Lost & Found Services in New Hampshire

Discover how to report or find lost items across major cities in New Hampshire. We help you connect with local services, transportation hubs, and more.

Most Populated Cities in New Hampshire

Nashua

Manchester

Portsmouth

Dover

Concord

Derry

How Lost & Found Works in New Hampshire

New Hampshire is one of the few states with a lost property statute that actually spells out numbers. RSA 471-C:13 tells police departments what to do with lost or abandoned personal property that comes through their doors, sets a dollar line at $250, and gives a 180 day holding period for higher value items before a department can dispose of them. The same chapter reaches into airport property rooms, and a separate criminal statute, RSA 637:6, makes it a theft offense to keep something you know was lost or mislaid instead of trying to return it. On top of that, the State Treasury runs a formal abandoned property program for financial assets like uncashed checks and forgotten accounts, which is a different track from a wallet or phone turned in at a police station.

ReportLost is an independent service. A free report creates a public listing; paid options add public-web monitoring, and the $25 team-assisted option also includes relevant local outreach. Agencies and venues set their own filing and holding procedures.

What the Law Says in New Hampshire

Police Custody of Lost Property (RSA 471-C:13)

When someone turns lost or abandoned personal property into a New Hampshire police department, the statute sets the rules for what happens next. Property valued at $250 or more must be held for at least 180 days before the department can dispose of it. Lower value items are handled on a shorter timeline set by the individual department; contact the relevant station to confirm its procedure.

Theft of Lost or Mislaid Property (RSA 637:6)

New Hampshire criminal law does not treat a found wallet as finders keepers. Under RSA 637:6, a person who obtains property they know to be lost, mislaid, or delivered by mistake commits theft if they do not make a reasonable, good faith attempt to return it to the owner. Local departments and businesses maintain their own procedures for reporting found property.

Airport Lost and Found (RSA 471-C:13)

The same statute that governs municipal police departments extends to airport property rooms. An airport director or designee can dispose of noncontraband lost or abandoned property after it has sat unclaimed for 180 days, the same benchmark used elsewhere in the chapter. If you left something at a New Hampshire airport, that 180 day clock is your practical deadline to get a claim in.

State Treasury Abandoned Property Division (RSA 471-C:2)

Physical items and financial property follow different rules in New Hampshire. Intangible property such as uncashed checks, dormant accounts, and similar assets is presumed abandoned after five years and escheats to the state, managed through the Treasury's Abandoned Property Division at findnhmoney.gov. That system is separate from a police department's lost and found bin, so a missing phone and a forgotten account are not searched for in the same place.

Where items end up in New Hampshire

A lost item in New Hampshire can land in several different systems depending on where it disappeared. Air travelers move through Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, and often Boston Logan just across the border, each running its own lost and found under airport property room rules. Riders use the Manchester Transit Authority and COAST on the Seacoast, and venues from SNHU Arena to Bank of NH Pavilion, state parks, and college campuses like UNH and Dartmouth each keep their own lost and found with different holding periods. The city pages below list local contacts. ReportLost is independent; its free public listing, six-month automatic monitoring and twelve-month team-assisted option are described on the report form.

Lost something in New Hampshire?

A free report creates a public listing. The $12 option adds six months of automatic monitoring, a ReportLost certificate, an anonymous case address, and QR stickers. The $25 option adds manual research, direct service contact, report submission, local social sharing, and 12 months of monitoring.

Report my lost item →

New Hampshire Lost & Found FAQ

Do I get my item back if someone turned it in?

Yes, but you need to prove it is yours. New Hampshire police departments and venues typically ask for a description that includes a private detail, like a specific mark, contents, or serial number, that would not be visible from a photo alone. That step protects your property from being handed to the wrong person.

Is a reward mandatory in New Hampshire?

No. Nothing in New Hampshire law requires you to offer a reward for the return of lost property. It is always your choice, and plenty of items are returned with a simple thank you.

How long will the police hold my item before it's disposed of or donated?

Under RSA 471-C:13, items valued at $250 or more must be held for at least 180 days before a department can dispose of them. Items under that value are handled on a shorter, department set schedule, so confirm the exact timeline with the specific station holding your property.

What happens if someone keeps something they found instead of turning it in?

New Hampshire treats that as theft. RSA 637:6 makes it a crime to knowingly keep property you know was lost or mislaid without making a reasonable effort to return it. Local police and nearby businesses have their own procedures for reporting found property.

What if my lost item was found at the airport?

Airport property rooms in New Hampshire follow the same 180 day holding rule under RSA 471-C:13 as municipal police departments. Contact the specific airport's lost and found directly, since airlines and airport authorities often run separate intake systems for items found in terminals versus on aircraft.

This page provides general information about New Hampshire law as of publication and is not legal advice. Procedures vary by city and department; verify details with your local authorities. Last reviewed: July 2026.

All Cities We Cover in New Hampshire

Each city page lists the local lost & found contacts and how to report a loss there.