New Hampshire LLC Cost

We’ve compiled the most common fees so you know exactly what to expect when starting your New Hampshire LLC.

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Start Your LLC in New Hampshire

FAQs on how to determine New Hampshire LLC costs

  • Start forming your LLC by filling out and filing a copy of the state’s Certificate of Formation. We can make the formation process far easier with our free New Hampshire LLC Formation Service. We’ll get you started in no time for just $0 plus state fees. 

  • It depends. Your business’s industry, location, and activities all play a role in determining what fees apply to your business. Some of the more frequently encountered fees that go into the LLC cost include the following:

    New Hampshire LLC Filing Fee

    A Certificate of Formation costs $102. The filing fee is the same regardless of whether you are filing online or by paper, aside from a $2.00 handling charge for online handling.

    Application for Reservation of Name

    While you are preparing to form your LLC, you may want to reserve your LLC’s name. You can do that by filing an Application for Reservation of Name. The filing fee for this form is $15.00 for LLCs.

    Registered Agent

    Free: It costs you nothing to be your own registered agent in New Hampshire. However, being a registered agent for your LLC commits you to several burdensome duties. For example, you’ll have to be physically present at your LLC’s office to take receipt of critical legal and financial documents.

    That being the case, it’s a good idea to hire a registered agent service. Most registered agent services cost a minimal amount of money and save you a significant amount of time. If you’re looking for a quality registered agent in New Hampshire, we can connect you with one using our New Hampshire Registered Agent Service.

    Annual Reports

    Like most states, LLCs in New Hampshire have to file an annual report. While fairly easy to fill out, an annual report costs $100 to file by paper and $102 to file online. Annual reports are due every year by April 1. If you don’t file your LLC’s annual report by April 1, you will incur a significant late fee.

  • There are a few other less common fees that you should be aware of in New Hampshire. These fees can form part of your New Hampshire LLC startup cost in some situations.

    Statement of Change

    At some point in the future, you may need to change your business’s registered office or registered agent. Use a Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent (or both) to update the New Hampshire government. It costs $15 to file this form in person or by mail and $17 to file online. If you submit this form along with your LLC’s annual report, the $15 dollar filing fee will be waived. Both forms must be filed between January 1st and April 1st for the fee waiver to apply.

    Foreign LLC Registration

    You might have heard someone refer to LLCs as “foreign” and “domestic.” In this case, the phrase “foreign” refers only to LLCs originating in other states. All New Hampshire-based LLCs are called “domestic” LLCs. If you are trying to operate a foreign LLC in New Hampshire, you need to submit an Application for Foreign Limited Liability Company Registration. Once your registration application is approved, your LLC will be able to operate freely in the state. The filing fee for this form is $100 if filing by mail and $102 if filing online.

    Trade Name

    “Trade names” refer to any name used by a business that differs from its official name. Companies apply for trade names for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, the business applies for a trade name so it can do business with a more straightforward name than its official name. You’ve probably heard these names referred to as “Assumed Names” or “DBA” (or “doing business as”) names in other states.

    To get a trade name, submit a Trade Name Registration application with the Department of State. The fee for this form is $50 if filing in person, and $52 for online filing.

    Business Licensing

    Business licenses, permits, and registrations are another fact of life when considering a New Hampshire LLC’s cost. Local, state, and federal authorities all have their own licensing and permitting requirements for businesses. You’ll need to include the appropriate filing fee with the vast majority of these licenses and permits

    No matter what kind of LLC you plan to operate, you will have to acquire licenses to comply with local, state, and federal regulations. Acquiring these licenses and permits will require a fee. In addition, it takes a lot of research and patience to find out what license, permit, and registration requirements your business needs.

    If you need to find out what licenses and permits your business needs, we can make your task much easier with our Business License Report. In coordination with Avalara, we will provide you with a report for your LLC. In this report, you can view all of the local, state, and federal licensing requirements for your business. Don’t waste your time guessing what you need to succeed. Let us do the heavy lifting.

    For just $0 plus state fees, we can form your New Hampshire LLC for you in just minutes. No LegalZoom promo code required: Pay just $0 plus filing fees for fast LLC formation in New Hampshire. 

  • Yes. Late payment of your filing fees can lead to late fees, interest, and the rejection of your documentation. If your fees are significantly late, it may even harm your business’s official status with the New Hampshire state government, hampering your operations.

  • The New Hampshire Department of State won’t file your documents without the full filing fee. If the state doesn’t file your LLC’s critical documents, then your business may be dissolved. 

  • Send your filing fees to the New Hampshire Department of State. 

  • In most cases, the Certificate of Formation will cost you the most to file. After you form your LLC, the Annual Report will probably be your greatest expense. Both forms cost about $100, depending on your filing method.

  • For paper filings made in person, the New Hampshire government accepts cash (exact change only), check/money order, credit cards, and debit cards. Checks and money orders are accepted if filing by mail. You can pay by credit or debit card for online filings. 

How do I form my LLC in New Hampshire?

1. Name your LLC

Every business needs a good name to get started. Brainstorm a few good ideas for your LLC’s name. After that, check to see if your business name is available using New Hampshire’s business name lookup tool. You can also use our Business Name Checker to see if any of your business name ideas are available. Also, ensure that your potential LLC names meet the state’s guidelines:

  • Any potential LLC name must contain the word “limited liability company,” the abbreviation “L.L.C.” or ”LLC,” or a reasonably similar abbreviation. 
  • Your LLC’s name cannot imply any association with any United States government agency, state agency, or local government authority.
  • The LLC’s name can’t have any language that implies that it has an illegal purpose
  • Your LLC’s name cannot be “vulgar” or “so grossly offensive as to be unacceptable.”

Because there are a lot of other businesses out there, you may want to reserve your name as soon as possible using the state’s Application for Reservation of Name.  

2. Appoint a Registered Agent

Every business needs a registered agent to receive legal and financial documents. Anyone older than 18 with a street address in New Hampshire can be a registered agent. You can choose to have a trusted friend or advisor serve as a registered agent so long as they fulfill the duties of that role. That said, many businesses prefer to hire a professional registered agent service. We can put you in touch with a quality registered agent with our New Hampshire registered agent service. 

3. File your LLC’s Certificate of Formation

A Certificate of Formation makes your LLC an official business with the State of New Hampshire. For most business owners, the easiest way to file a Certificate of Formation is online using New Hampshire’s Quickstart online business portal. You can also file by mail or in person. To file your Certificate of Formation by mail, use the following mailing address:

New Hampshire Department of State

State House

Room 204

107 North Main Street

Concord, New Hampshire 03301

4. Draft an Operating Agreement  

You don’t need to have a New Hampshire Operating Agreement to run your business. However, you shouldn’t overlook it. An Operating Agreement is an excellent way to customize your business’s rules and run it the way you want to. Topics you can discuss in an Operating Agreement include:

  • The voting rights of our members/managers
  • How to resolve business disputes and disagreements
  • How to distribute the business’s profits and losses

If you decide not to draft your own Operating Agreement, you’ll surrender a lot of power over your business. Without specific rules in an Operating Agreement, your business’s operations will run according to New Hampshire’s default rules for limited liability companies. These default rules will probably not be favorable to your objectives. 

Want to have an Operating Agreement but don’t know where to get one? We’ve got you covered. 

With our Operating Agreement Template, you can get a fast, simple, and effective Operating Agreement in minutes.

5. Apply for an EIN

Unless your LLC plans to have only one employee, you need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to pay federal taxes. EINs provide several other key benefits to your LLC. With an EIN, you can take out an insurance policy for your business and open a business bank account.

The IRS issues EINs to businesses. However, this process isn’t automatic. Instead, you need to file an EIN application. If that doesn’t sound like the best use of your time, let us handle the EIN application process with our straightforward Employer ID Number Service.

Stay Legally Compliant

Your LLC’s legal compliance obligations don’t end once you’re up and running. Your LLC will have to meet several annual requirements to stay compliant with New Hampshire. For example, you’ll have to file an annual report. These requirements can distract you away from the most important aspects of your business. We can streamline the process of filing annual reports with our Report Filing Service.

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive compliance tool for your business, take a moment to learn about our Worry-Free Compliance Service. We can help you glide through the compliance process with this service. And in the unlikely event that your business falls out of compliance, we’ll provide timely feedback on how you can get back in the state’s good graces. 

We can help!

Starting our own business is truly a calling that isn’t for everyone. But we believe you have everything it takes to make your business dreams come true. We believe in you and want to do everything we can to help you get started. Time doesn’t wait, so why should you? Let’s get underway today.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.

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