New Hampshire Escheat & Unclaimed Property Laws

The deadline for annual reporting and remittance in New Hampshire is October 31, except for all insurance companies, which must report by April 30. Early reporting is permitted with the prior written approval of the administrator. Negative reports are not required but are encouraged.

Holders must submit written requests for extension prior to the filing deadline and include the reason for the extension and amount of time requested.

All holders have an obligation to report abandoned or unclaimed property to the state in order to maintain compliance with New Hampshire’s unclaimed property laws and regulations. Electronic filing is required for all reports that contain 20 or more records.

New Hampshire Due Diligence Requirements

New Hampshire requires holders to send due diligence notifications for any property with a value of $50 or more. Holders must send due diligence letters each reporting cycle to the apparent owner at the last known address not more than 120 days or less than 60 days prior to filing the report.

This notice should inform the owner of the nature of the property and how to recover it. It should also inform the owner that the property will be turned over to the state unless the owner claims it from the holder before the report is filed.

New Hampshire Dormancy Periods

Dormancy periods in New Hampshire vary by property type. Generally, most property types have a five-year dormancy period. Accounts are considered dormant if the owner of a property has not indicated any interest in the property or if no owner generated contact has been made for the allotted dormancy period for that property.

Dormancy periods in New Hampshire for some common property types include:

• Wages, Payroll or Salary: One year
• Checking Accounts: Five years
• Money Orders: Seven years

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