What's New

In September 2023, the City of Portsmouth was notified that it had received $965,333 in Congressionally Directed Spending from the Federal Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program through the NH Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the Peirce Island Road Resiliency Project. Work on the project is scheduled to start the wee

The City of Portsmouth declared itself an Eco-Municipality in 2007. Since then, it has taken steps to improve the environment in areas under the City’s direct control. In addition, it has encourag

As required by State law, all dogs residing in the City of Portsmouth must be licensed annually. Before the license can be issued, the dog must be properly vaccinated against rabies.

The fees for new or annual renewals are:

The City of Portsmouth NH is currently in the second year of a three-year project for the major renovation of the High-Hanover Parking Facility. The project is designed to enhance the overall safety and longevity of the structure, improve traffic flow, and replace the traffic control equipment that governs garage entry and exit.

Early in 2023 the Portsmouth Arts and Nonprofits Committee assembled a subcommittee tasked with creating a new Cultural Plan for the City. The last plan was adopted in 2002 and was included in the 2005 Master Plan. The goal was to complete a new plan as a foundational pillar for the 2035 Citywide Master Plan to help ensure that City leaders have a strategic roadmap to guide support and funding policies in the coming decade and serve as a blueprint for preservation and expansion of arts and cultural venues, activities, and initiatives for the foreseeable future.

On Monday, March 18, 2024 City Councilor John Tabor apologized to the City Council and the public for the contents of an email he wrote regarding the McIntyre project that came to light during the discovery process in the City’s lawsuit against SoBow Square.

Scholarship application season is now underway. The City of Portsmouth Trustees of the Trust Funds, administrator of the funding for many scholarships, remind residents the application deadline is March 15, 2024. While many of the scholarships are awarded only to graduating Portsmouth High School seniors, some (including the five Portsmouth Community Scholarships) are open to any Portsmouth resident who is a graduating senior.

The Portsmouth City Council recently voted to increase the income limits for both the elderly and disabled property tax exemptions. Income limits for both exemptions will increase from $50,137 to $54,000 for single taxpayers and from $68,598 to $70,793 for married couples. Total assets for both exemptions will remain at $500,000 whether single or married.

The City of Portsmouth has engaged Portsmouth Listens to facilitate a series of community participation events about Places to Live in the City. This effort is to listen to and inform the community about housing concerns. Events will be held in January and February 2024 to discuss existing places to live, challenges in accessing them, ways to create more, and the impacts of doing so.

City of Portsmouth NH Inspection Department Offers Free Training Seminar on Firestop Use, Applications, Installation, and Inspection