Getting a used car dealer license in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, used-car dealers are licensed by New Hampshire Department of Safety DMV Dealer Desk.

Before your first retail sale you’ll need a $25,000 surety bond and a business location that meets the state’s rules.

This page gathers what a new independent lot needs, each fact linked to the official source it came from.

Sources checked · details re-checked against official sources

At a glance

License
Retail motor vehicle dealer dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Issued by
New Hampshire Department of Safety DMV Dealer Desk dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Surety bond
$25,000 bond or statutory equivalent. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab) That’s the bond’s face amount, not what you pay: a surety company charges a yearly premium, usually a small percentage of it, set mainly by your credit.
Official fees
Retail vehicle license $125, paid with the application; more fees are assessed on approval. Dealer plates (from January 1, 2026): $800 for the first plate, $48 for each additional one. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Step by step

  1. Make sure you need a retail dealer license

    New Hampshire's DMV Dealer Desk, under the Department of Safety, licenses retail motor vehicle dealers. A wholesale license only allows dealer-to-dealer business. dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  2. Register the business

    Keep an active Secretary of State registration for the business or trade name. Use the full name, not an abbreviation, everywhere. dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dmv.nh.gov › rdmv730.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  3. Get local approval before you lease

    Your town or city must approve the site, and DMV verifies it, so check before signing a lease. dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  4. Set up the building

    You need a permanent physical structure of at least 750 sq ft (or one used primarily for selling) with permanent heating and electrical outlets to code. Keep 35 business hours a week, with a listed phone and email, and a sign with your trade name in letters at least 10 inches tall, visible from a public way. dmv.nh.gov › retail-vehicle-dealer (source, opens in a new tab)

  5. Lease, service agreement, bond and records

    Have a current lease, a service agreement with a licensed New Hampshire inspection station if you don't have your own, the $25,000 bond with original signatures and seal, and criminal records from New Hampshire and your state of residence, collected yourself rather than sent separately. You don't pay that amount: a surety company charges you a premium, a fraction of it, set mainly by your credit. dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dmv.nh.gov › rdmv730.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

  6. Apply

    Submit the application to the Dealer Desk following the RDMV720 and RDMV730 instructions, with the $125 retail license fee. More fees come on approval, including dealer plates: $800 for the first and $48 for each additional plate. dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dmv.nh.gov › rdmv730.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

The location

Office
A permanent physical structure of at least 750 sq ft, or one used primarily for selling, with permanent heating and electrical outlets to code. Regular business hours of 35 hours a week, and a listed business phone and email. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Sign
A sign with your registered trade name, visible from a public way, in letters at least 10 inches tall. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)
Zoning and home-based lots
Town/city approval verified by DMV; check local approval before lease. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Before you apply

Active Secretary of State business/trade-name registration; owner criminal records from NH and residence state; current lease and licensed inspection-station service agreement. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Forms

RDMV720 and RDMV730 licensing instructions. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

Get the current versions from dmv.nh.gov; we don’t host copies.

Not the license you’re after?

Wholesale license only allows dealer-to-dealer business; auto category requires majority automobile activity. dmv.nh.gov (source, opens in a new tab)

What trips people up

Our read of the requirements above, not official guidance or statistics.

The hardest part: coordinating municipal approval and inspection-station agreement.

Easy mistakes:

Questions

How much does a New Hampshire dealer license cost?

$125 with the application, then dealer plates at $800 for the first and $48 for each additional one (since January 1, 2026). The bond premium and the site cost more. dmv.nh.gov › retail-vehicle-dealer (source, opens in a new tab) dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

Do I need a repair shop?

No, but without your own you need a service agreement with a licensed New Hampshire inspection station. dmv.nh.gov › rdmv720.pdf (source, opens in a new tab) dmv.nh.gov › rdmv730.pdf (source, opens in a new tab)

What does the sign need?

Your registered trade name in letters at least 10 inches tall, visible from a public way. dmv.nh.gov › retail-vehicle-dealer (source, opens in a new tab)

Sources

Not affiliated with the New Hampshire DMV. Not legal advice. Requirements change; always confirm with the state.