Bill Text - HB1371 (2026)

Prohibiting application fees for residential rental agreements.


Revision: Dec. 2, 2025, 8:27 a.m.

HB 1371  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2026 SESSION

26-3009

07/08

 

HOUSE BILL 1371

 

AN ACT prohibiting application fees for residential rental agreements.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Lucas, Graf. 7; Rep. Booras, Hills. 8; Rep. Read, Rock. 10; Rep. Hegner, Hills. 41; Rep. Hicks, Merr. 24

 

COMMITTEE: Housing

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

ANALYSIS

 

This bill prohibits application fees for residential rental agreements.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

26-3009

07/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

 

AN ACT prohibiting application fees for residential rental agreements.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; Trade and Commerce; Protection of Tenants in Conversion of Rental Units; Residential Rental Application Fees.  Amend RSA 356-C by inserting after section 11 the following new section:  

356-C:12  Residential Rental Application Fees.  

I. A landlord or a landlord’s agent shall not charge an application fee to any individual in order to apply to enter into a rental agreement for a residential dwelling unit. This section shall not be construed to prohibit a person from charging a fee to a person in order to apply to rent commercial or nonresidential property.  

II.(a) In order to conduct a background or credit check, a landlord shall accept any of the following:

(1) An original or a copy of any unexpired form of government-issued identification;

(2) An individual taxpayer identification number; or

(3) A social security number.

(b) A landlord or a landlord’s agent shall not require a social security number for the completion of a residential rental application or refuse to accept an application due to the lack of a social security number.  

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.