Granite Staters can soon cut more wood without tax, paperwork

Landowners may cut an additional 300 tons of wood chips per tax year. (Getty Images)

Starting July 1, Granite Staters can chop down significantly more wood for their own building and fuel uses before getting taxed or having to file paperwork with their towns.

These timber-tax limits were raised under Senate Bill 514, recently signed into law by Gov. Chris Sununu, which aims to reduce paperwork burdens on local officials and landowners.

Under the new provisions, people can soon cut (or cause to be cut) up to 15,000 board feet of logs from their own land for use in the construction, reconstruction, or alteration of their own buildings, fences, or other structures without being taxed. 

One board foot is 1 foot long, 1 foot wide, and 1 inch thick. This new pre-tax ceiling is 5,000 board feet greater than the current one, and it excludes buildings constructed for sale.

Granite Staters will also soon be allowed to chop 30 cords of fuel wood for their own consumption without tax, as opposed to the present limit of 20 cords. A cord is a volume of 128 cubic feet, or a stack 8 feet long, 4 feet high, and 4 feet wide, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Any amount may be cut to manufacture maple sugar or syrup; this is unchanged.

On top of the 15,000 board feet and 30 cords, landowners may cut an additional 300 tons of wood chips per tax year, which runs from April 1 to March 31.

Those who wish to cut wood beyond these ceilings must first notify their towns of their intent to cut. Timber chopped beyond the cap is taxed at 10 percent of the standing trees’ market value.

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