Divorce in New Hampshire, start to finish
See a different stateNew Hampshire
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New Hampshire gives you the forms for free. What it doesn’t give you is the order, the Child Impact Program deadline that sneaks up on people with kids, the traps that get a case delayed before it starts, or anyone to tell you which path you’re actually on. That’s this.
Put in the day you filed and this page works out every deadline in your case, then hands you a calendar file that reminds you a week before each one and again the day before. It opens in the calendar you already use. Free, no account, nothing stored.
Which forms do you actually need?
Your route and its conditions, the forms grouped by route, how filing actually works in New Hampshire, and the sequence with its costs.
First, which route you are on. Each one opens to the conditions the rule actually sets.
Joint Petition for Divorce
Family Division Rule 2.29(A)
Available only where all of these are true:
- Both spouses sign a Joint Petition together.
- Property and debts are already agreed — and, where there are minor children, a parenting plan and support are agreed too.
- Neither spouse is asking for alimony.
Petition for Divorce
Family Division Rules 2.5 and 2.6
This is the route wherever any of these is true:
- A spouse will need to be formally notified rather than signing on jointly.
- Property and debts are not yet agreed.
- Either spouse is asking for alimony.
Grouped exactly as New Hampshire labels them, and nothing is added. Every one links to the official PDF.
All 12 forms
- NHJB-2077-F — Personal Data Sheet — filed with every initial petition
- NHJB-3248-F — Checklist for Rule 1.25-A Mandatory Disclosure — not filed; it keeps you organized
- NHJB-2068-F — Child Impact Program Notice to Parents — where there are minor children
- NHJB-2660-DFP — UCCJEA Affidavit — where there are minor children and the petition does not already collect this custody-jurisdiction information
- NHJB-2064-F — Parenting Plan — where there are minor children
- NHJB-2101-FP — Child Support Guidelines Worksheet — where there are minor children
- NHJB-2066-FP — Uniform Support Order — where there are minor children
- NHJB-2065-F — Financial Affidavit — one from each spouse
- VS-14A — Vital Statistics Form — required for any divorce, legal separation, civil union dissolution or annulment to be final
- NHJB-2071-F — Final Decree on Divorce or Legal Separation
- NHJB-2205-F — Request for Certified Copy of Divorce Decree or Vital Statistics — after the case is final
- NHJB-3234-DFP-B — Motion to Reduce or Eliminate Filing Fees and/or Costs — only where a fee waiver is requested
Joint Petition 1 form
- NHJB-2058-F — Joint Petition for Divorce
Petition 5 forms
- NHJB-2057-F — Petition for Divorce — the other spouse must be formally notified
- NHJB-3058-F — Uniform Alimony Order — where alimony is requested
- NHJB-2072-F — Temporary Decree on Divorce or Legal Separation — only where orders are needed before the case is final
- NHJB-2200-DFPS — Affidavit as to Military Service — required before a default hearing can be set
- NHJB-2198-F — Affidavit of Non-Cohabitation — required before a default hearing can be set
New Hampshire does not let you e-file this yourself
The checklist is not something you file. It is your worktable — what to do, in what order, and what it costs. The forms are what reaches the court, and this is how they get there in New Hampshire.
- Portal
- Odyssey File & Serve (Superior Court and some Circuit Court case types); TurboCourt (Circuit Court self-represented / non-attorney filers)
- Paper
- Required of you. Divorce is a paper case type in the Circuit Court Family Division.
- What it costs
- Nothing to you, because you cannot use it for a divorce.
- Account
- For the case types that are e-filed, yes — a TurboCourt or Odyssey account. Not applicable to a divorce petition, which is filed on paper with the Circuit Court Family Division.
- Worth knowing
- As of this research, divorce/parenting petitions in the NH Circuit Court Family Division are not listed among the case types that are e-filed. The Family Division divorce pages describe filing a Petition for Divorce or Joint Petition for Divorce together with a Personal Data Sheet, and describe serving the other spouse by courthouse pickup, certified mail, or sheriff — i.e., a paper-forms process. The judiciary's own electronic services page lists the Circuit Court case types that may be e-filed — small claims, guardianships, wills and estates, name changes, civil complaints and civil other — and states that 'Electronic Filing should ONLY occur in the following case types. ALL other case types remain as paper files for which ONLY paper pleadings are accepted.' Divorce and parenting are not on that list.
Each step with the forms it names and the money it costs. The full detail of every step is in the section below. Print this part.
| # | Step | Forms it names | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirm residency | None named | — |
| 2 | File your petition packet | None named | $280, · $2 · $30 |
| 3 | Get your spouse notified 15 days to file Appearance | None named | — |
| 4 | Exchange mandatory disclosure 45 days | None named | — |
| 5 | Register for the Child Impact Program 45 days, but see below | None named | $85 |
| 6 | Attend First Appearance within 30 days of service | None named | — |
| 7 | Mediation | None named | — |
| 8 | File what completes your divorce | None named | — |
| 9 | Final hearing and decree | None named | — |
| 10 | Know your effective date | None named | — |
Every figure here is this page’s own, from the costs section below. A fee waiver application is free to file and is listed with the forms above.
| Entry fee — Original Entry of Marital Matters (Rule 1.3(C)(1), statewide flat fee) | $280.00 |
| Additional fee if minor children are involved (Rule 1.3(M)) | $2.00 |
| Electronic filing surcharge, only if you e-file (Rule 1.3(R)) | $30.00 |
| Child Impact Program, per parent, if you have minor children (RSA 458-D) | $85.00 |
| Service of process, if filing individually — sheriff or process server | check with the sheriff’s office in your county |
| Certified copy of your final decree, after your case is final (Rule 1.3(D)(2)) | $40.00 |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested | $320–$492 |
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- The two routes, and what the rule requires — New Hampshire does not have a named “fast track” the way some states do — but a joint, fully agreed filing moves very differently from one where a spouse has to be tracked down and notified.
- Every form New Hampshire publishes for a divorce — Every one is free from the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, pulled straight from the current NHJB form library.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Every New Hampshire family form is free, and self-represented filing is completely normal here — the Circuit Court's Family Division sees it every day.
- Your deadlines, calculated — Most of New Hampshire's clocks run from the date your spouse was served — not the date you filed.
- The order it actually happens in — Wait until day 40 to register for a four-hour class with limited scheduling and you'll walk into First Appearance without a certificate — which can delay your case or expose you to sanctions, including contempt.
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Your mandatory disclosure documents under Rule 1.25-A go directly to your spouse — nothing on that list gets filed with the court unless a dispute forces it into the record.
- Mandatory disclosure — what Rule 1.25-A requires — Due within 45 days of service, or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever comes first.
- What this costs — File NHJB-3234-DFP-B, Motion to Reduce or Eliminate Filing Fees and/or Costs, along with a Financial Affidavit.
In this subject 8
1 · The two routes, and what the rule requires
The short version8 points · tap one to jump to it
- The two routes, and what the rule requires — New Hampshire does not have a named “fast track” the way some states do — but a joint, fully agreed filing moves very differently from one where a spouse has to be tracked down and notified.
- Every form New Hampshire publishes for a divorce — Every one is free from the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, pulled straight from the current NHJB form library.
- Getting the forms and filling them in — Every New Hampshire family form is free, and self-represented filing is completely normal here — the Circuit Court's Family Division sees it every day.
- Your deadlines, calculated — Most of New Hampshire's clocks run from the date your spouse was served — not the date you filed.
- The order it actually happens in — Wait until day 40 to register for a four-hour class with limited scheduling and you'll walk into First Appearance without a certificate — which can delay your case or expose you to sanctions, including contempt.
- The rejection-proofing checklist — Your mandatory disclosure documents under Rule 1.25-A go directly to your spouse — nothing on that list gets filed with the court unless a dispute forces it into the record.
- Mandatory disclosure — what Rule 1.25-A requires — Due within 45 days of service, or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever comes first.
- What this costs — File NHJB-3234-DFP-B, Motion to Reduce or Eliminate Filing Fees and/or Costs, along with a Financial Affidavit.
In this subject 8
New Hampshire does not have a named “fast track” the way some states do — but a joint, fully agreed filing moves very differently from one where a spouse has to be tracked down and notified. Which petition gets filed decides which of the two form sets applies, so getting it straight first saves a wasted filing fee and a confused clerk.
Residency comes first. RSA 458:5 requires that, on the day of filing, either both spouses live in New Hampshire, or the petitioner lives here and the other spouse can be personally served here, or the petitioner has been domiciled here for a full year before filing.
Joint Petition for Divorce
Family Division Rule 2.29(A)
Both spouses sign one petition, NHJB-2058-F. There is no formal service and no one to default.
Available only where all of these are true:
- Both spouses sign a Joint Petition together.
- Property and debts are already agreed — and, where there are minor children, a parenting plan and support are agreed too.
- Neither spouse is asking for alimony.
Under Family Division Rule 2.29(A), once a judge signs the decree with the permanent agreement attached, it is effective that same day — no extra waiting period. Where there are minor children, the Child Impact Program, the First Appearance, and a Parenting Plan still apply, joint filing or not.
Petition for Divorce
Family Division Rules 2.5 and 2.6
One spouse files NHJB-2057-F and the other must be formally notified. Being on this route does not mean contested — most standard-path New Hampshire divorces are still entirely uncontested and self-represented. It means the notice, Appearance and disclosure machinery in Section 5 applies.
This is the route wherever any of these is true:
- A spouse will need to be formally notified rather than signing on jointly.
- Property and debts are not yet agreed.
- Either spouse is asking for alimony.
A cooperative spouse can accept the papers at the clerk’s office or by certified mail instead of a sheriff being paid — but the 15-day Appearance clock (Rule 2.5) starts the moment they are notified. Where a spouse does not respond at all, the default process (Rule 2.6) allows a hearing to be requested no sooner than 30 days after the written request — and only once the military affidavit, vital statistics form, non-cohabitation affidavit, proposed decree, parenting plan where applicable, and a current financial affidavit have all been filed.
2 · Every form New Hampshire publishes for a divorce
The complete list for both routes, not a shortlist — because which forms a case needs depends on facts only you and, if you need one, your lawyer can weigh. Each row says which route it belongs to. Every one is free from the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, pulled straight from the current NHJB form library.
The Cusp is not a law firm and cannot tell you which forms are right for your case. Everything here is general information about how New Hampshire handles divorce, and every form below is published free by New Hampshire itself — you do not have to buy anything from anyone to get them. If your situation is not straightforward, a consultation with a New Hampshire family lawyer costs far less than fixing a filing that went wrong.
| Form | What it is | Route | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHJB-2058-F | Joint Petition for Divorce | Joint Petition | Download |
| NHJB-2057-F | Petition for Divorce — the other spouse must be formally notified | Petition | Download |
| NHJB-2077-F | Personal Data Sheet — filed with every initial petition | All | Download |
| NHJB-3248-F | Checklist for Rule 1.25-A Mandatory Disclosure — not filed; it keeps you organized | All | Download |
| NHJB-2068-F | Child Impact Program Notice to Parents — where there are minor children | All | Download |
| NHJB-2660-DFP | UCCJEA Affidavit — where there are minor children and the petition does not already collect this custody-jurisdiction information | All | Download |
| NHJB-2064-F | Parenting Plan — where there are minor children | All | Download |
| NHJB-2101-FP | Child Support Guidelines Worksheet — where there are minor children | All | Download |
| NHJB-2066-FP | Uniform Support Order — where there are minor children | All | Download |
| NHJB-2065-F | Financial Affidavit — one from each spouse | All | Download |
| NHJB-3058-F | Uniform Alimony Order — where alimony is requested | Petition | Download |
| NHJB-2072-F | Temporary Decree on Divorce or Legal Separation — only where orders are needed before the case is final | Petition | Download |
| NHJB-2200-DFPS | Affidavit as to Military Service — required before a default hearing can be set | Petition | Download |
| NHJB-2198-F | Affidavit of Non-Cohabitation — required before a default hearing can be set | Petition | Download |
| VS-14A | Vital Statistics Form — required for any divorce, legal separation, civil union dissolution or annulment to be final | All | Download |
| NHJB-2071-F | Final Decree on Divorce or Legal Separation | All | Download |
| NHJB-2205-F | Request for Certified Copy of Divorce Decree or Vital Statistics — after the case is final | All | Download |
| NHJB-3234-DFP-B | Motion to Reduce or Eliminate Filing Fees and/or Costs — only where a fee waiver is requested | All | Download |
Every one of these is free. Download fresh each time — a superseded revision can get you sent back to redo it. Full catalog: courts.nh.gov.
3 · Getting the forms and filling them in
Nobody explains this part, so here it is. Every New Hampshire family form is free, and self-represented filing is completely normal here — the Circuit Court’s Family Division sees it every day.
New Hampshire does not let you e-file this yourself You file on paper
- Who may e-file
- Nobody, for a divorce. New Hampshire e-files a defined list of Circuit Court case types — small claims, guardianships, wills and estates, name changes, involuntary admissions, civil complaints and civil other. Divorce is not on it, and the Judicial Branch states that ‘ALL other case types remain as paper files for which ONLY paper pleadings are accepted.’
- Portal
- Odyssey File & Serve (Superior Court and some Circuit Court case types); TurboCourt (Circuit Court self-represented / non-attorney filers)
- Paper
- Required of you, and required of everyone. File with the Circuit Court Family Division.
- What it costs
- No portal fee published.
- Account
- Not applicable to a divorce petition, which is filed on paper with the Circuit Court Family Division. A TurboCourt or Odyssey account is only for the case types that are e-filed.
- With a fee waiver
- Not confirmed for divorce. The Circuit Court’s e-filing rules do treat a properly supported motion to waive the fee as completing a filing — but only in the case types e-filing reaches, which does not include divorce.
- Worth knowing
- This one is easy to get wrong in the other direction. New Hampshire has e-filing, it is open to self-represented people, and the rules are even helpful about fee waivers. None of that reaches divorce, because divorce is not an eligible case type. The limit is the case list, not your status.
Step one — download them free
All Circuit Court – Family Division divorce and parenting forms live here, at no cost:
courts.nh.gov — Divorce/Parenting Forms
Don’t reuse a saved copy or one a friend sent you. NHJB forms get revised on their own schedule — several of the ones below were last updated in 2024 and 2025 — and a stale copy can get you sent back to redo it. The revision date is printed in the form’s file name and footer.
Step two — fill them in on screen
New Hampshire’s family forms are standard fillable PDFs. Open them in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free), Preview on a Mac, or any browser, type directly into the fields, and print. Type everything — write “N/A” where something doesn’t apply rather than leaving a field blank.
Step three — sign and swear to what needs it
Your Petition (or Joint Petition) for Divorce is a sworn document — it must be signed and notarized before you file it, not signed in advance and brought in already dated. Several of the forms that go with it are sworn statements too: the Financial Affidavit, and — if you end up needing them for a default — the Affidavit as to Military Service and the Affidavit of Non-Cohabitation. A notary public, and in many family division clerk’s offices a deputy clerk, can witness these signatures. Call ahead to confirm your clerk’s office offers this.
You sign a sworn document in front of the person witnessing it, with valid photo ID in hand. A petition signed the night before and simply dated at the counter isn’t a valid oath — and family division clerks do check.
Step four — file it
Most self-represented filers bring paper copies — the original plus at least one copy — to the Circuit Court – Family Division clerk’s office for the county where you or your spouse lives. There are 28 Family Division locations across New Hampshire’s ten counties, so check courts.nh.gov’s Find a Court tool for the right one. Electronic filing is also available for family division cases and adds a $30 e-filing surcharge (Rule 1.3(R)) on top of the entry fee — paper filing does not.
If your spouse will sign a Joint Petition with you, you avoid formal service entirely — no sheriff, no certified mail, no waiting on an Appearance deadline. If you’re filing as an individual, your spouse still has to be notified: by picking up the papers at the clerk’s office, by certified mail, or through the sheriff. Only the Joint Petition route skips that step.
4 · Your deadlines, calculated
Most of New Hampshire’s clocks run from the date your spouse was served — not the date you filed. Put in your dates and we’ll turn every rule into an actual date on your calendar — then add the whole thing to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook in one click.
5 · The order it actually happens in
The state tells you the Child Impact Program is due “no later than 45 days after service.” What it doesn’t make obvious is that First Appearance — the hearing where a judge lays out the rest of your case — happens within 30 days of service if you have minor children, and the court expects you to have already registered for, or completed, the Child Impact Program by then (Rule 2.10 and Rule 2.11 together). Wait until day 40 to register for a four-hour class with limited scheduling and you’ll walk into First Appearance without a certificate — which can delay your case or expose you to sanctions, including contempt. Register the week you file, not the week of the deadline.
6 · The rejection-proofing checklist
This is the part that’s genuinely worth paying attention to. These are the specific things that get New Hampshire filings delayed, sent back, or defaulted.
Signing and swearing to documents
Forms people forget
Timing
Your mandatory disclosure documents under Rule 1.25-A go directly to your spouse — nothing on that list gets filed with the court unless a dispute forces it into the record. And requesting alimony happens on your original petition, where New Hampshire’s form asks you to check specific boxes for what you’re requesting — leaving it unchecked at filing can make it harder to raise later, so decide before you file, not during the hearing.
7 · Mandatory disclosure — what Rule 1.25-A requires
Due within 45 days of service, or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever comes first. These documents go to your spouse, not the court file — only the Financial Affidavit itself gets filed. If your case is a parenting petition rather than a divorce, some of these categories don’t apply.
Under RSA 458:15-b, financial affidavits are generally restricted to the parties, their attorneys, a guardian ad litem, and certain government officials — not the general public. Knowingly disclosing one to someone outside that circle is a misdemeanor, and a knowingly false statement in one can expose you to treble damages and attorney’s fees.
8 · What this costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Entry fee — Original Entry of Marital Matters (Rule 1.3(C)(1), statewide flat fee) | $280.00 |
| Additional fee if minor children are involved (Rule 1.3(M)) | $2.00 |
| Electronic filing surcharge, only if you e-file (Rule 1.3(R)) | $30.00 |
| Child Impact Program, per parent, if you have minor children (RSA 458-D) | $85.00 |
| Service of process, if filing individually — sheriff or process server | check with the sheriff’s office in your county |
| Certified copy of your final decree, after your case is final (Rule 1.3(D)(2)) | $40.00 |
| Typical all-in, doing it yourselves, uncontested | $320–$492 |
File NHJB-3234-DFP-B, Motion to Reduce or Eliminate Filing Fees and/or Costs, along with a Financial Affidavit. The family division may waive any fee for good cause shown (Rule 1.3(P)). If the Child Impact Program fee is the problem, contact the provider directly — they can offer a fee reduction, and if they deny it you can file a motion asking the court to waive or reduce it.
What attorney-assisted cases tend to run
The figures below are member-reported and illustrative — they’re placeholder demo data showing the kind of cost-sharing information The Cusp collects from members by court location, not the result of independent market research. Use them as a rough sense of range, not a quote.
| Court location | Uncontested, attorney-assisted | Contested, full representation |
|---|---|---|
| 9th Circuit – Manchester (Hillsborough County) | ~$1,800 | ~$9,500 |
| 10th Circuit – Portsmouth (Rockingham County) | ~$2,100 | ~$11,000 |
| 6th Circuit – Concord (Merrimack County) | ~$1,650 | ~$8,200 |
Member-reported, illustrative demo data only — not verified market research.
Does cheating change the money in New Hampshire?
It can. Marital conduct is a factor the court is allowed to weigh. The rule: fault must have caused the breakdown and caused substantial suffering or economic loss (RSA 458:19-a, IV(g)). How all fifty states answer this.
Reconciled, and it did not work? In New Hampshire that has a legal name and it can bar the ground, with conditions attached: condonation, state by state. If the decision itself is what you are sitting with rather than the law, start here.
What this is. A guide to New Hampshire’s own process, built from the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated (RSA 458 — including 458:5, 458:7, 458:7-a, and 458:15-b — and RSA 458-D), the Rules of the Circuit Court of the State of New Hampshire – Family Division (including Rules 1.3, 1.25-A, 2.5, 2.6, 2.10, 2.11, 2.13, 2.22, and 2.29), and the official NHJB forms and program pages published by the New Hampshire Judicial Branch at courts.nh.gov. The forms themselves are free and this guide links you to them rather than reselling them.
What this is not. The Cusp is not a law firm and does not practice law. Nothing here is legal advice, and nothing here tells you which choice is right for your particular situation — only what New Hampshire requires of each path. If your case involves contested custody, a business, hidden assets, domestic violence, or a spouse with a lawyer, talk to an attorney; many offer free consultations, and one hour of advice is cheaper than a case that gets delayed. 603 Legal Aid is a free, independent resource for New Hampshire residents who qualify for legal aid.
Confirm current numbers with the clerk. Filing fees, program fees, court locations, and form revisions are periodically adjusted by the legislature or the Judicial Branch. Where this guide could not verify an exact figure, link, or deadline interpretation with confidence, it says so or points you to courts.nh.gov rather than guessing — call the Trial Court Information Center at 1-855-212-1234 for anything time-sensitive.
Four things can happen to the house in a New Hampshire divorce
New Hampshire is not one of the twenty states where filing freezes both spouses automatically. That is not permission to sell: either of you can still ask a court for an order, and one may already exist in your case. But the automatic-order trap is not one you fall into here.
One of you buys the other out, you sell later, you sell now, or the court decides. For a great many people the right answer is not to sell at all – and three of the four routes earn us nothing.
The four routes, compared · Keeping it: the buyout and the carrying cost · Selling: capital gains, basis and timing · Finding an agent who has done a divorce sale · What two households cost
Need a vetted attorney, mediator, or financial analyst in New Hampshire?
Browse The Cusp’s professional directory — rated only by verified clients, never ranked by who paid the most.
Browse the directory →The Cusp · All 50 state kits · Find a professional · About
Ask for an introduction to an agent → — who we would introduce you to, what the referral fee is and who pays it, and why the answer is sometimes that you should not sell at all.
Everything we have written about New Hampshire specifically. Every figure on these pages is quoted from New Hampshire’s own statute or its courts’ own published schedule, and carries the date we last checked it.
- Modifying child support and alimony after divorce
- Modifying custody and parenting time after divorce
- What it costs to file
- Child custody
- Child support
- Guardians ad litem and child representation
- Travel, custody and relocation
- Alimony
- Property, support and legal fees
- Protective orders
- Changing your name back
- Legal help you can afford
- Verified professionals
The most expensive mistakes in a divorce are made in the year after it, by people who thought the case was over. After the divorce is the checklist for that year — the health-coverage clock, the retirement order a decree cannot replace, and the beneficiary form that outranks your will.
Filing is one household becoming two, and the second one starts empty. The two-household list is what to send the people who keep asking how they can help — the second of everything, and the half of it that costs nothing. Some people call it a divorce registry.
All 18 New Hampshire divorce forms, listed by the number the clerk will ask for — 18 with an official form number, 18 linked straight to the state’s own file, each with its revision date where the state publishes one. Open the New Hampshire form list →
Common questions about filing for divorce in New Hampshire
Short answers to what people ask most before they start. Each one points at the part of this page that covers it in full.
How do I file for divorce in New Hampshire?
This page sets out the order it happens in for New Hampshire: which form opens the case, what has to be served on the other person and when, and what the court needs before it will finish. It is written to be followed in sequence rather than read through.
What forms do I need to file for divorce in New Hampshire?
The form list on this page gives the official New Hampshire form numbers, each one’s revision date, and a link to the copy on the court’s own site rather than a copy hosted here. Using a superseded revision is one of the most common reasons a filing comes back, which is why the dates are shown.
How much does it cost to file for divorce in New Hampshire?
$280 to open the case, and that is only the filing fee — it does not cover service, copies, any required class, or a lawyer. The full breakdown for New Hampshire, with every figure traced to the court’s own published schedule and dated, is at what it costs to file in New Hampshire.
What gets a New Hampshire divorce filing rejected?
This page has a section on exactly that — the specific mistakes that get a filing returned in New Hampshire rather than a general list. Most of them are procedural and cost weeks rather than money: the wrong form revision, a missing signature or notarization, service done in a way the state does not accept, or filing before a residency requirement is met.
How long does a divorce take in New Hampshire?
There is a timeline on this page built from New Hampshire’s own statutory day-counts, not from averages. The honest short answer is that the waiting period is a floor and not a prediction: an uncontested case can finish close to it, and a contested one is governed by the court’s calendar rather than the statute.
Where does the information on this page come from?
New Hampshire’s own courts and statutes. Every form links to the court’s site, every fee is quoted from the published schedule with the date it was last checked, and where something could not be confirmed from an official source this site says so instead of estimating. It is free, with no account and no paywall.
Does cheating change the money in New Hampshire?
It can. Marital conduct is a factor New Hampshire allows the court to weigh, which is not the same as a rule that decides the outcome — it sits alongside need, earning capacity and the length of the marriage, and how much weight it gets is the judge’s. Eighteen states are in this position. The fifty-state table sets out the section this comes from, and the card higher up this page quotes your state’s own words.
Choosing an agent for a divorce sale is a different problem from choosing one for an ordinary sale: who the agent is allowed to talk to, who has to sign, what happens when one of you will not, and the three separate conflicts of interest that come up when one spouse found the agent first. How to choose a real estate agent for a divorce sale sets out what to ask, and how to check a credential yourself — no divorce credential is official with the National Association of Realtors.
The Cusp receives a referral fee from agents it vets and trains to handle divorce clients.
Key deadlines at a glance
These are the same deadlines the calculator above works out, shown as days counted from the day you file or the day your spouse is served. Use the calculator for your exact dates.
Filing a Joint Petition together? No — filing individually · Do you have minor children together? No
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed | The day you file | The date you start your case at the Family Division clerk’s office. |
| Spouse served | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Your spouse’s notice clock starts now. |
| Appearance due from your spouse | 15 days after service | Family Division Rule 2.5 — 15 days from receipt of the Notice to Respondent, if they want to participate. |
| Mandatory disclosure due | 45 days after service | Rule 1.25-A — or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever is earlier. Goes to your spouse directly, not the court. |
Filing a Joint Petition together? No — filing individually · Do you have minor children together? Yes
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed | The day you file | The date you start your case at the Family Division clerk’s office. |
| Spouse served | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | Your spouse’s notice clock starts now. |
| Appearance due from your spouse | 15 days after service | Family Division Rule 2.5 — 15 days from receipt of the Notice to Respondent, if they want to participate. |
| First Appearance must be held by | 30 days after service | Rule 2.11 — both parents expected to attend the same session. |
| Mandatory disclosure due | 45 days after service | Rule 1.25-A — or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever is earlier. Goes to your spouse directly, not the court. |
| Child Impact Program certificate due | 45 days after service | RSA 458-D and Rule 2.10 — $85 per parent. |
Filing a Joint Petition together? Yes — Joint Petition · Do you have minor children together? No
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed | The day you file | The date you start your case at the Family Division clerk’s office. |
| Joint Petition signed | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | No formal service needed — you both already signed the petition. |
| Mandatory disclosure due | 45 days after service | Rule 1.25-A — or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever is earlier. Goes to your spouse directly, not the court. |
Filing a Joint Petition together? Yes — Joint Petition · Do you have minor children together? Yes
| Step | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Petition filed | The day you file | The date you start your case at the Family Division clerk’s office. |
| Joint Petition signed | The day your spouse is served (or signs a waiver) | No formal service needed — you both already signed the petition. |
| First Appearance must be held by | 30 days after service | Rule 2.11 — both parents expected to attend the same session. |
| Mandatory disclosure due | 45 days after service | Rule 1.25-A — or 10 days before your first hearing, whichever is earlier. Goes to your spouse directly, not the court. |
| Child Impact Program certificate due | 45 days after service | RSA 458-D and Rule 2.10 — $85 per parent. |
Your county
Divorce rules are set by the state, but each county or court has its own forms, deadlines, classes and filing habits. Choose yours.
Or go straight to your county or court:
Belknap / Carroll / Cheshire / Coos / Grafton / Sullivan (call to confirm)Hillsborough County (call to confirm)Merrimack CountyRockingham CountyStatewideStrafford County (call to confirm)Belknap / Carroll / Cheshire / Coos / Grafton / Sullivan Call or check the court website to confirm
These counties each have Family Division locations within the statewide court. Location details were not checked here. Contact the court for addresses and hours.
Who to contact: 1-855-212-1234
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Hillsborough County Call or check the court website to confirm
Hillsborough County is one of ten counties with Family Division locations, and cases go to the location based on where the parties live. Addresses and hours could not be confirmed here. Contact the court for details.
Who to contact: 1-855-212-1234
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Merrimack County
Merrimack County has three Family Division locations: Concord, Franklin and Hooksett. Each lists Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the statewide phone numbers. Local rules were not confirmed.
Who to contact: 1-855-212-1234; 603-415-0162
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Rockingham County
Rockingham County has six Family Division locations: Brentwood, Candia, Derry, Hampton, Portsmouth and Salem. All list Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and share the statewide phone numbers. Candia is staffed only on Mondays, with Derry handling Candia matters on other days. Local rules were not confirmed.
Who to contact: 1-855-212-1234; 603-415-0162
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Statewide
Procedure is run by one statewide Circuit Court Family Division, and a case goes to the location based on where the parties live. Mediation through the court is listed at $450 per case, usually split between the parties. Divorce is not on the court’s e-filing list, so paper filing applies. Local rules and standing orders were not confirmed.
Who to contact: 1-855-212-1234 (US/Canada); 603-415-0162 (elsewhere)
Where this comes from
- https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/circuit-court/family-division
- https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/circuit-court/family-division/divorceparenting/how-file-divorce-petition
- https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/circuit-court/family-division/divorceparenting/divorce-minor-children
- https://www.courts.nh.gov/resources/mediation/circuit-court-adr/divorceparenting
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Strafford County Call or check the court website to confirm
Strafford County is one of ten counties with Family Division locations. Address and hours could not be confirmed here. Contact the court for details.
Who to contact: 1-855-212-1234
Where this comes from
Last checked 2026-11-10. Tell us if this is out of date
Not listed? Your county clerk of court can tell you the local rules. These are general information from court and clerk pages, last checked 2026-11-10, not legal advice.
Serving the papers in New Hampshire? You serve by certified mail, restricted delivery, or the sheriff does. No deadline in the rule. (As we read the rules on 29 October 2026.) See who can serve a divorce summons and whether you can do it yourself, and find New Hampshire in our state-by-state serving table.
Stay current
We re-check the law. We will tell you when your state’s changes.
One email, and only when something we have published about your state stops being true — a filing fee that moved, a statute that was amended, a form the court replaced. No newsletter, no sales, unsubscribe in one click.
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How we can help
Understand the house first. Then talk to someone who gets it.
The house is usually the largest decision in a divorce, and the one people are least ready for. Here is what we do, in the order that makes sense.
1. Start with the facts, free
22 states have automatic orders that freeze both spouses the moment a divorce is filed, barring either one from selling or borrowing against the property. Is yours one of them?
Plain-English guides on what can happen to the house, what an automatic order stops you doing, and how the tax rules decide what a sale is worth. No account and nothing to buy.
- The four things that can happen to the house
- Selling the house: who signs, and the tax rules
- Keeping the house: the buyout and the carrying cost
2. Know when not to call an agent
Often the right answer is to wait, or to talk to your lawyer or an accountant first. We say so plainly. An agent is the wrong first call if nothing is filed, or if an order restricts what either of you can do with the property.
3. Talk to someone who gets it
When you do need an agent, we introduce you to a local agent who has completed our divorce real estate training and passed its 20-question exam. Before any introduction we check the license with the state regulator (any unresolved disciplinary action is a no), the agent’s closed sales, and a review rating of 4.7 or better. The introduction is free, and you are free to say no.
Ask for an introductionHow we are paid
You pay us nothing. Agents are not charged for the training, the exam or the free resources. If an introduction leads to a closed sale, the agent’s brokerage pays a referral fee out of its own commission, not out of your proceeds. A place on the panel cannot be bought.
General information, not legal or tax advice. The Cusp is not a law firm.
Selling a home in a divorce: what to ask a local listing agent
Selling the house is often the largest single decision in a divorce. These questions help you judge whether an agent has done it before. They do not replace your lawyer, who should approve the plan before anything is listed.
- Have you sold homes where both spouses had to sign, or where a court had to approve the sale? How many, and how recently?
- Does filing already restrain a sale in my state? Check the 50-state table and ask my lawyer before we sign anything.
- Who decides on price changes and which offers to accept when we disagree, and how will that be written down?
- Who pays the mortgage, taxes and insurance until closing, and what does the listing agreement say about it?
- Where will the sale proceeds be held until the decree says who gets what?
- How will you handle showings, access and lockboxes if we are not speaking?
- Will you give both spouses and both lawyers the same information at the same time?
- What happens to the listing agreement if we settle, reconcile or the case is delayed? What are the cancellation terms?
- Can I have your fee terms in writing and the names of past clients who sold during a divorce?