QUICK FACTS BAR
State DOC: New Hampshire Department of Corrections (NHDOC)
Parole Board: New Hampshire Adult Parole Board
Medicaid expansion: YES (full expansion - 2014)
Voting rights: Restored after completing FULL sentence including parole - no early restoration while on supervision
SNAP drug felony ban: Full opt-out - no ban regardless of conviction
Expungement: Available - New Hampshire's annulment framework covers most misdemeanors and some felonies; petition-based; "annulment" is New Hampshire's term for expungement
Ban the box: Public employers (state government) - limited; no statewide private employer law; Manchester has a local ordinance; also bail-banned state
INTRO
New Hampshire is a small, relatively affluent state - but that affluence is uneven, and returning citizens face significant housing cost barriers particularly in the southern tier (Hillsborough and Rockingham counties) where proximity to Boston drives rents above what most people leaving prison can afford. New Hampshire has had full Medicaid expansion since 2014 and has fully opted out of the SNAP drug felony ban. The state uses "annulment" rather than "expungement" as its term for record relief, and the framework covers most misdemeanors and some felony categories. New Hampshire is a bail-banned state. Voting rights restore upon completing parole and probation - there is no early restoration for people on supervision. The reentry service infrastructure is most developed in Manchester (Hillsborough County) and Concord (Merrimack County). Nashua (Hillsborough County) and Portsmouth (Rockingham County) have limited secondary resources. Rural New Hampshire - the North Country and the Connecticut River Valley - has very limited organized services.
FIRST 30 DAYS CHECKLIST
Day 1-3:
Report to your New Hampshire Adult Parole Board officer or NHDOC probation officer as directed. NHDOC's Field Services Division administers supervision. Report on the scheduled date.
Day 1-7:
Obtain your New Hampshire state ID or driver's license. New Hampshire DMV: nh.gov/dmv. NHDOC provides a state ID to qualifying individuals at release. Bring: birth certificate or NHDOC ID, Social Security card, and proof of New Hampshire residency.
Day 1-14:
Apply for New Hampshire Medicaid (NH Medicaid / Granite Advantage). Most low-income adults qualify. Apply at dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/medicaid or call 1-844-ASK-DHHS.
Day 1-14:
Apply for SNAP (New Hampshire Food Stamps). New Hampshire has fully opted out of the federal drug felony ban. Apply at dhhs.nh.gov or your local DHHS district office.
Day 1-30:
Determine your full supervision end date. New Hampshire voting rights restore only after completing all parole and probation.
ID RESTORATION
Birth certificate:
New Hampshire Division of Vital Records Administration - sos.nh.gov/vital-records. Cost: $15 per copy. NHDOC assists with pre-release birth certificate requests.
Social Security card:
SSA.gov/ssnumber. Free.
State ID / Driver's License:
New Hampshire DMV - nh.gov/dmv. Cost: $50 for ID card. NHDOC provides state IDs at release for qualifying individuals.
ID Assistance Programs:
New Hampshire Legal Assistance (nhla.org) statewide.
VOTING RIGHTS
New Hampshire restores voting rights after completing the full sentence including all parole and probation. Rights restore automatically upon full discharge - no application required.
Register at sos.nh.gov/elections. New Hampshire has same-day registration at polling places.
BENEFITS ACCESS
GRANITE ADVANTAGE (MEDICAID):
New Hampshire fully expanded Medicaid in 2014. Most low-income adults qualify. Apply at dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/medicaid or call 1-844-ASK-DHHS.
SNAP: Full opt-out - everyone meeting income and residency requirements qualifies. Apply at dhhs.nh.gov.
TANF: Full opt-out of the TANF drug felony ban.
Housing:
New Hampshire is a bail-banned state. Federal RRCs serve federal inmates under BOP RRM Boston (covers NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, VT). State-supervised reentry housing through NHDOC contracts. Manchester and Concord have the most developed networks. Southern NH housing costs are high relative to post-release income.
EXPUNGEMENT AND RECORD RELIEF
New Hampshire uses "annulment" rather than expungement - same legal effect, different terminology.
What is eligible (RSA 651:5):
- Arrests without conviction: eligible immediately after dismissal
- Class B misdemeanor convictions: eligible 1 year from conviction
- Class A misdemeanor convictions: eligible 3 years from conviction
- Class B felony convictions (lower-level non-violent): eligible 5 years from release from incarceration or 3 years from conviction if no incarceration - one of the more accessible felony relief timelines in New England
- Class A felony convictions: eligible 10 years from release from incarceration with conditions
- Violent felonies and sex offenses: not eligible
Effect: Annulled records are removed from public access. The person can legally state the offense did not occur for most purposes.
Legal resources:
- New Hampshire Legal Assistance: nhla.org / (603) 224-3333 - statewide
- NH Courts self-help: courts.nh.gov/self-help
EMPLOYMENT AND LICENSING
Ban the box: State government employers only. Manchester has a local ordinance. Private employers statewide have no restriction.
Employment assistance:
- NH Works: nhworks.org - statewide workforce development
KEY NEW HAMPSHIRE REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS
New Hampshire Legal Assistance (NHLA)
nhla.org / (603) 224-3333 / Multiple offices statewide
Free civil legal services including annulment, housing, and reentry legal needs.
Waypoint
waypointnh.org / (603) 524-6463 / Laconia
Social services and reentry support in the Lakes Region area.
Granite State Independent Living
gsil.org / (603) 228-9680 / Concord
Independent living services including reentry navigation and housing support.
NHDOC Field Services Division
corrections.nh.gov
Official NHDOC reentry coordination.
STATE DOC REENTRY PROGRAMS
NHDOC Reentry:
Pre-release programming at the NH State Prison (Concord) and women's facility. Vocational training, education, and substance abuse treatment.
HALFWAY HOUSES LINK BLOCK
Find halfway houses and reentry housing in New Hampshire ->
inmateaid.com/halfway-houses/new-hampshire/
Federal RRCs under BOP RRM Boston. State-supervised reentry housing through NHDOC contracts. Manchester and Concord have the most options. New Hampshire is a bail-banned state.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When do my voting rights restore in New Hampshire?
A: After completing all parole and probation. Rights restore automatically. Register at sos.nh.gov/elections - same-day registration at polling places.
Q: What is "annulment" in New Hampshire - is it expungement?
A: Yes. New Hampshire uses the term "annulment" for what most states call expungement or sealing. The legal effect is the same - the record is removed from public access and the person can state the offense did not occur. Class B felony convictions are eligible after 5 years from release. Contact NHLA (nhla.org) for a free evaluation.
Q: How do I apply for Medicaid in New Hampshire after prison?
A: Apply at dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/medicaid or call 1-844-ASK-DHHS. New Hampshire expanded Medicaid in 2014 and most returning citizens qualify. TruthFinder WIDGET Search New Hampshire inmate and arrest records INTERNAL LINKS - inmateaid.com/halfway-houses/new-hampshire/ - inmateaid.com/reentry/ - inmateaid.com/reentry/myths-and-facts/ EXTERNAL LINKS (new tab) - corrections.nh.gov - dhhs.nh.gov/programs-services/medicaid - sos.nh.gov/elections - nh.gov/dmv - nhla.org - nhworks.org - findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov SCHEMA BreadcrumbList + FAQPage DATA SOURCES Voting rights: RSA 607-A:2 / sos.nh.gov; ccresourcecenter.org Medicaid: kff.org expansion tracker / DHHS (2014) SNAP: ccresourcecenter.org full opt-out confirmed Annulment/Expungement: RSA 651:5 / nhla.org; courts.nh.gov Ban the box: NH state policy / Manchester local ordinance / NELP Bail abolition: New Hampshire pretrial reform / bail_banned = true BOP RRM: RRM Boston covers NH, ME, MA, CT, RI, VT