How Do I Get Appointed as Executor in New Hampshire?

In New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Circuit Court, Probate Division appoints the personal representative and the Circuit Court Probate Division clerk issues Certificate of Appointment; every appointment goes through the court.

State

Document Type

Getting appointed in New Hampshire

Executor (with a will) or Administrator (without a will)

The form that opens the estate

NHJB-2145-Pe

Petition for Estate Administration · Online court portal · View source

Where you file

New Hampshire Circuit Court, Probate Division

What the court issues (with a will)

Certificate of Appointment (Letter of Appointment)

issued by Circuit Court Probate Division clerk

Letters are an output — the court issues them after granting the petition.

At a glance

UPC adoptedInformal trackE-filing (self-represented)Self-represented filingLocal/county forms

Estate filings are mandatory e-file through the Estates Electronic Filing Center. New Hampshire runs two separate platforms: self-represented parties file through TurboCourt, which generates the petition (NHJB-2145-Pe) from an online interview, while attorneys file through File & Serve (Odyssey) and upload a completed PDF. The petition PDF is labeled "For e-Filing only." A paper exception to e-filing can be requested but is not the default. Originals of the will and the certified death record must still be mailed to the Estates Electronic Filing Center, 2 Charles Doe Drive, Suite 2, Concord NH 03301.

Bond

Required before Letters: Yes
Waivable by will: No
Waivable by beneficiaries: No

What to file with the petition

Certified copy of the death record; no administrator may be appointed until it is filed with the probate court, unless the judge waives the requirement on petition (RSA 553:1-a). The original certified copy must be mailed to the Estates Electronic Filing Center.
Original will and all codicils, mailed to the Estates Electronic Filing Center (the named executor must file the will within 30 days after the death or within 30 days after learning of the nomination, whichever is later) (RSA 552:3)
Fiduciary Bond (NHJB-2137-Pe, e-File only) when the court orders a bond without sureties, or an original corporate surety bond mailed to the Estates Electronic Filing Center when the estate value exceeds $25,000 (RSA 553:13)
Appointment of Resident Agent (NHJB-2120-Pe, e-File only) — required only if the executor/administrator resides outside New Hampshire (RSA 553:25)
Notice to beneficially interested persons (sent by the court after all required documents are received at the EEFC)

Small-estate alternative

Bypasses full Letters: No
Form: NHJB-2144-PeView source
Form name: Waiver of Full Administration Statement

State-specific notes

New Hampshire is not a UPC state and uses distinctive terminology: the appointment authority document is the "Certificate of Appointment (Letter of Appointment)", not Letters Testamentary / Letters of Administration. RSA 553:32 Waiver of Administration (no inventory/bond/accounting) and RSA 553:33 Summary Administration (close after 6 months without a final account) are reduced-supervision tracks selected during a normal appointment — they do NOT skip appointment or the certificate. An executor named in a will must file the will within 30 days of death or within 30 days of learning of the nomination, whichever is later (RSA 552:3). Nonresident fiduciaries must appoint a New Hampshire resident agent (RSA 553:25). No administrator may be appointed until a certified copy of the death record is filed with the probate court, unless the judge waives it on petition (RSA 553:1-a).

General information about how a personal representative is appointed, not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions. Data verified Aug 24, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

New Hampshire uses Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-Pe), filed with the New Hampshire Circuit Court, Probate Division. Circuit Court Probate Division clerk issues Certificate of Appointment after the court grants the petition.

Along with the petition, New Hampshire generally requires: Certified copy of the death record; no administrator may be appointed until it is filed with the probate court, unless the judge waives the requirement on petition (RSA 553:1-a). The original certified copy must be mailed to the Estates Electronic Filing Center; Original will and all codicils, mailed to the Estates Electronic Filing Center (the named executor must file the will within 30 days after the death or within 30 days after learning of the nomination, whichever is later) (RSA 552:3).

Yes. New Hampshire requires a bond by default before Letters issue.

New Hampshire permits a self-represented person to open an estate, using Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-Pe). E-filing is open to self-represented filers. The New Hampshire self-file probate assessment sets self-filing against attorney costs.

Yes. A revocable living trust passes its assets to the beneficiaries without a court appointment in New Hampshire: no petition, no Letters, no bond. A revocable trust built with SimplyTrust takes about fifteen minutes.

Getting Appointed in New Hampshire

Authority to act for the estate comes from Letters issued in New Hampshire by Circuit Court Probate Division clerk, on appointment by the New Hampshire Circuit Court, Probate Division. The document is Certificate of Appointment. New Hampshire has not adopted the Uniform Probate Code.

The estate is opened by filing Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-Pe) with the court. The filing fee is $150 - $305 (based on estate value). New Hampshire has no informal (registrar) appointment track, so every appointment goes through the court.

New Hampshire requires a bond by default before Letters issue.

The New Hampshire self-file probate assessment compares self-filing and attorney costs for opening the estate, and the estate settlement plan walks through each step after appointment.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated September 8, 2026

Legal Sources

N.H. RSA 553 (Administrators and Their Appointment; 553:2 right to administer, 553:3 preference, 553:13 bond); N.H. RSA 552 (Probate of Wills)
N.H. RSA 553:13 (bond; personal bond without sureties when gross value $25,000 or less; surety/bond waiver in the discretion of the judge)
NH Circuit Court Probate Division Rule 169(I)(c), (j), (k) (verified 2026-09-08)
RSA 552:6; RSA 553:2

Data sourced from New Hampshire statutes and official state code. How we research.

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