Car Accident Statute of Limitations in New Hampshire

Last verified 2026-07 · Source: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I ✓ verified · 3 sources

New Hampshire law sets a hard deadline of 3 years to file a car accident lawsuit. The controlling statute is N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I, and the clock generally starts on the date of the act or omission complained of (the accident). Below: exactly when that clock starts, the exceptions that can pause it, and the traps that shorten it.

New Hampshire Deadlines for Related Claims

When the Clock Starts

In New Hampshire, the limitations period for car accident lawsuits generally begins on the date of the act or omission complained of (the accident). New Hampshire recognizes a discovery rule for this claim type: RSA 508:4, I codifies the discovery rule: when the injury and its causal relationship to the act were not and could not reasonably have been discovered, the 3 years run from when the plaintiff discovers or reasonably should have discovered them.

Exceptions That Can Extend the Deadline

• Minors: the clock is generally paused while the injured person is under 18.
• Fraudulent concealment: if the defendant actively hid the wrongdoing, the deadline may be extended until it was or should have been uncovered.
• Defendant leaves the state: absence can pause the clock in many circumstances.
• Government-claim trap: A tort action against the State must be brought within 3 years, with written notice of the date, time and location of the injury given to the agency within 180 days (RSA 541-B:14, IV).

Ordinary private car-accident suits have no damages cap, but government-defendant recoveries are capped — $325,000 per person and $1,000,000 per incident against municipalities (RSA 507-B:4) and $475,000 per claimant / $3,750,000 per incident against the State (RSA 541-B:14).

Source: N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4, I, official New Hampshire statute · verified 2026-07

What to Do Before the Deadline Runs

1. Pin down your accrual date — the day the clock started — and calendar the deadline conservatively.
2. Preserve evidence now: photos, records, witness contacts, bills. Evidence decays faster than deadlines.
3. Send preservation/notice letters where required (especially for New Hampshire government defendants).
4. If the deadline is inside 6 months, treat it as urgent — filing suit is the only reliable way to stop the clock.

How New Hampshire Compares to Nearby States

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

This page is legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines have exceptions that depend on your facts — confirm with a licensed New Hampshire attorney.