All resourcesState guide · NH
New Hampshire background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to New Hampshire pre-employment background screening: lookback caps, ban-the-box scope, salary-history limits, cannabis testing rules, and the statutes the SafestHires compliance team applies on every order routed to NH.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Public sector |
| Salary history | No restriction |
| Cannabis testing | Medical only |
Lookback period
New Hampshire applies FCRA; annulled records under RSA §651:5 must not be disclosed by the candidate.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
Executive Order 2020-07 removed the conviction question from state-agency initial applications.
Salary history
No statewide salary-history ban.
Cannabis & drug testing
RSA §126-X authorizes medical cannabis. No recreational legalization and no off-duty employment protection.
Governing statutes & references
- RSA §651:5 (annulment)
- Exec. Order 2020-07
SafestHires compliance note
Annulled records may not be considered or treated as adverse.