Quick answer: the deadline that shapes the whole schedule is the 6-month exhibition period from the grant of administration under § 556:3 — not from death or from any newspaper publication. See the full New Hampshire probate timeline calculator for your specific estimate.
The core deadlines, in order
| Deadline | New Hampshire rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Creditor exhibits demand to administrator | Within 6 months of the original grant of administration, by registered mail | § 556:2, 556:3 |
| No suit within first 6 months | Creditor must wait out the exhibition period first | § 556:1 |
| Suit deadline | Within 1 year of the grant of administration | § 556:5 |
| Extension for late claims | By petition, if justice and equity require it | § 556:28 |
| Real estate bar if probate never opened | 2 years from date of death | § 556:29 |
| Surviving spouse's elective share window | 6 months from the administrator's appointment | RSA Title LVI probate practice |
No court filing, but strict on the paperwork that matters
Worth understanding clearly: New Hampshire creditors don't file anything with the probate court to preserve a claim — there's no appearance, no notice of claim on the docket. Instead, the creditor must exhibit the demand directly to the administrator, by registered mail, stating the nature and amount of the claim, within 6 months of the grant of administration. New Hampshire courts apply Chapter 556's procedural requirements strictly — even the administrator's actual knowledge of a debt doesn't excuse a creditor who misses this deadline.
A real estate-specific backstop
Separate from the 6-month and 1-year deadlines, § 556:29 sets a two-year outer limit tied to the decedent's real estate specifically: if no probate administration is ever opened within 2 years of death, creditors are permanently barred from reaching that real estate to satisfy their claims — regardless of what happens with other assets.
Facing probate in New Hampshire?
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