule citation
N.H. RSA ch. 510 (Service of Writs); N.H. Super. Ct. Civ. R. 4
Verification notes for New Hampshire: the following could not be fully primary-source-confirmed in our last pass and should be verified against the cited source before you rely on them:
- daysToServe (return-day system; no fixed statewide day-count)
Interstate service from New Hampshire
New Hampshire has not adopted the UIDDA. Out-of-state subpoenas are domesticated through a non-UIDDA process, and service of an initial summons across state lines follows the receiving state's rules.
Sources for New Hampshire
Other states with no license requirement
Check a different state
Verified against New Hampshire primary sources on June 16, 2026. Read how we verify on our methodology page, or browse every citation in the source manifest.
Editorial review status: Reviewer attribution pending — we are recruiting a credentialed reviewer (ex-process-server with a NAPPS credential, or a NALA/NFPA-certified civil-procedure paralegal) before this site applies for advertising. We will not display a fabricated reviewer.
ProcessServerState provides procedural-information-only summaries of state process-server rules. This is not legal advice. Service of process is a critical step in litigation — if you fail to serve correctly, your case can be dismissed. For complex or contested matters, consult a licensed attorney or a court self-help center. Not affiliated with any court or sheriff's office.