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.
Frequently asked questions about New Hampshire background checks
How long does a background check take in New Hampshire?
Most SafestHires New Hampshire background checks complete in under 24 hours when the county courts of record are electronic. Manual-access counties in New Hampshire typically add 1–3 business days, and verification-heavy packages (employment, education, professional license) usually land in 1–3 business days end-to-end. See the state-by-state turnaround guide for county-level detail.
What shows up on a New Hampshire employment background check?
A standard New Hampshire employment background check returns an SSN trace and address history, national criminal database scan, sex offender registry, county criminal records for every New Hampshire county lived or worked in during the FCRA lookback window, federal criminal records, and OFAC/global sanctions. Common NH add-ons include employment and education verification, professional license verification, motor vehicle records, and drug screening.
How much does a New Hampshire background check cost?
SafestHires prices New Hampshire background checks per component — no platform fees, no seat licenses, no minimums. A standard county criminal + national database + SSN trace package for New Hampshire typically falls in the $20–$45 range depending on how many NH counties are searched and which add-ons are included. Use the pricing calculator for a NH-specific quote.
Do I need consent to run a background check on a New Hampshire candidate?
Yes. Federal FCRA §1681b(b)(2) requires a stand-alone written disclosure and the candidate's written authorization before any consumer report is procured, and New Hampshire follows that federal baseline. Additional NH-specific disclosures may apply — SafestHires builds the correct New Hampshire disclosure package into every order automatically. See the sample forms library for templates.
Can New Hampshire employers run a Financial Risk Search?
Yes. The SafestHires Financial Risk Search (bankruptcies, civil judgments, and tax liens from public records) is available for New Hampshire hires in fiduciary, finance, cash-handling, and other roles with a documented permissible-purpose need. It is a public-record search — scoped and adverse-actioned like any other component under FCRA §§615 and 604.
How far back can a New Hampshire employer look at criminal records?
New Hampshire applies FCRA; annulled records under RSA §651:5 must not be disclosed by the candidate.