How to Collect a Small Claims Judgment in New Hampshire

A Judgment Does Not Collect Itself

Winning in small claims court gives you a piece of paper — a judgment — that says the defendant owes you money. But the court does not hand you a check. If the debtor does not pay voluntarily, you have to pursue collection yourself through post-judgment enforcement tools.

This is where many winning plaintiffs stall. Community forums are full of New Hampshire litigants who won their cases and then discovered the court has no mechanism to chase the money for them. The tools exist, but you have to use them.

Step 1: Wait for the Appeal Window

After the clerk's written notice of the decision, the losing side has 10 days from the notice date to file a Motion for Reconsideration and 30 consecutive calendar days from that date to appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Until that window closes without an appeal, aggressive collection efforts can backfire if the judgment gets overturned.

If the debtor files a timely Motion for Reconsideration, the 30-day appeal clock pauses. A new 30-day period runs from the clerk's written notice of the order deciding the motion. Interest continues to accrue on the judgment at the statutory rate (5.7% for 2026).

Step 2: Motion for Periodic Payments

The first formal enforcement tool is a Motion for Periodic Payments, filed through the court for $25. The court issues an Order of Notice commanding the debtor to appear for a payment hearing.

At that hearing, the debtor must complete Form NHJB-2004-De (Statement of Assets and Liabilities), disclosing their income, bank accounts, property, and debts. The judge then sets a payment schedule.

If the debtor has been properly served and fails to show up at the payment hearing, the court can issue an Order of Arrest. This is one of the few enforcement mechanisms with real teeth.

Step 3: Writ of Execution

If a payment plan is not working — or the debtor never showed up and has identifiable assets — you request a Writ of Execution for $40. This authorizes the county sheriff to levy on the debtor's non-exempt bank accounts and personal property.

The sheriff physically executes the writ: they can seize funds from a bank account, take possession of personal property, or attach the debtor's interest in tangible assets. Sheriff fees for executing the writ vary by county and depend on travel distance.

Not everything is fair game. New Hampshire law exempts certain property from execution, including a portion of wages, necessary household goods, and tools of the trade.

Step 4: Judgment Lien

If the debtor owns real property in New Hampshire, you can record a judgment lien at the county Registry of Deeds. Under RSA 524:13, record a certified copy of the judgment with the required affidavit in the county where the property is located, and mail a copy of the documents to the debtor. The lien attaches to the debtor's real estate in that county and remains in effect unless satisfied, discharged, or otherwise removed or altered. It does not force a sale, but it creates a strong incentive to pay — most title companies will not close a transaction with an outstanding judgment lien.

Recording fees vary by county. The lien remains in force for as long as a suit may be maintained on the judgment — 20 years under RSA 508:5 — and may be recorded or re-recorded during that period under RSA 524:13.

What If You Cannot Find Assets?

This is the hard truth about small claims collection. If the debtor has no bank accounts you can identify, no real property, and no attachable personal property, a judgment is effectively uncollectable in the short term. You cannot squeeze money from someone who has none.

The judgment does not disappear immediately. It accrues interest, and an action of debt on a judgment may be brought within 20 years under RSA 508:5. Periodic Payments hearings can be re-filed to compel updated financial disclosures.

Keep Your Enforcement on Track

Our New Hampshire small claims guide includes a Post-Judgment Timeline Calendar that tracks the appeal window, payment plan deadlines, lien filing dates, and writ-of-execution steps — so you do not lose momentum after the win.

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