KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to New Hampshire

HB1156 • 2026

requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
David Walker (R), John MacDonald (R), Jim Maggiore (D)
Last action
2026-04-03
Official status
SENATE
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

What This Bill Does

  • requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-03 S

    Refer to Interim Study, MA, VV; 04/09/2026; SJ 8

  2. 2026-04-01 S

    Committee Report: Referred to Interim Study, 04/09/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 13

  3. 2026-02-24 S

    Hearing: 03/03/2026, Room 100, SH, 01:55 pm; SC 8

  4. 2026-02-09 S

    Introduced 02/05/2026 and Referred to Judiciary; SJ 4

  5. 2026-02-05 H

    Ought to Pass : MA VV 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 11

  6. 2026-01-27 H

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass 01/21/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 5 P. 8

  7. 2026-01-21 H

    Executive Session: 01/21/2026 02:30 pm GP 230

  8. 2026-01-08 H

    Public Hearing: 01/21/2026 02:30 pm GP 230

  9. 2025-12-01 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Judiciary HJ 1 P. 8

Official Summary Text

requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB 1156-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION
26-2389
07/05

HOUSE BILL
1156-FN

AN ACT
requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

SPONSORS: Rep. Walker, Straf. 19; Rep. J. MacDonald, Carr. 6; Rep. Maggiore, Rock. 23

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ANALYSIS

This bill requires that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in
bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [
in brackets and struckthrough.
]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2389
07/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Probate Courts and Decedents' Estates; Inventory, Accounts, and Dealing With Assets; Real Estate; Notification of Towns and Cities. Amend RSA 554:18-a to read as follows:
554:18-a Real Estate; Notification of Towns and Cities. Prior to rendering his final account, every administrator as defined in RSA 553:1 shall notify the selectmen of each town and the assessors of each city of those persons coming into the ownership of real estate through inheritance or devise, and shall certify to the probate court, on a form approved by the court, that such notice has been given.
All such notices shall also be recorded at the respective county's registry of deeds prior to rendering of the final count, and the register of deeds shall be entitled to charge a fee pursuant to RSA 478:17-g.
The provisions of this section shall not apply when real estate of a decedent is sold by license or consent.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.

LBA
26-2389
10/21/25

HB 1156-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT
requiring that probate court notices of acquisitions of real estate through inheritance or similar devise be recorded in a county's registry of deeds.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Estimated Political Subdivision Impact

FY 2026
FY 2027
FY 2028
FY 2029

County Revenue
$0
Indeterminable Increase

County Expenditures
$0
$0
$0
$0

Local Revenue
$0
$0
$0
$0

Local Expenditures
$0
$0
$0
$0

METHODOLOGY:
This bill requires estate administrators to notify local officials of anyone inheriting real estate and certify this to the probate court, before filing a final account. The notice must also be recorded at the county registry of deeds, which may charge a fee.

The New Hampshire Association of Counties states that this would generate revenue for counties through a recording fee of $12 for the first page, plus $4 for each additional page, as well as applicable postage. However, the total revenue is indeterminable as it depends on the number of probate cases involving real estate inheritance.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:
New Hampshire Association of Counties