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Hillsborough County, NH Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | 9th Circuit Court - Probate Division - Nashua, the single Probate Division serving all of Hillsborough County (New Hampshire Circuit Court, Probate Division) |
| Courthouse | 30 Spring Street, Suite 103, Nashua, NH 03060 |
| Clerk | Kathleen E. Tripp, Circuit Court clerk; Melissa Rodriguez, associate clerk |
| Phone | 1-855-212-1234, the New Hampshire Circuit Court Call Center, the statewide number that answers for every location (from outside the US or Canada, 603-415-0162). New Hampshire does not publish a direct-dial probate line per county |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed weekends and court holidays |
| Filing fee | Petition for Estate Administration: $150 for a gross estate of $10,000 or less, $205 for a gross estate over $10,000 up to $25,000, and $305 for a gross estate greater than $25,000 (Probate Division Rule 169 filing-fee schedule, uniform statewide, verified July 2026). The original Certificate of Appointment is issued at no charge |
| Local forms | New Hampshire uses one statewide mandatory set of official NHJB probate forms in every Probate Division; there is no Hillsborough-only form set. The load-bearing filing is the Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-P) |
| E-filing | New estate cases are filed through the New Hampshire e-Court system; new cases are opened electronically, not on paper. Attorneys file through Odyssey File & Serve, and self-represented filers use TurboCourt at turbocourt.com/newhampshire |
| Case search | New Hampshire Judicial Branch Case Access Portal at odypa.nhecourt.us/portal, free registration, covering non-confidential e-filed Circuit Court cases including estates |
| Remote appearance | Hearing formats are set by the Probate Division and the assigned judge; confirm any remote or telephonic appearance option with the clerk's office through the Call Center before a scheduled date |
| Website | https://www.courts.nh.gov/your-visit/find-court/9th-circuit-probate-division-nashua |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
The first Hillsborough County question is not which courthouse but which path. Because all Hillsborough estates run through the single Nashua Probate Division and new cases are filed electronically, you do not choose a location; you choose a route and then e-file. New Hampshire's routes are regular administration, the Waiver of Administration (RSA 553:32), and Summary Administration (RSA 553:33); which one fits turns on who inherits and who serves, not on a dollar cap, and the routes are covered on the New Hampshire state page.
Before you file, identify every bank, credit-union, brokerage, and retirement account, life-insurance policy, vehicle, business interest, and parcel of Hillsborough County real estate, along with every debt, and identify each heir and beneficiary by name. Only then can you pick the right path, complete the Petition for Estate Administration accurately, and decide whether counsel is needed. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The 9th Circuit Court Probate Division in Nashua serves all of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire's largest and most populous county. Its communities include Manchester and Nashua, the state's two largest cities, together with Bedford, Merrimack, Goffstown, Hudson, Milford, Amherst, Litchfield, Hollis, Pelham, Weare, New Boston, and the county's other towns. Venue for probate lies in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (RSA 547:8); if the decedent was not a New Hampshire resident, venue is any county where the decedent left property. A Hillsborough County decedent's estate is filed here regardless of which town within the county the person lived in.
Hillsborough is unusual for its size in having only one Probate Division. The 9th Circuit runs five courthouses across the county, in Manchester (35 Amherst Street), Nashua, Goffstown, Merrimack, and Milford, but those handle district and family matters; estates are heard only at the Nashua Probate Division. The courts.nh.gov court directory lists a single Probate Division for each of the ten counties, and for Hillsborough that is Nashua. Because new estate cases are e-filed, a family in Manchester or Bedford files online and does not need to travel to Nashua to open the case; the Nashua courthouse is where in-person business, records, and any hearing take place.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm venue. Hillsborough County is the right county when the decedent was domiciled here at death (RSA 547:8). Every Hillsborough estate is filed with the 9th Circuit Court Probate Division in Nashua; there is no separate Manchester probate filing, and the town within the county does not change where the estate is filed.
- Choose the path. Regular administration is the default court-supervised route; the Waiver of Administration (RSA 553:32) and Summary Administration (RSA 553:33) are the simplified routes, keyed to who inherits and who serves rather than to a dollar threshold. The paths and their conditions are statewide and are covered on the New Hampshire state page.
- Gather what the court needs: the original will (if any), a certified copy of the death certificate, the names and addresses of the heirs and beneficiaries, and a working list of the estate's assets and debts. New Hampshire's estate representative is the executor (named in a will) or the administrator (appointed where there is no will or none is named).
- Complete the Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-P) and the supporting NHJB forms. Attorneys generate and file them through Odyssey File & Serve; a self-represented filer uses TurboCourt at turbocourt.com/newhampshire, which asks the questions and produces the forms.
- File electronically. New estate cases are opened through the New Hampshire e-Court system, not on paper. Add a service contact email to the case on the first filing, or the filing is rejected. Pay the Petition for Estate Administration fee: $150, $205, or $305 by gross estate value (Probate Division Rule 169 filing-fee schedule, uniform statewide, verified July 2026). A 3% surcharge applies to credit or debit card payments on File & Serve and TurboCourt (effective September 3, 2025); a motion to waive filing fees is available for those who cannot pay.
- Give the required notice. The Probate Division handles notice by publication through the e-filing process; for estates over $10,000 the $55 publication fee is included in the entry fee. Notice to heirs, beneficiaries, and known creditors follows the statewide rules.
- Receive authority. On appointment the court issues the Certificate of Appointment (Letter of Appointment), the executor's or administrator's proof of authority to open the estate account, collect assets, and act for the estate. The original Certificate of Appointment is issued at no charge; additional certificates are charged under Rule 169.
- Administer and close. Collect assets, file the Inventory of Fiduciary, address creditor claims (a creditor must exhibit its demand within 6 months after the grant of administration, RSA 556:1), account where required, and close through regular administration, the Waiver of Administration affidavit (RSA 553:32), or Summary Administration (RSA 553:33) as the estate qualifies.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Hillsborough County
New Hampshire uses one statewide mandatory set of official NHJB probate forms, and Hillsborough County files the same set as every other county; there is no separate Hillsborough form packet. The core estate filing is the Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-P). Common companions include the Waiver of Full Administration Statement (NHJB-2144-P) for a Waiver of Administration under RSA 553:32, the Motion for Summary Administration (NHJB-2149-P) under RSA 553:33, and the Inventory of Fiduciary (NHJB-2125-P), along with the assent, legatees and devisees, heirs-at-law, declination, and request-for-certificate forms. Confirm the current form numbers on the courts.nh.gov Probate Division forms page before relying on a specific one.
In Hillsborough County the forms are not filed at a counter for a particular town. New estate cases are opened through the New Hampshire e-Court system: attorneys through Odyssey File & Serve, and self-represented filers through TurboCourt at turbocourt.com/newhampshire, which completes the NHJB forms from the answers you enter. The forms and estate instructions are published statewide on the courts.nh.gov Estates self-help page and the Probate Division forms page.
Local nuance
Hillsborough County-specific considerations
One Probate Division, in Nashua. Hillsborough is New Hampshire's largest and most populous county, yet all of its probate is handled at a single Probate Division: the 9th Circuit Court Probate Division in Nashua, 30 Spring Street, Suite 103. Despite Manchester being the state's largest city, there is no Manchester probate court. The courts.nh.gov court directory lists one Probate Division per county, and for Hillsborough that is Nashua.
Manchester's courthouse handles district and family cases, not estates. The 9th Circuit operates courthouses in Manchester (35 Amherst Street), Nashua, Goffstown, Merrimack, and Milford, but those hear district and family matters. Estate cases across the whole county are heard at the Nashua Probate Division. If an older directory points you to a Manchester probate court, that is out of date.
New estate cases are e-filed, so most families never travel to Nashua. New Hampshire opens new estate cases through the e-Court system rather than on paper. Attorneys file through Odyssey File & Serve; self-represented filers use TurboCourt at turbocourt.com/newhampshire, which generates the NHJB forms. A family in Manchester, Bedford, or Goffstown files online, so the Nashua location matters mainly for records and any in-person hearing.
One statewide Call Center, not a county probate line. The number for the Nashua Probate Division is the statewide New Hampshire Circuit Court Call Center, 1-855-212-1234 (from outside the US or Canada, 603-415-0162). New Hampshire does not publish a direct-dial probate line or a public email for the county; court navigators reachable at the same number and at [email protected] can meet self-represented filers at a nearby courthouse.
Recent updates
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Hillsborough County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | A Manchester or Nashua home held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship passes to the surviving spouse outside probate; the survivor records a death certificate with the county registry of deeds to clear title. Accounts and property in the decedent's sole name may still need administration, e-filed with the Nashua Probate Division. If the spouse is the sole beneficiary or sole heir and serves as administrator, the estate can often use the Waiver of Administration (RSA 553:32). | Asset discovery to separate survivorship property from sole-name assets. Packet generation for the Petition for Estate Administration and the Waiver of Full Administration Statement, formatted for the e-Court system. Guidance on clearing title with the county registry of deeds. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | With administration filed electronically through the New Hampshire e-Court system, an out-of-state child does not need to travel to Nashua to open the case. If the child is the sole heir (no will) or sole beneficiary (with a will) and is appointed administrator, the Waiver of Administration (RSA 553:32) avoids an inventory, bond, and accounting; otherwise Summary Administration (RSA 553:33) can close the estate without a final account after 6 months. Self-represented filers use TurboCourt. | Asset discovery to confirm what the estate holds and which simplified path fits. Packet generation for the Petition for Estate Administration and the Waiver or Summary Administration forms, ready for TurboCourt. Attorney referral if the estate turns out to be larger or contested. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Regular administration, e-filed with the Nashua Probate Division. Because there is no will, the parent is appointed administrator and receives the Certificate of Appointment, then collects assets, files the Inventory of Fiduciary, and addresses creditor claims within the 6-month window (RSA 556:1, 556:3). The parent lists the child's Hillsborough County real estate and sells it under the fiduciary's authority before distributing the proceeds. | Asset discovery for the child's accounts and property. Packet generation for the administration petition, the inventory, and the supporting forms. Attorney referral if an heir dispute arises or the sale becomes contested. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| 9th Circuit Court Probate Division, Nashua (courts.nh.gov/your-visit/find-court/9th-circuit-probate-division-nashua) | The location page for the county's Probate Division: address, hours, clerk, directions, and the statewide Call Center number |
| NH Judicial Branch self-help, Estates (courts.nh.gov/self-help/estates) | The estate overview, the Administering an Estate booklet, and the estate e-filing information and checklists |
| NH e-Court e-Filing (turbocourt.com/newhampshire) | TurboCourt, the e-filing pathway for self-represented filers, which generates the NHJB estate forms from the answers you enter; attorneys use Odyssey File & Serve |
| NH Judicial Branch Case Access Portal (odypa.nhecourt.us/portal) | Free public lookup of non-confidential e-filed Circuit Court cases, including estates, by name after registration |
| Court navigators ([email protected]; 1-855-212-1234) | Free in-person help for self-represented filers, available by appointment at a nearby courthouse |
| 603 Legal Aid (603legalaid.org; 1-800-639-5290) | Statewide centralized intake for free civil legal help for lower-income residents |
| NH Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (nhbar.org; 603-229-0002) | Attorney referrals statewide, including Hillsborough County probate, plus the free monthly LawLine phone clinic |
When to hire an attorney
Many Hillsborough County families complete an uncontested estate on their own, using the statewide NHJB forms, TurboCourt, and a court navigator. Counsel makes sense when the estate is contested, such as a will contest or an objection to an account; when the estate is insolvent or its solvency is in doubt; when a business interest or out-of-state property complicates administration; when Hillsborough County real estate must be sold and the terms are disputed; or when heirs are in conflict. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Hillsborough County probate attorney when the situation calls for counsel.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and public records to surface bank and credit-union accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Hillsborough County real estate, business interests, and unclaimed property, so you know the estate's value for estate settlement and can pick the right New Hampshire probate path before you file.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Hillsborough County filing: the Petition for Estate Administration, the Waiver of Full Administration Statement or Motion for Summary Administration where the estate qualifies, the Inventory of Fiduciary, and the supporting NHJB forms, formatted for the New Hampshire e-Court system.
Find a local probate attorney. When a matter is contested or otherwise calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Hillsborough County probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire?
With the 9th Circuit Court Probate Division in Nashua, at 30 Spring Street, Suite 103, Nashua, NH 03060, the single Probate Division that serves all of Hillsborough County. New estate cases are filed electronically through the New Hampshire e-Court system rather than at a counter, so you do not choose a courthouse by town. For questions, call the statewide Circuit Court Call Center at 1-855-212-1234.
Is there a probate court in Manchester?
No. Manchester's 9th Circuit courthouse, at 35 Amherst Street, hears district and family cases, not estates. Every Hillsborough County estate, including Manchester estates, is handled by the Probate Division in Nashua. The courts.nh.gov court directory lists one Probate Division per county, and for Hillsborough that is Nashua.
Do I have to e-file probate in Hillsborough County?
Yes for new estate cases. New Hampshire opens new estate cases through the e-Court system, not on paper. Attorneys file through Odyssey File & Serve, and self-represented filers use TurboCourt at turbocourt.com/newhampshire, which walks through the questions and generates the NHJB forms. Add a service contact email on the first filing, or the filing is rejected.
How much does it cost to file probate in Hillsborough County?
The Petition for Estate Administration fee is tiered by the estate's gross value: $150 for $10,000 or less, $205 for more than $10,000 up to $25,000, and $305 for more than $25,000 (Probate Division Rule 169 filing-fee schedule, uniform statewide, verified July 2026). The fee is the same in every New Hampshire county. The original Certificate of Appointment is issued at no charge, and a 3% surcharge applies to card payments made through File & Serve or TurboCourt.
How do I look up a Hillsborough County probate case?
Use the New Hampshire Judicial Branch Case Access Portal at odypa.nhecourt.us/portal. After a free registration it provides public access to non-confidential e-filed Circuit Court cases, including estates. It is not the official record; older or non-portal records are requested through the Probate Division.
Do I have to travel to Nashua to settle an estate?
Usually not to open the case. Because new estate cases are e-filed, a family anywhere in the county, including Manchester, Bedford, or Goffstown, files online. The Nashua courthouse matters mainly for records and any in-person hearing. Hearing formats are set by the Probate Division, so confirm whether a remote option is available through the Call Center.
What document proves I can act for the estate?
The Certificate of Appointment (Letter of Appointment), issued by the Circuit Court Probate Division when it appoints the executor or administrator. It is the proof banks and other institutions rely on to release accounts. The original Certificate of Appointment is issued at no charge; additional certificates are charged under Rule 169.
What forms do I use for a Hillsborough County estate?
The statewide NHJB probate forms, the same set used in every New Hampshire county. The core filing is the Petition for Estate Administration (NHJB-2145-P), with the Waiver of Full Administration Statement (NHJB-2144-P), the Motion for Summary Administration (NHJB-2149-P), and the Inventory of Fiduciary (NHJB-2125-P) as common companions. TurboCourt generates them for self-represented filers; confirm current form numbers on the courts.nh.gov Probate Division forms page.
How long do creditors have to make a claim?
A creditor must exhibit its demand to the administrator within 6 months after the grant of administration (RSA 556:1, 556:3), and no suit may be brought in the first 6 months. This window runs from the grant of administration, not from a published notice date, and is shorter than in many states, so identify and address known creditors early.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.