College Students and Non-Residents

College Students

College Students are not required to establish residency in the State of New Hampshire, meaning they are not required to obtain a New Hampshire driver's license or register their vehicles in New Hampshire. Sometimes students have loans, scholarships or grants that are based on residency in their home state and their eligibility would be affected by changing their residency to New Hampshire.

If you plan to purchase a vehicle while attending school in New Hampshire or if you are bringing a vehicle from another state, you have three choices for vehicle registration: 

Register in Your Home State: If your vehicle is already registered in another state, you will not be required to register your vehicle in New Hampshire. If you purchase a vehicle, it is recommended that you contact the DMV in your state for processing requirements prior to purchasing the vehicle. If you purchase your vehicle through a New Hampshire dealer, explain your situation and ask for the title or certificate of origin. The dealer should not complete a title application for New Hampshire. You will not be required to obtain a New Hampshire Driver's License. 

Register in NH as a Resident: If you are a college student and choose to become a resident, you will have 60 days upon establishing residency in the State of New Hampshire to obtain a New Hampshire driver's license and register your vehicle. You will be asked to provide our office with Proof of Residency in order to register your vehicle.  

Register in NH as a Non-Resident - please see below as this may not be feasible for you. 

Non-Resident Registrations

Seasonal residents and college students may choose to register their vehicle in New Hampshire without having to become a resident only if the vehicle will be housed exclusively in the State of New Hampshire. This means it cannot be taken out of New Hampshire for any overnight trips. You are also required to have one vehicle registered in your resident state and you be asked to sign an affidavit attesting that fact. If these restrictions are not feasible for your situation, please register your vehicle in your home state.

If you plan to purchase a vehicle through a New Hampshire dealer that will be housed exclusively in New Hampshire, please inform the dealer at the time of purchase that you are a non-resident. They must prepare the title application for the vehicle which reflects both your New Hampshire address and your out-of-state residence address.

When you visit our office to register your vehicle, please tell us immediately that you are a non-resident so we can properly process your transaction. Please have proof of a connection to the property that you are claiming in New Hampshire. The proof of connection meets the same requirements as proof of residency for those wishing to register as residents. Learn more about Residency Requirements. You will also be asked to provide your correct out-of-state residence address and an out-of-state photo identification. Your registration will be issued and marked as "Non-Resident." Your record will also be marked as such, to avoid having to change your driver's license to New Hampshire.