New Hampshire Post-Judgment Interest Rate: How to Calculate What You're Owed

The 2026 Rate Is 5.7%

Post-judgment interest in New Hampshire is set annually by the State Treasurer under RSA 336:1, II. The rate is based on the prevailing discount rate on 26-week U.S. Treasury bills preceding October 1st, plus 2 percentage points, rounded to the nearest tenth. It takes effect on January 1st of the following year.

Here are the recent rates:

This is the statutory simple rate for court judgments, including prejudgment interest, under RSA 336:1, II. A contract rate does not replace the statutory judgment rate.

Do not confuse this with the RSA 336:1, I rate of 10%, which applies to conventional business transactions where no interest rate is specified by contract. Post-judgment statutory interest is exclusively the variable rate under subsection II.

How Simple Interest Works on a Judgment

New Hampshire post-judgment interest is simple annual interest — it does not compound. The formula for any period is:

Interest = Principal × Rate × (Days ÷ 365)

Use 366 for leap years. The principal is the outstanding judgment balance, including approved court costs and service fees.

Here is a practical example. Say you won a $5,000 judgment on June 1, 2024, with $150 in approved court costs:

• June 1 – Dec 31, 2024 (214 days at 7.3%): $5,150 × 0.073 × (214 ÷ 366) = $219.78
• Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025 (365 days at 6.2%): $5,150 × 0.062 = $319.30
• Jan 1 – Oct 20, 2026 (293 days at 5.7%): $5,150 × 0.057 × (293 ÷ 365) = $235.64

After more than two years and four months of non-payment and no partial payments, the debtor owes $5,150 plus $774.72 in accrued interest — a total of $5,924.72.

Post-Judgment Costs Get Added Too

Under District Division Rule 4.10(g) and RSA 524:6-a, reasonable court costs you incur during collection are added to the judgment debt. That includes the $25 fee for a Motion for Periodic Payments, the $40 fee for a Writ of Execution or Trustee Process, and sheriff service fees. These costs become part of the principal on which interest accrues.

Partial Payments Reduce the Balance

When the debtor makes a payment, credit it against the balance and recalculate interest on the reduced principal from that date forward. Keep a running ledger that tracks every payment date, payment amount, the interest accrued since the last transaction, and the new outstanding balance.

Interest Runs for Up to 20 Years

New Hampshire judgments remain enforceable for 20 years under RSA 508:5. Interest accrues the entire time the judgment remains unpaid. On a $5,000 judgment at an average rate of around 5–6%, that is roughly $5,000–$6,000 in interest alone over two decades if the debtor pays nothing.

For a complete collection roadmap — including how to enforce your judgment and track interest, payments, and costs with a printable ledger — see our Collecting a Small Claims Judgment in New Hampshire guide.

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