UNAUTHORIZED ENTRIES

RSA tit. LXII, ch. 635

in effect

RSA 635:1 Burglary.

635:1. Burglary. I. A person is guilty of burglary if he or she enters or remains unlawfully in a building or occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied section thereof, with purpose to commit a crime therein, unless the premises are at the time open to the public or the actor is licensed or privileged to enter. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution for burglary that the building or structure was abandoned. II. Burglary is a class B felony unless it is perpetrated in the dwelling of another at night, or if, in the commission of the offense, attempt at commission or in flight immediately after attempt or commission, the actor is armed with a deadly weapon or explosives or he purposely, knowingly or recklessly inflicts bodily injury on anyone; in which case it is a class A felony; except that if the person is armed with a deadly weapon and the deadly weapon is a firearm, he shall be sentenced in accordance with RSA 651:2, II-g. III. "Occupied structure" shall mean any structure, vehicle, boat or place adapted for overnight accommodation of persons, or for carrying on business therein, whether or not a person is actually present. "Night" shall mean the period between 30 minutes past sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise. IV. A person may not be convicted both for burglary and for the offense which it was his purpose to commit after the burglarious entry or for an attempt to commit that offense, unless the additional offense constitutes a class A felony. V. A person is guilty of a misdemeanor if he makes or mends, or begins to make or mend, or knowingly has in his possession, an engine, machine, tool, or implement adapted and designed for cutting through, forcing or breaking open a building, room, vault, safe, or other depository, in order to steal therefrom money or other property, or to commit any other crime, knowing the same to be adapted and designed for the purpose aforesaid, with intent to use or employ or allow the same to be used or employed for such purpose. Source. 1971, 518:1. 1990, 95:4. 2014, 161:9, eff. July 10, 2014.

RSA 635:2 Criminal Trespass.

635:2. Criminal Trespass. I. A person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place. II. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor for the first offense and a class B felony for any subsequent offense if the person knowingly or recklessly causes damage in excess of $1,500 to the value of the property of another. III. Criminal trespass is a misdemeanor if: (a) The trespass takes place in an occupied structure as defined in RSA 635:1, III; or (b) The person knowingly enters or remains: (1) In any secured premises; (2) In any place in defiance of an order to leave or not to enter which was personally communicated to him by the owner or other authorized person; (3) In any place in defiance of any court order restraining him from entering such place so long as he has been properly notified of such order; (4) On any grounds, lands, or parking areas of any state correctional facility or transitional housing unit operated by the department of corrections without prior authorization or without a legitimate purpose associated with department of corrections operations; (5) On open space land in violation of a posted "no trespass except for skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, hunting, hiking, or nature observation" sign authorized pursuant to RSA 79-A:4, II; or (6) On the property of another during the commission of any crime under RSA 318-B or RSA 633:7. IV. All other criminal trespass is a violation. V. In this section, "secured premises" means any place which is posted in a manner prescribed by law or in a manner reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders, or which is fenced or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders. VI. In this section, "property," "property of another," and "value" shall be as defined in RSA 637:2, I, IV, and V, respectively. Source. 1971, 518:1. 1979, 377:7. 2005, 125:1. 2010, 239:2, eff. July 1, 2010. 2020, 37:41, eff. Sept. 27, 2020. 2024, 321:9, eff. Jan. 1, 2025.

RSA 635:2-a Order Against Trespass on Public Property.

635:2-a. Order Against Trespass on Public Property. I. (a) A governing body responsible for public property, or a person designated by the governing body, may issue an emergency no trespass order (NTO) directing a person to leave or not enter specified public property when immediate action is reasonably necessary to protect public safety, prevent substantial disruption of governmental operations, or prevent damage to public property. (b) An emergency NTO issued under this paragraph shall: (1) Be in writing; (2) State the date and time of issuance; (3) Identify the specific public property to which the order applies; (4) Provide a brief statement of the factual basis for the emergency issuance; (5) State the expiration date and time of the NTO; and (6) State that the person may request a hearing on the NTO. (c) An emergency NTO shall be effective immediately but shall expire automatically no later than 35 days after issuance, unless approved pursuant to paragraph II. II. (a) If the governing body seeks to continue an NTO beyond the initial NTO period, the governing body shall approve the NTO by at least a majority vote taken by roll call vote at a duly noticed public meeting, or at a non-public session if permitted under RSA 91-A and requested by the individual subject to the NTO. (b) Any NTO issued or approved under this section shall include: (1) The date of issuance; (2) The specific public property to which the order applies; (3) A clear explanation of the reason for the NTO; (4) The duration of the NTO, not to exceed one year; (5) A statement informing the individual of the right to request a hearing to contest the NTO; (6) Instructions on how to request a hearing; and (7) A statement informing the individual of the right to appeal an adverse decision to the superior court. III. (a) An individual issued an NTO shall have the right to a hearing upon written request. The request shall be made no later than 10 days from the date of issuance or governing body approval of the NTO. (b) The governing body shall hold the hearing at the next regularly scheduled meeting. (c) If a hearing is not held within the timeframe required under this paragraph, the NTO shall be automatically vacated, unless the delay is attributable to the individual requesting the hearing. IV. Following the hearing, the governing body shall issue a written decision, which shall state whether the NTO is: (1) Rescinded; (2) Modified; or (3) Continued for a defined period. V. An individual subject to an NTO may appeal a final decision of the governing body to the superior court. Any appeal shall be filed within 30 days of the written decision. VI. All NTOs issued under this section shall expire by operation of law upon reaching their authorized duration and shall not be renewed except in compliance with this section. [Paragraph VII repealed by 339:3 effective Aug. 19, 2027.] VII. The governing body shall review within 90 days all NTOs in effect as of the effective date of this section and reissue or rescind them in accordance with this section. If no action is taken by the governing body on an NTO subject to this paragraph within 90 days, such NTO shall be void. [RSA 635:2-a effective October 18, 2026.] [Paragraph VII repealed by 339:3 effective Aug. 19, 2027.] Source. 2026, 339:2, eff. Oct. 18, 2026.

RSA 635:3 Trespassing Stock or Domestic Fowl.

635:3. Trespassing Stock or Domestic Fowl. If any person having the charge or custody of any sheep, goats, cattle, horses, swine, or domestic fowl shall knowingly, recklessly, or negligently suffer or permit the same to enter upon, pass over, or remain upon any improved or enclosed land of another without written permission of the owner, occupant, or his or her agent, and thereby injures the owner's crops or property, the person shall be guilty of a violation. Complaints shall be made to law enforcement officials or local animal control officers who shall enforce the provisions of this section. Source. 1971, 518:1, eff. Nov. 1, 1973. 2018, 60:1, eff. July 24, 2018.

RSA 635:4 Prescribed Manner of Posting.

635:4. Prescribed Manner of Posting. A person may post his land to prohibit criminal trespass and physical activities by posting signs of durable material with any words describing the physical activity prohibited, such as "No Hunting or Trespassing", printed with block letters no less than 2 inches in height, and with the name and address of the owner or lessee of such land. Such signs shall be posted not more than 100 yards apart on all sides and shall also be posted at gates, bars and commonly used entrances. This section shall not prevent any owner from adding to the language required by this section. Source. 1977, 284:1, eff. Aug. 21, 1977.

RSA 635:5 Penalty.

635:5. Penalty. I. Any person who is found removing, defacing or destroying any sign, poster or property of another shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor. II. Any person who knowingly places a sign or poster prohibiting certain physical activity on the land pursuant to RSA 635:4 on any land for which the person knows that he or she has no legal right nor any reasonable basis for belief of having such a right, shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor; except that notwithstanding RSA 651:2, the person shall be fined $200 for a first offense or $500 for a second or subsequent offense. Source. 1977, 284:1. 1992, 269:13, eff. July 1, 1992. 2025, 136:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2026.

RSA 635:6 Interference With Cemetery or Burial Ground.

635:6. Interference With Cemetery or Burial Ground. I. No person, without the written authorization of the owner of a burial plot, or the lineal descendant or ascendant of the deceased, if such owner or lineal descendant or ascendant is known, or the written authorization of the governing board of the municipality in which the burial plot lies, if the owner or lineal descendant or ascendant is unknown, shall: (a) Purposely or knowingly destroy, mutilate, injure or remove any tomb, monument, gravestone, marker, or other structure, or any portion or fragment thereof, placed or designed for a memorial of the dead, or any fence, railing, gate, curb, or plot delineator or other enclosure for the burial of the dead. (b) Purposely or knowingly disturb the contents of any tomb or grave in any cemetery or burial ground. II. The governing board of the municipality in which the burial plot lies shall not grant approval for the removal or disturbance of a tomb, monument, gravestone, marker, or plot delineator without first giving 30 days' notice, along with a report of the full circumstances, to the division of historical resources, that such approval has been requested. The governing board of the municipality shall maintain a record of the date, circumstances, and disposition of the request for removal or disturbance. Source. 1987, 107:1. 2015, 95:1, eff. Aug. 4, 2015.

RSA 635:7 Unlawful Possession or Sale of Gravestones and Gravesite Items.

635:7. Unlawful Possession or Sale of Gravestones and Gravesite Items. No person shall possess or sell, offer for sale or attempt to sell, or transfer or dispose of any monument, gravestone, marker, or other structure, or any portion or fragment thereof, placed or designed for a memorial of the dead, or any fence, railing, gate, plot delineator, or curb, knowing or having reasonable cause to know that it has been unlawfully removed from a cemetery or burial ground. Source. 1987, 107:1, eff. May 6, 1987.

RSA 635:8 Penalties.

635:8. Penalties. Any person who is convicted of an offense under RSA 635:6 or 635:7 shall be guilty of a class B felony, and shall be ordered by the court to make restitution for damages resulting from the offense and for replacement of removed items. Source. 1987, 107:1, eff. May 6, 1987.

Source: New Hampshire General Court (gc.nh.gov)URL: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/NHTOC/NHTOC-LXII-635.htmFetched: 10/20/2026