Written Contract · Statute of Limitations
Deadline to Sue Over a Contract in New Hampshire
How long you have to sue over a broken written contract in New Hampshire, the statute of limitations, plus when the clock starts, the shorter deadline for oral contracts, and the four-year UCC rule for a sale of goods. Cited to the statute.
How the deadline works in New Hampshire
When the clock starts, whether a discovery rule can delay it, and the deadlines that differ for oral contracts and a sale of goods.
| How the clock works | In New Hampshire | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deadline | 3 years | The general limitations period to file a written-contract claim. |
| Statute | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §508:4 | The controlling statute for the limitations period. Read the full text through the source link below. |
When it starts
The three years generally runs from the breach, when the other side fails to perform. New Hampshire builds a discovery rule into RSA 508:4, so the clock can instead start when you discover, or reasonably should have discovered, both the harm and its connection to the breach.
Discovery rule Yes
Available and statutory. RSA 508:4 provides that where the injury and its causal connection to the act were not discovered and could not reasonably have been discovered, the three years runs from discovery rather than the act. This is broader than the case-law-only rule in many states.
Statute of repose: None
No general statute of repose for ordinary written contracts, so the three-year clock runs from the breach or from statutory discovery. Claims over improvements to real property carry their own separate outer limit under New Hampshire law, but that repose does not govern the general contract deadline.
| Deadlines that can differ | Period | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Oral contract | 3 years | New Hampshire does not shorten oral agreements. RSA 508:4 applies the same three-year period whether or not the contract is written, so the written-versus-oral split that catches other states does not arise here. Confirm the facts still fit a contract claim. |
| Sale of goods (UCC) | 4 years | A sale of goods runs on RSA 382-A:2-725, four years from the breach, with warranty claims accruing at delivery regardless of your knowledge. That is longer than the general three-year period, so confirm whether your deal is a sale of goods. |
| Discovered-late breach | Runs from discovery | Because the discovery rule is written into RSA 508:4, a breach whose harm and cause could not reasonably have been discovered can start the three years at discovery instead of the breach. This is unusually plaintiff-friendly, but it turns on what you reasonably should have known. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a contract was broken in New Hampshire and the clock is running. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Fix the breach date and the date you learned of it
Write down both when the other side broke the agreement and when you discovered the harm. New Hampshire runs three years under RSA 508:4, but its built-in discovery rule can start the clock at the later date.
- Do not assume oral contracts get longer
RSA 508:4 gives written and oral contracts the same three years, so an unwritten deal is not shorter, but it is not longer either. Three years passes quickly, so act as soon as you learn of the breach.
- If goods were sold, check the UCC clock
A sale of goods runs on RSA 382-A:2-725, a four-year rule that accrues at delivery for warranty claims. Confirm whether your deal is a sale of goods rather than a services or general contract, because it carries a longer period.
- Talk to a New Hampshire attorney before the deadline
Whether the discovery rule pushes your start date later, and when the breach occurred, turn on your facts. A licensed New Hampshire attorney can confirm your exact deadline before the three years runs.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines turn on the specific facts of your case, and exceptions cut both ways, so confirm your date with a licensed attorney before relying on it.
What New Hampshire contract claimants get wrong
New Hampshire keeps one short deadline for almost everything, and the twist is how it starts the clock. Written and oral contract claims both run three years under RSA 508:4, the general personal-actions statute, so the written-versus-oral gap that decides cases in California does not exist here. Three years is short, but New Hampshire softens it with a discovery rule written directly into the statute: where the harm and its causal connection to the breach could not reasonably have been discovered, the three years runs from discovery rather than the act. That is broader than the case-law-only rule in many states and can rescue a claim over a hidden breach. A sale of goods is the outlier, running four years under section 382-A:2-725 with accrual at delivery. Because the deadline is short, write down both the breach date and the date you reasonably could have known before assuming your claim is timely.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on a written contract in New Hampshire?
Three years, under RSA 508:4, the general personal-actions statute. The clock runs from the breach, or from statutory discovery where the harm and its cause could not reasonably have been discovered earlier.
Is an oral contract the same deadline as a written one in New Hampshire?
Yes. RSA 508:4 applies the same three-year period to both written and oral contracts, so New Hampshire does not shorten the deadline for an unwritten agreement.
Does New Hampshire have a discovery rule for contracts?
Yes, and it is statutory. RSA 508:4 provides that where the injury and its causal connection to the act were not discovered and could not reasonably have been discovered, the three years runs from discovery rather than the breach.
Is a contract to buy goods still three years in New Hampshire?
No, it is four years under the UCC. A sale of goods is governed by RSA 382-A:2-725, a four-year period that accrues at delivery for warranty claims regardless of your knowledge, longer than the general three-year rule.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.