State guide
Advance Directive Forms in New Hampshire
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 15
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the New Hampshire form
New Hampshire General Court (RSA 137-J:20) publishes the current form here: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/X/137-J/137-J-20.htm
Statutory form set out in RSA 137-J:20.
New Hampshire's form is written into the statute
New Hampshire sets its advance directive form out in RSA 137-J:20, and the General Court publishes the law itself. What you open is the statute, with the document printed inside it, rather than a form sitting on a state forms page.
There is an advantage to reading a form this way. You are looking at the version the law describes, so there is no gap between what you sign and what the statute requires. You can print the statutory text and use it directly.
The document covers both jobs — a durable power of attorney naming your agent, and a living will recording your wishes — so it is a single form rather than a pair.
If statutory language is not how you want to spend an afternoon, hospitals and physician offices across New Hampshire keep printed copies of the same document. There is no fee either way.
New Hampshire's form is published as statute, so a search for a downloadable "New Hampshire advance directive form" will mostly surface third-party sites. The General Court's own text is the authoritative version.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way New Hampshire requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Frequently asked
Is the New Hampshire advance directive form free?
Yes. New Hampshire General Court (RSA 137-J:20) publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the New Hampshire form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way New Hampshire law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed New Hampshire advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.