How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire (2026)
You form a New Hampshire LLC by filing a Certificate of Formation (Form LLC-1) with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division. The fee is $100, and the state also requires a $100 annual report to keep the LLC active.
This guide walks a new domestic LLC through naming the business, appointing a registered agent, filing the certificate and the rules that follow after approval.
If you already run an LLC formed in another state, moving it here is a foreign LLC registration. The state-specific rules section below covers it in full.
Quick Summary
- Check your name before you file. A name that isn't distinguishable from an existing one gets rejected, and you pay the fee again.
- A member or manager can serve as your registered agent. Their address then becomes part of the public record.
- Mark your annual report deadline now. Missing it two years in a row can get the Secretary of State to dissolve your LLC.
New Hampshire LLC Requirements at a Glance
Here's the complete picture before you start: what New Hampshire charges, where you file and what stays due after formation.
| LLC requirement | State-specific answer |
|---|---|
| Filing document | Form LLC-1, Certificate of Formation |
| Filing authority | New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division |
| State filing fee | $100 |
| Online filing | Yes, NH QuickStart |
| Processing time | Online: 3-5 business days routine. Expedited: $25 additional fee, in person only. Mail: not published separately. |
| Registered agent | NH resident or NH-authorized entity whose address matches the registered office (RSA 304-C:36 I) |
| Annual report | $100, due every year between January 1 and April 1. $50 late fee after April 1. |
| Publication required? | No formation-stage publication requirement (RSA 304-C) |
| State business tax | Business Profits Tax (7.5%; must file above $92,000 income) and Business Enterprise Tax (0.55%; must file above $250,000 value base), NH Dept. of Revenue Administration. |
| Last verified | September 3, 2026 |
How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire: 5 Steps
These five steps mirror the general process to start an LLC anywhere, adjusted for New Hampshire's forms and fees. Work through them in order, since each step depends on paperwork the one before it produces.
Step 1: Choose and check your LLC name
Your name must contain "limited liability company," "L.L.C.," "LLC," or a similar abbreviation. It also has to look different from every other name on file, so search the Corporation Division's Business Name Lookup before you settle on one.
If you want to hold a name before filing, reserve it for $15. That holds it for 120 days, and you can renew it.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
New Hampshire law requires an agent who resides in the state, with an address matching your registered office [1]. An NH-authorized business entity can serve instead, as long as its own office matches too.
If you'd rather not list your own address, our roundup of registered agent services in New Hampshire covers commercial options.
Step 3: File the Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State
File Form LLC-1 with the Corporation Division, online through NH QuickStart or by mail. The next section walks through the form field by field.
If you'd rather hand the paperwork to someone else, see our picks for the best LLC services in New Hampshire.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
New Hampshire doesn't require one in writing. An operating agreement can be written, oral or implied by how the members actually run the business. Skip one and the state's own default rules fill the gap.
Step 5: Get an EIN
Get one for free at irs.gov once your New Hampshire LLC is formed. The online application issues the number immediately, and you'll need it to open a bank account, hire anyone or register with the Department of Revenue Administration for state taxes.
Filing the Certificate of Formation in New Hampshire: What to Expect
1. What the form asks for
Form LLC-1 wants your LLC's name, the address of your registered office, and your registered agent's name and address. It also asks for the nature of your primary business and whether members or managers will run the company.
You can set an effective date up to 90 days out if you don't want the LLC to start immediately. A manager signs the certificate if the LLC has one, and a member signs if it doesn't.
An authorized person, including an attorney-in-fact, can sign instead if your operating agreement allows it. That authorization doesn't need to be in writing or filed anywhere.
2. Fee and payment methods
The filing fee is $100. Pay it online through NH QuickStart, which adds a $2 fee for online payments, or mail the form with a check made out to "State of New Hampshire."
The Corporation Division only accepts one original document per filing. Print it on standard letter-size paper in black ink, just as the instructions say.
3. Processing times
Online filings clear in 3 to 5 business days under routine service. Expedited processing costs an additional $25 and is available only in person at the Corporation Division's Customer Lobby.
The Secretary of State doesn't publish a separate turnaround estimate for filings sent by mail. For more on typical timelines across states, see how long it takes to form an LLC in New Hampshire.
| Filing method | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Online | 3-5 business days, routine |
| Not published separately from the online estimate | |
| In person | Not offered as a free walk-in channel. In-person service is the $25 expedited channel at the Customer Lobby. |
| Expedited | $25 additional fee, in person at the Customer Lobby |
| Current state estimate | Not published as a rolling backlog notice. The SOS states 3-5 business days as its standard processing time. |
4. Where to file by mail or in person
Mail your certificate to the Corporation Division, N.H. Department of State, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301-4989. In-person and expedited filings go to the State House Annex, Room 317, 25 Capitol Street, 3rd Floor, Concord, NH 03301.
5. Common reasons filings are rejected
The Corporation Division doesn't publish a specific list. Its FAQ page says a rejected filing gets its fee credited toward a corrected refiling through QuickStart, or refunded if you don't refile.
Given what the form asks for, the usual culprits are a name too close to one already on file, or a certificate nobody signed.
6. What you receive when it is approved
The Secretary of State stamps the certificate "filed" with the date and returns a signed copy for paper filings, or a certified electronic record for online ones. You also get a unique business ID number to use in future filings.
What It Costs to Start an LLC in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's mandatory formation charge is covered in the facts box above. Everything else below is optional or situational, so review each line before you pay for anything you may not actually need.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $100 |
| Name reservation | $15, reserves the name for 120 days (renewable for successive 120-day periods) |
| Registered agent | $0 when a member or manager serves as the registered agent. The state fee schedule sets no commercial registered-agent price. |
| Certified copy | $5 certification charge plus $1 per page |
| Expedited filing | $25 additional fee, in person only at the Corporation Division's Customer Lobby |
| Annual report | $100, due every year between January 1 and April 1. $50 late fee after April 1. |
| Other mandatory state fees | None. The $100 certificate of formation fee is the only mandatory formation charge. Name reservation ($15) and expedited service ($25) are optional. |
Skip the name reservation unless you need to lock in a name early. Skip the certified copy unless a bank or lender asks for proof of your filing.
Pay for expedited service only if the standard turnaround genuinely will not work before a deadline you truly cannot move.
Hire a commercial registered agent if you'd rather not put your own address on public record. For the full cost comparison across formation paths, see how much an LLC costs in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire-Specific Rules That Change the Process
1. Naming restrictions and restricted words
Your name can't imply a purpose the LLC isn't actually formed for. It also can't use the name of a recognized political party without written consent. "Farmers' market" is off-limits unless the LLC meets New Hampshire's own definition of one.
New Hampshire has no newspaper publication requirement after you form the LLC, so there's no extra notice to place or pay for.
2. Professional LLC rules
Licensed professionals use a separate statute, RSA 304-D. They also use a separate form, the Certificate of Formation for a Professional LLC, also $100. Check with your licensing board before you file if your profession requires one.
3. Member vs. manager disclosure
The certificate of formation only says whether members or managers run the LLC. It doesn't list every member. The annual report changes that. It's public and it has to name your managers, or at least one member if you don't have managers.
4. Annual report deadline, late fee and reinstatement
Every LLC files a $100 report each year between January 1 and April 1, starting the year after formation. The first report is waived if you formed between December 1 and April 1.
Miss that window and a $50 late fee applies. Stay behind for two years running and the state can dissolve your LLC.
Reinstating within three years costs $135, filed with the Corporation Division. Wait longer than that and the fee jumps to $500 for a late reinstatement.
5. Business taxes and registering as a foreign LLC
New Hampshire has no general sales tax and no tax on wages. The Business Profits Tax is 7.5% of profits, and you must file once your income tops $92,000.
The Business Enterprise Tax is 0.55% of the enterprise value tax base, and you must file once gross receipts or that base pass $250,000 [2]. Both taxes go to the Department of Revenue Administration.
Moving an existing LLC in from another state into New Hampshire means registering as a foreign LLC. You file Form FLLC-1, also $100, with the same Corporation Division that handles domestic filings.
What to Do After Your New Hampshire LLC Is Approved
The Corporation Division stamps your certificate once it's filed and returns it to you. That certificate, plus your EIN, is what a bank asks for to open a business account, so get the EIN first if you haven't already.
New Hampshire has no general state business license, so check with your city or town for local permits and with your licensing board if your profession needs one.
Once your LLC crosses the Business Profits Tax or Business Enterprise Tax thresholds, register with the Department of Revenue Administration through Granite Tax Connect. For a full breakdown of what New Hampshire LLCs owe and when, see New Hampshire LLC taxes.
Keep the annual report on your calendar every year from here on. It's the one recurring filing every New Hampshire LLC owes, and missing it repeatedly is what puts your LLC at risk of dissolution.
| Compliance item | Deadline, fee and department |
|---|---|
| Initial report | None required. First annual report due Jan. 1 - Apr. 1 the year after formation. Waived if formed Dec. 1 - Apr. 1. |
| Annual or biennial report | $100, due every year between January 1 and April 1, filed with the Secretary of State (mail or NH QuickStart) |
| State tax registration | Register with the NH Department of Revenue Administration for the Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax once the LLC crosses the filing thresholds. |
| Renewal deadline | Not applicable. New Hampshire has no general state business license to renew. |
| Late fee | $50 after April 1. Two consecutive late or missed years triggers administrative dissolution (RSA 304-C:136). |
| Responsible state department | New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division (filings and annual report). New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (business taxes). |
FAQs
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in New Hampshire?
Yes, you can be your own registered agent in New Hampshire if you live there and list an address matching your registered office.
What Happens If I Miss the New Hampshire Annual Report Deadline?
If you miss the New Hampshire annual report deadline, the state can eventually dissolve your LLC. It applies the same dissolution rule if your registered agent lapses for 60 or more days, so keeping that address current matters too.
Can a Nonresident Form an LLC in New Hampshire?
Yes, a nonresident can form an LLC in New Hampshire, but your registered agent still needs a New Hampshire address that matches the registered office. You as the owner don't have to live in the state.
Can I Use My Home Address for a New Hampshire LLC?
Yes, you can use your home address for a New Hampshire LLC if you serve as your own registered agent, since New Hampshire requires that address to match your registered office. It becomes part of the public record then, but a commercial registered agent keeps it off the filing.
References:
- http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXVIII/304-C/304-C-mrg.htm
- https://www.revenue.nh.gov/assistance/tax-overview.htm
