Asbestos by State

State rules

New Hampshire

New Hampshire regulates asbestos by statute in RSA 141-E, Asbestos Management and Control, administered by the Department of Environmental Services. The licensing section says a contractor, employer, or individual who does asbestos abatement, or who disturbs asbestos at a disposal site, must first obtain a department license. Certified people working under a licensed contractor are not separately licensed for that work. A license lasts 12 months, must be at the worksite, and may be recognized from another state with substantially equivalent standards. EPA lists New Hampshire among the twelve AHERA waiver states and names separate contacts for AHERA, NESHAP, and licensing. The department’s own website returned HTTP 403, so this entry relies on the statute that did load.

Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.

Try a ZIP like 30303, “Travis County” or “Columbus, OH”
Who runs the asbestos program
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, under RSA 141-E
Who must be licensed or accredited
RSA 141-E requires a department license before asbestos abatement or disturbance of asbestos at disposal sites, with stated exemptions. Certified individuals working under a licensed contractor do not also need their own license.
Official program page
Official page →

The exemptions in RSA 141-E:10 are specific. They include people the statute or the rules exempt, owners of single-family owner-occupied property who personally abate inside that property, and people who obtain a waiver. Everyone else who abates, or who disturbs asbestos at a disposal site, needs the license first. The license is in writing, dated, signed by the commissioner or a designee, and shows the holder’s name and address. A copy must be available at the worksite for the department or for local government. Doing the work before the paper is issued is the violation the statute is written to prevent.

The chapter’s purpose language, as published with the statute, is to control public exposure by regulating abatement and disposal-site activity, and it says the intent is not to overburden an unknowing homeowner but to assure commercial and industrial compliance. That is why the owner-occupant exemption is narrow and personal. It is not a license for a hired crew. Disposal sites are part of the same chapter, which is a New Hampshire feature tied to historical dumping, not a generic demolition form.

EPA’s waiver listing means school asbestos rules are implemented by the state. The DES website that would show current forms returned HTTP 403 to this directory, so form names and fees are not copied here. Ask the licensing contact EPA lists, Alexandra Wheeler at 603-271-4609 on that EPA page, which application matches the job, and ask the NESHAP contact where the demolition notice goes. OSHA’s construction standard still binds employers.

Official resources in New Hampshire

RSA 141-E:10 licensure

Who needs a New Hampshire asbestos license and the 12-month term.

RSA 141-E chapter

Asbestos management and control statute, including the homeowner intent.

EPA state asbestos contacts

Lists New Hampshire among AHERA waiver states and separates licensing from NESHAP.

EPA asbestos in schools

Federal school baseline for waiver states.

Key facts for New Hampshire

What to do next

  1. Get the written license before work starts, and keep a copy on site.
  2. Do not treat the owner-occupant exemption as permission for a hired crew.
  3. Ask the licensing contact and the NESHAP contact as two calls.
  4. For a school, use the state waiver program and confirm which office holds the plan.

Looking for your city or county in New Hampshire?

We haven't found official program-level pages for New Hampshire we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:

  1. General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across New Hampshire, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
  2. Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.
    New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
    Website →
    Phone: (603) 271-4609 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)
    Your city or county office: Local governments →
    Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the New Hampshire page on USA.gov can point you to the right office.
  3. Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.

Helpful guides

Asbestos rules planner →

Do you serve New Hampshire? Get a featured listing for $30/month, clearly labeled as a paid placement.