New Hampshire § 5-C:96 Retention Schedule for Forms and Other Documents

New Hampshire Statutes

§ 5-C:96 — Retention Schedule for Forms and Other Documents

New Hampshire § 5-C:96

Title ITHE STATE AND ITS GOVERNMENT

Ch. 5-CVITAL RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

SubdivisionForms and Procedures for Amendments and Corrections to Vital Records and Retention of Vital Record Documents

This text of New Hampshire § 5-C:96 (Retention Schedule for Forms and Other Documents) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 5-C:96 (2026).

Text

I. "Vital event record," for the purpose of the retention schedule established in this section, means all of the following records:

(a)All birth records and any related documents used in the preparation of new records, including completed affidavits of paternity legitimation forms, court-ordered paternity decisions, court-authorized decisions related to change of gender, and all records relating to adoptions.

(b)All death records, including changes affecting medical certification, submitted by the physician, APRN, or physician associate to either the clerk of the town or city or the division.

(c)All marriage records, including any documents and related material used in the process of voiding any marriage certificate.

(d)Divorce, civil annulment, and legal separation records that are on

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I. "Vital event record," for the purpose of the retention schedule established in this section, means all of the following records:
(a) All birth records and any related documents used in the preparation of new records, including completed affidavits of paternity legitimation forms, court-ordered paternity decisions, court-authorized decisions related to change of gender, and all records relating to adoptions.
(b) All death records, including changes affecting medical certification, submitted by the physician, APRN, or physician associate to either the clerk of the town or city or the division.
(c) All marriage records, including any documents and related material used in the process of voiding any marriage certificate.
(d) Divorce, civil annulment, and legal separation records that are on file at the division.
II. For the purpose of preservation of facts in relation to births, marriages, deaths, and divorces, vital event records shall be retained by the city or town clerks and hospitals as follows:
(a) Application forms used to apply for certified copies: retained for one year.
(b) Marriage application worksheet when the clerk of the town or city has received the license from the officiant: retained for one year.
(c) Marriage application worksheet when the marriage license has not been returned by the officiant or it has been determined that the marriage had never taken place: retained for 50 years.
(d) Birth worksheet, hospital birth: retained for 7 years.
(e) Birth worksheet, home birth: retained for 7 years.
(f) In-state burial permit: retained for 6 years.
(g) Out-of-state burial permit: retained for 10 years.
(h) Disinterment and reinterment permit; in-state disposition: retained for 6 years.
(i) Disinterment and reinterment permit; out-of-state disposition: retained for 10 years.
(j) Medical examiner's cremation certificate: retained for 6 years.
(k) Amendment or correction form: retained permanently.
(l) Clerk of the town or city's copy of marriage certificate: retained permanently.
(m) Fetal death report: retained permanently.
(n) Funeral director receipt: retained for one year.
(o) Vital event records, including, birth, marriages, and deaths, not specifically listed in this paragraph: retained permanently.

Legislative History

2005, 268:1. 2007, 215:14. 2009, 54:4, eff. July 21, 2009. 2015, 140:14, eff. Jan. 1, 2016. 2023, 211:2, eff. Aug. 4, 2023. 2025, 105:1, eff. June 17, 2025.