How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire

Bringing a New Hampshire LLC to life is a four-or-five-step path: one filing, one agent, an internal agreement, an EIN, and ongoing compliance. Cost-wise: $100 for the state, roughly a week for the state to process, and then an annual maintenance cadence you keep up with. The rest of this page covers the steps, the full cost picture, and the part we take off your plate.

Get Your New Hampshire LLC — $199

The full filing service is $199. We prepare the Articles, submit through New Hampshire Secretary of State, and wait the roughly a week for approval.

Get Your New Hampshire LLC — $199

What A New Hampshire LLC Is (and Why People Form One)

A LLC-style liability company is a flexible business form that limits owner liability while keeping tax filing relatively simple. Across New Hampshire, you'll find LLCs across independent professionals, rental property holders, side-business operators, and small consultancies — the entity is light on paperwork and easy to maintain.

The Numbers for New Hampshire LLC Formation

Item	Cost
Our LLC formation service	$199 one-time
State filing fee (New Hampshire Secretary of State)	$100 one-time
Registered agent (required for every New Hampshire LLC)	$99/year
State annual report fee	$100/year

$199 pays for our filing service only. New Hampshire Secretary of State receives the state's filing fee. RA service is $99/year, agent-only.

Important New Hampshire-specific notes: annual state report $100 ($102 online) due April 1. $50 late penalty. New Hampshire has a Business Profits Tax (7.5%) and Business Enterprise Tax (0.5%) that may apply to LLCs.

How to Form Your New Hampshire LLC, Step by Step

1. Select a Name That Meets New Hampshire Rules

Names of New Hampshire LLCs must include an LLC designator (LLC, L.L.C., or the full Limited Liability Company), and they must be distinguishable in New Hampshire Secretary of State's records. Check the name against New Hampshire Secretary of State's public business search before you do anything else — it's the only reliable availability check.

Words implying banking, insurance, or government affiliation are restricted in entity names. Skip them unless you've already cleared the relevant authority.

2. Line Up Your Registered Agent

A New Hampshire LLC must designate a registered agent at formation and keep one on file thereafter. The agent needs a physical New Hampshire address and availability during the workday. The agent's name and address are part of the entity's permanent public filings at the state level.

Our New Hampshire office handles this for $99 a year. We're the address on the public filing; you keep yours private.

3. Submit the Articles to New Hampshire Secretary of State

This step formally establishes the LLC: submit Articles of Organization to New Hampshire Secretary of State with the $100 fee attached. What goes on the form: the company name, the LLC's main address, agent identity and address, management type (members vs. Managers), and organizer names.

New Hampshire Secretary of State accepts filings online at the New Hampshire business filings portal — online is typically faster than paper.

Standard processing takes about roughly a week. Expedited tracks can usually be added at a higher fee.

4. Write the Operating Agreement

New Hampshire treats operating agreements as internal documents — not filed, not reviewed by the state, but indispensable for actually running the business. It spells out ownership stakes, distribution mechanics, management rights, and what happens when membership changes. If no agreement exists, New Hampshire's statutory defaults govern. Those defaults aren't designed for your specific business.

5. Get an EIN from the IRS

The federal EIN functions as the LLC's federal-level tax identifier. It's referenced by banks, payroll services, and the IRS. Go to IRS.gov for the no-cost application. About a few minutes start to finish and the number issues right after.

Steer clear of paying for EIN help from outside services: the IRS provides them free in about a few minutes.

6. Maintain Compliance Going Forward

Once the LLC is formed, the maintenance phase begins. New Hampshire Secretary of State expects you to:

• Carry a current registered agent on the New Hampshire record for the LLC's entire existence
• Submit the yearly annual state report on schedule each year
• Operate with a clear divide between the LLC's money and yours personally (separate accounting books, separate accounts)
• Remain current with federal and New Hampshire tax deadlines by their deadlines

Failure to maintain triggers administrative dissolution by New Hampshire Secretary of State. The LLC loses its liability protection until reinstated.

We'll handle it for $199. The New Hampshire formation filing is ours from start to finish.

File My New Hampshire LLC — $199

Why the Registered Agent Rule Matters

There's no way around the agent requirement in New Hampshire — each LLC, regardless of size, needs one. Agent obligations:

• Maintain a real New Hampshire street address (P.O. Box-only setups don't work)
• Be at the address across business hours to receive legal service
• Move along everything that arrives — lawsuits, tax notices, state correspondence quickly enough for the LLC to respond on time

Self-appointment as your own agent is allowed, but it has a downside. That address shows up in New Hampshire Secretary of State's public database and stays there.

$99/year buys you our RA service. We take the public-record slot so you don't have to.

Common Questions

How much does it cost to form an LLC in New Hampshire?

$100 to New Hampshire Secretary of State covers the formation filing. That's a fairly typical state fee. Beyond that, the annual state report runs $100/year.

How long does it take to form an LLC in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire processes most LLC filings in roughly a week.

Does New Hampshire require an annual report?

Yes. Plan on $100/year per year for the annual state report.

Do I need a registered agent for my New Hampshire LLC?

Yes — The agent obligation applies to every New Hampshire LLC, continuously. The requirement begins at formation and lasts for the time the LLC continues.

Can I form an LLC in New Hampshire if I live in another state?

Yes. You don't need to live in New Hampshire to form an LLC there. (an in-state agent is the one requirement; we supply that role for $99 a year.)

File Your New Hampshire LLC With Our Help

You're free to file directly through New Hampshire Secretary of State via the New Hampshire business filings portal. The agent requirement still applies regardless — $100 is the state filing fee.

Our RA service plays the registered agent role for your New Hampshire LLC. The RA service runs $99 a year, separate from the $199 formation fee: your filing carries our New Hampshire address, legal and state mail is scanned the day it arrives and posted to your portal (general mail gets the same free scan for your first three pieces a year), and we ping you before every compliance date.

Launch Your New Hampshire LLC — $199

Want the RA service without the LLC formation? Our registered agent service is priced at $99 yearly.

Got other questions about New Hampshire LLCs or our registered agent product? The FAQ covers most of it; otherwise contact us.