New Hampshire
From the 50 State Visitor Guide :
NH R.S.A. 2019 §651-B:1 through 651-B:12; Admin. Code Saf-C 5501.01 through 5506.7
Registration Triggers and Deadlines:
Five business days for initial registration and updates. §§651-B:4, B:5
Visitors: “Residence” defined as more than a total of five aggregate days during a one-month period (but not a calendar month per NH SOR office). §651-B:1(XIII).
Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:
None.
Duration & updates:
Tier 1 – 10 yrs. Tiers 2&3 – life. Petition to remove – T1 – 5 yrs. T2 – 15 yrs. Updates: T1&2 – 6 months. T3 –3 months.
Most recent visit: July 2026
New Hampshire’s SOR law is unusual in that while there are a few states cruel enough to limit registered visitors to only a few days per calendar year (Florida, Illinois and Alabama come to mind), this is one of the few states that has an aggregate standard per month – specifically five aggregate days. Also, although the state law is silent on whether the words “one month period” means a calendar month, the nice lady at the New Hampshire SOR office was NOT silent. She said that “month” means any 30 day period whether a calendar month or not. Thanks for nothing.
Beyond that small number of days, however, New Hampshire is pretty easy to get along with, since at a state level at least it has no residency, presence or other restrictions. Local restrictions may apply and as with so many other states you must assume that any partial day will count against the five day total. So to that degree you can travel the state without worry.
On July 4, 2026 I spent my Independence Day driving from my brother’s house in Rhode Island to my reserved campground in southern Maine. You can’t get to Maine from any direction, of course, without passing through New Hampshire. And since I had extra time that day I stopped at Portsmouth to see Strawbery Banke (yes that’s spelled correctly) which is a National Historic Site that preserves an entire neighborhood from the 1700’s.
Inasmuch as it’s an intact Colonial Era neighborhood, it’s like Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia – but I think Strawbery Banke is actually better because (a) there are more buildings in a more compact area, so you can see more for less, and (b) whereas many of Colonial Williamsburg’s buildings are reconstructions, nearly all of the larger number of buildings at Strawbery Banke are preserved originals. Yet it much less known.
If I had not stopped anywhere in New Hampshire I would’ve considered myself “just passing through” and not counted that day towards my allowable 5 days per month. But I did stop, so for counting purposes this was Partial Day 1.
Conway Scenic RR Station
Four days later, after my Maine adventure (see previous posts), I again passed through New Hampshire with stops, so that became Partial Day 2. Entering that morning on US 302, my first stop was the tourist town of North Conway, home of the Conway Scenic Railroad. They offer several train rides ranging from all day down to one hour. I took them up on this shortest ride, concerned that the route south might have gotten cluttered with tourist crap since the last time I was here decades ago. But no – I’m pleased to report a scenic train ride.
From North Conway I continued on US 302 with the intention of riding the Mt. Washington Cog Railway. I didn’t realize the cog railway is part of a larger tourist attraction that, once you commit to it, will be expensive and take most of the day. Note to self: Next time, make sure to allow enough time.
With Mt. Washington subtracted, I added a different attraction that I could do in a couple of hours – Flume Gorge, near Franconia Notch State Park. Wow! I’ll definitely do that again next time! Flume Gorge is one of several attractions in the Franconia Notch area including Connon Mtn. Aerial Tramway, The Basin, Indian Head and Granite State Railway. Note to self: Next time, make sure to allow enough time.
It was late afternoon and I was soon crossing over into Vermont. So as you see, I spent two partial days in New Hampshire but never spent a night.
Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler
