Someone died in New Hampshire. Start here.
The first 24 hours, in order, then the first week and the first month, with New Hampshire's actual rules for death certificates, cremation, and probate. This page is free. No account required.
Sources: official New Hampshire statutes and agencies, linked below. Last updated: October 2026.
Start with safety, the required local response, and the people who can help. The exact process depends on where and how the death occurred.
These figures come from the same data as our full New Hampshire guide, built from state statutes and official agencies.
Death certificate
Filed before disposition
The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs. Confirm the current fee with the issuing office; the guide's last-reviewed first-copy or search fee starts at $15. Additional-copy, vendor, and expedited fees may differ.
Source: RSA 290:1; RSA 5-C:62 (death registration); RSA 5-C:10 (copy fees) (opens in a new tab)Cremation
48-hour standard wait
New Hampshire's standard statutory wait is 48 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
Source: RSA 325-A:18 (medical examiner's certificate; 48-hour rule; $60 fee); RSA… (opens in a new tab)Probate
Eligibility-based shortcut
New Hampshire uses eligibility conditions instead of a single dollar threshold. Review the official waiver or simplified-administration rules before choosing a process.
Source: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 553:32-33 (waiver and summary administration) (opens in a new tab)Estate tax
None in this state
New Hampshire has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026; other Form 706 filing reasons can still apply.
Source 1: New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration: Inheritance & Estate Tax (opens in a new tab)Source 2: IRS: 2026 estate tax basic exclusion amount (opens in a new tab)Days 2 to 7 · 1 to 7 days
These tasks often begin during the first week, but local requirements and the family's circumstances may change the order.
Weeks 2 to 4 · 1 to 4 weeks
The immediate calls may slow down. Estate, account, benefit, property, and tax work often continues for months.
The Long Game · 1 month+
Estate administration may take months or longer. The timing depends on the assets, claims, disputes, tax work, court schedule, and state procedure.
Have the death officially pronounced. For an expected hospice death, call the hospice nurse and follow the hospice instructions. For an unexpected death, call 911 and don’t move the body until you’re told you can. Then notify the closest people and, after the body is released, contact the funeral, cremation, burial, or donation provider the person chose.
In New Hampshire, the death certificate is filed before the body is buried or cremated. The funeral provider or another authorized filer usually handles it. Ask each institution whether it needs a certified copy, then order an initial quantity based on those actual needs.
Under RSA 5-C:9 a certified copy goes only to someone with a direct and tangible interest: the person named, immediate family, a guardian or a legal representative, which includes an attorney, physician or funeral director acting for the family. Anyone else has to show the record is needed to determine or protect a personal or property right. Certified copies come from New Hampshire's Division of Vital Records Administration, Department of State; town and city clerks also issue certified copies (RSA 5-C).
$15 for a certified copy from the state office, per the fee page linked on this page. A non-refundable search fee owed even if nothing is found. Additional copies issued at the same time are $10. New Hampshire keeps vital records under the Secretary of State, not the health department, so DHHS pages are the wrong place to look.
From New Hampshire's Division of Vital Records Administration, Department of State; town and city clerks also issue certified copies (RSA 5-C), from the Division of Vital Records Administration or any town or city clerk, paid in advance; we couldn't check the Secretary of State's ordering page on September 18, 2026. The official order page is linked on this page. The funeral home usually orders the first copies for you.
New Hampshire's standard statutory wait is 48 hours. Check the linked official source for any state-authorized exception or written-waiver process. A permit is also required. The person legally authorized under state law completes any required authorization; the provider handles its filing process.
New Hampshire offers waiver or simplified procedures, but eligibility isn’t based on one fixed dollar threshold. Check the current state requirements and court process.
No. New Hampshire has no state estate or inheritance tax. The federal basic exclusion amount is $15 million for deaths in 2026, and Form 706 may also be relevant for certain elections.
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