Adults arrested in Merrimack County on felony or misdemeanor charges who are not released after their initial processing are brought to this facility:
314 Daniel Webster Hwy
Boscawen, NH 03303
In New Hampshire, county jails are generally run by a county department of corrections rather than the sheriff. Most arrests are first processed at the local police station; people who are not released there are transported to the jail by the arresting agency or the sheriff’s office. On arrival, corrections staff photograph and fingerprint each person, inventory their property, confirm any warrants and complete a medical screening before assigning housing.
Prisoners may also be brought in by the New Hampshire State Police and by federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshals and ICE.
Two 2025 laws, which took effect in January 2026, ban sanctuary policies in New Hampshire cities and towns and bar local governments from blocking police departments from entering 287(g) agreements with ICE. They also allow county jails to hold a person subject to ICE detention for up to two days after their state or local case is resolved, so that federal officers can take custody.
The arrest information shown here comes from the county’s official booking list (opens in a new tab) or an official statewide jail list. When available, entries may show a booking photo along with each charge and the agency responsible for the arrest. For anything a record leaves out, reach the Merrimack County House of Corrections at 603-796-3600.
Intake at the Merrimack County House of Corrections can be finished in a couple of hours or can last most of the day, depending on how many new admissions are waiting to be processed.
After an arrest, a bail commissioner usually decides release conditions, often personal recognizance, before the person ever reaches the jail. Since January 2025, people charged with certain violent or serious offenses, such as homicide, first- or second-degree assault, felony domestic violence, sexual assault, kidnapping and robbery, are not seen by a bail commissioner; they are held until arraignment, which must take place within 24 hours of arrest. Release details are on our Bail page.
Start by calling 603-796-3600 and asking the jail whether the person has been admitted.
Some facilities offer a recorded lookup by name; at others a corrections officer answers. You will likely be asked for the person’s date of birth so staff can confirm who you mean.
Because many arrests are processed at a local police station first, a person may not appear in the jail’s records for several hours, and someone released by a bail commissioner may never be admitted at all.
Recent admissions are also listed on the Merrimack County House of Corrections Booking Roster.
Following the arrest and Miranda warnings, the person is usually taken to the arresting department’s station in Merrimack County for booking and a bail decision, and is moved to the county jail only if they are not released.
Booking happens in stages. Defense attorneys typically counsel saying nothing about the alleged crime, because anything said to officers or over a jail phone may be recorded and introduced in court.
Staff take photographs and fingerprints and go through questions about the person’s history, health and frame of mind. Warrant checks are run for Merrimack County, the rest of New Hampshire and other jurisdictions nationwide.
When the arrest involves impaired driving, blood may be drawn only with consent or a warrant. Refusing a chemical test in New Hampshire results in an administrative license suspension.
Everyone is searched before entering the facility. That can mean a pat-down, a metal detector or body scanner, and under jail policy a more thorough search.
Expect questions about chronic illnesses, prescriptions, recent drug or alcohol use, allergies, identifying marks and tattoos, gang connections and suicidal thoughts. The answers guide classification, housing and any referral to medical or mental health staff.
The jail takes custody of all personal items and records them on a property form. They are returned at release, or, with the person’s written permission, released to a relative or friend.
Property usually includes clothing, cash, wallets, bags, phones, jewelry, piercings, watches and belts. Glasses may be kept in storage if they raise a safety issue, and laces are taken out of any shoes the person keeps.
The person is allowed a phone call so they can tell someone about the arrest and work on bond or bail arrangements.
If they remain in custody awaiting arraignment, the jail provides a uniform, shoes, linens, a towel and toiletries such as soap and a toothbrush.
Many facilities require a shower before housing, and some use a delousing treatment to stop the spread of pests.
Plan on roughly an hour at the short end and a day or more at the long end. Volume, staffing and how the person behaves are the main variables.
Anyone who arrives heavily impaired or aggressive may wait in a holding cell for several hours until intake can safely continue.