As spring turns to summer, the grass grows longer, and the Red Sox sink further in the standings, it's also the time of year when the New Hampshire legislature begins to wrap up its work. While a number of bills are still making their way through the final legislative process, several have already been signed by Governor and are now on the books.
Structures over public waters
Over the years, there have been a few private structures which have been built over public waters in New Hampshire. Senate Bill 27 is intended to allow these owners the opportunity to add or expand legally existing exterior features only, such as decks, balconies, stairs, rooflines, or eaves, provided that no such addition or expansion results in an increase in interior floor space nor change a recreational, water-based activity to a land-based, residential or commercial activity.
The bill has been signed by the Governor and went into effect on May 26.
Updates to state building code
House Bill 1159 updates New Hampshire’s State Building Code by adopting the 2024 editions of several major International Code Council model codes, including the Building, Residential, Existing Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Swimming Pool, and Spa Codes. The previous codes were the 2021 versions.
The bill has been signed by the Governor, and the codes will go into effect on July 1.
Appraiser licensing
House Bill 1310 amends the standard for which New Hampshire certified appraisers can serve as supervisors for apprentice real estate appraisers, and limits how much continuing education for applicants for relicensing or recertification can be as a student in certain educational processes and programs approved by the board. The bill also allows for the issuance of a temporary license for individuals licensed or certified in another state.
The bill has been signed by the Governor and will go into effect on July 7.
Agreement reached on road length bill
Senate Bill 564 is intended to address arbitrary local restrictions on the length of dead-end roads and caps on the number of homes that may be served by those roads. Such restrictions can unnecessarily increase development costs, reduce housing opportunities, and limit the efficient use of land. Current municipal regulations vary widely across New Hampshire, with some communities limiting dead-end roads to as little as 400 feet, others allowing 1,500 feet or more, and some imposing no maximum length at all.
Both the House and Senate have passed the legislation. During the legislative process, the House adopted an amendment designed to ensure that public safety and fire protection would not be compromised by longer dead-end roads.
The language, which still needs final agreement by both chambers, sets local road-length standards to nationally recognized fire code requirements. Those standards generally focus less on the overall length of a road and more on roadway design, emergency vehicle access, turnaround capabilities, and other fire-safety considerations.
By aligning New Hampshire law with established fire code standards, the legislation provides greater clarity regarding both the appropriate number of homes that may be served by a dead-end road and the factors that should be considered by local and state land-use review boards. The bill seeks to balance housing production with public safety while reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers. NHAR supports the bill.
The legislation also prohibits municipalities from imposing additional lot size or building restrictions on properties affected by the bill beyond those otherwise permitted by law. Senate Bill 564 will take effect 60 days after its final passage.
Grounds For Eviction Bills: Split Decision
House Bill 1499 would have created new grounds for eviction under RSA 540:2, II, when a tenant or occupant of the rented premises has been convicted of certain offenses. Those offenses included improper entry into the United States or registration as a sexual offender.
While the bill passed both the House and Senate, the Senate attached unrelated language relative to the state’s school lunch program. The House refused to agree to that language, so the entire bill failed.
However, a different piece of legislation, House Bill 1709, does allow for eviction if the tenant is an unlawfully present alien with prior felony convictions. That bill does appear likely to make it to the Governor’s desk.
Quote of the Week
“New Hampshire, from July 2024 to July 2025, increased its number of housing units by 0.7 percent, ranking it 41st in the U.S. for housing growth.”
—Business NH Magazine “Manchester, Nashua, NH Population is Rising, but Housing Pace Hasn’t Kept Up,” May 20, 2026.
The US Census data released in May shows that New Hampshire increased its overall housing stock by 3.7 percent from 2020 through 2025, placing New Hampshire as the 34th fastest – or 16th slowest – growth state. Maine led New England with 4.4 percent growth, while Rhode Island had the least with 1.2 percent growth. Utah, North Carolina, Idaho and Texas showed the largest housing growth in the country.
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For more information, contact New Hampshire Realtors CEO Bob Quinn: bob@nhar.com.
