RSA Chapter 337-A — Preservation of Private Business Records

Title XXXI — Trade and Commerce

Current through the 2025 Regular Session of the New Hampshire General Court.

Title XXXI Trade and Commerce

RSA 337-A:1 Definitions

As used in this chapter:

I. "Business" includes every kind of private business, profession, occupation, calling, or operation of private institutions, whether carried on for profit or not.

II. "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, or any other association.

III. "Records" or "business records" include books of account, vouchers, documents, cancelled checks, payrolls, correspondence, records of sales, personnel, equipment and production, reports relating to any or all such records, and other business papers.

IV. "Reproduction" means a reproduction or durable medium for making a reproduction obtained by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, microcard, miniature photographic or other process which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for so reproducing the original.

Source. 1955, 192:1 par. 1, eff. June 9, 1955.

RSA 337-A:2 Destruction of Records

Unless a specific period is designated by law for their preservation, business records which persons by the laws of this state are required to keep or preserve may be destroyed after the expiration of 3 years from the making of such records without constituting an offense under such laws. This section does not apply to minute books of corporations nor to records of sales or other transactions involving weapons, poisons or other dangerous articles or substances capable of use in the commission of crimes.

Source. 1955, 192:1 par. 2, eff. June 9, 1955.

RSA 337-A:3 Reproductions

If in the regular course of business a person makes reproductions of original business records, the preservation of such reproductions constitutes compliance with any laws of this state requiring that business records be kept or preserved.

Source. 1955, 192:1 par. 3, eff. June 9, 1955.

RSA 337-A:4 Application

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to diminish the authority of an officer of this state under existing law to permit the destruction of business records.

Source. 1955, 192:1 par. 4, eff. June 9, 1955.

RSA 337-A:5 Construction

This chapter shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it; but it shall not be interpreted and construed as requiring the preservation of business records for any longer period than they are now required by law to be preserved.

Source. 1955, 192:1 par. 5, eff. June 9, 1955.

RSA 337-A:6 Citation

This chapter may be cited as the Uniform Preservation of Private Business Records Act.

Source. 1955, 192:1 par. 6, eff. June 9, 1955.