New Hampshire LLCs are relatively inexpensive — especially when you consider that an LLC can protect your personal assets and help grow your business. That’s why forming an LLC is the best choice for most small businesses.
The cost to form an LLC in New Hampshire is $100. This covers the primary cost of officially registering your LLC with the state.
Read our LLC Cost in New Hampshire guide below to learn more about LLC costs and other fees associated with all New Hampshire businesses.
Save Time With a Professional Service:
You can form an LLC yourself and save a little money or use a professional service and save a lot of time.
Northwest ($29 plus state fees)
How Much Is an LLC in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire LLC Filing Fee: $100
To form an LLC in New Hampshire, you'll need to file the Certificate of Formation (Form LLC-1) with the Department of State. The New Hampshire Department of State charges a $100 fee to process and record this document online or by mail.
You can complete this process yourself with our How to Start an LLC guide or use an LLC formation service.
Registered Agent Fee
Every New Hampshire LLC must appoint a registered agent. Your New Hampshire registered agent must be a resident of New Hampshire and must be available to receive service of process during normal business hours at a designated street address.
You can be your own registered agent in New Hampshire, or you can use a registered agent service for a minimal cost.
Recommended: Get free registered agent services for one year when you form an LLC with Northwest ($29 plus state fees).
New Hampshire Annual Report Fee: $100
New Hampshire requires LLCs to file an annual report with the Department of State and pay a $100 filing fee each year. You will need a QuickStart account in order to file your annual report.
Cost to Form a Foreign LLC in New Hampshire: $100
LLCs registered in another state that want to expand into the state of New Hampshire must register as a foreign LLC in New Hampshire.
The cost for registering a New Hampshire foreign LLC is $100. You can register a foreign LLC in New Hampshire by filing an Application for Registration as a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form FLLC-1).
Business Licenses and Permits
Your business might need federal, state, and local permits/licenses to legally operate in New Hampshire, depending on your industry and geographical location. This is true whether you form an LLC or any other type of business structure.
Learn more about state and local licensing in our New Hampshire business license guide.
Other New Hampshire Business Filing Fees
There are fees associated with other, optional business filings in New Hampshire.
LLC Name Reservation
You can reserve a business name for your LLC for up to 120 days by filing an Application for Reservation of Name (Form-1) with the New Hampshire Department of State and paying the $15 filing fee.
‘Doing Business As’ (DBA) Name
When an LLC is registered with the state, the LLC’s name is also officially registered. Some business owners choose to also file for a DBA name, known as a trade name in New Hampshire.
File an Application for Registration of Trade Name (Form TN-1) with the New Hampshire Department of State and pay the $50 filing fee to create a name other than your legal LLC business name.
Learn more in our New Hampshire DBA guide.
Certificate of Good Standing
You can obtain a New Hampshire Certificate of Good Standing by ordering through the Department of State and paying the $5 fee. Keep in mind that an additional $2 fee is levied on businesses filing online.
A Certificate of Good Standing is often required by banks and lenders.
Recommended: Learn more about LLC formation services in our Best LLC Services review.
How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire
Forming an LLC yourself is easy; just follow the five steps below.
Five Basic Steps to Start an LLC in New Hampshire
Step 1: Name Your New Hampshire LLC
Step 2: Choose a Registered Agent
Step 3: File a Certificate of Formation
Step 4: Create an Operating Agreement
Step 5: Get an EIN
Step 1: Name Your New Hampshire LLC
When you name your New Hampshire LLC, you’ll need to choose a name that:
- Is available for use in the state of New Hampshire
- Meets New Hampshire’s naming requirements
- Is available as a web domain
Check web domain (URL) availability with GoDaddy:
Not sure what to name your business? Check out our free LLC name generator.
Step 2: Choose a Registered Agent
New Hampshire LLCs are required to appoint a registered agent to receive service of process. Business owners can hire a registered agent service or appoint any New Hampshire resident that is 18 years or older and is available during normal business hours at a specified address to receive service of process.
Recommended: Northwest offers one full year of registered agent services with their $29 (plus state fees) LLC formation package.
Step 3: File a New Hampshire Certificate of Formation
To form an LLC in New Hampshire, you must file a Certificate of Formation with the Department of State. This can be done online through NH QuickStart or by filing Form LLC-1 by mail.
For a closer look at the filing process, check out our New Hampshire Certificate of Formation guide.
Step 4: Create an LLC Operating Agreement
Operating agreements are not required for New Hampshire LLCs, but it’s still a good practice to have one.
An operating agreement outlines the ownership and operating procedures of an LLC, ensuring that all members are on the same page and reducing the risk of conflict down the line.
Learn more in our New Hampshire LLC Operating Agreement guide.
Step 5: Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a nine-digit number issued by the IRS to identify businesses for tax purposes. Think of an EIN as a Social Security number for your LLC.
To learn how to get an EIN for free, visit our How to Get an EIN Number guide.
New Hampshire Business Resources
LLC Cost in New Hampshire FAQ
What is the cheapest way to start an LLC in New Hampshire?
The cheapest way to start an LLC in New Hampshire is to handle the registration process individually. In order to do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Name your LLC
- Choose a registered agent: This can be a registered agent service or an individual.
- File the New Hampshire Certificate of Formation: The filing fee for this is $100 and can be done online or by mail.
- Create an LLC operating agreement: This is usually not a legal requirement, but it is highly recommended.
- Get an EIN: This is basically your business’s Social Security number (SSN).
How much does an LLC cost per year in New Hampshire?
LLCs in New Hampshire are required to file an annual report every year. The filing fee for this is $100.
For a more in-depth analysis, see our How Much Does an LLC Cost? article.
How much does an LLC license cost in New Hampshire?
An LLC is not a business license, but a business entity. Forming an LLC in New Hampshire costs $100. There is also a $100 annual report filing fee that needs to be paid each year.
You may be required to pay additional fees if you choose to pay for a registered agent service, an LLC formation service, or an LLC attorney.
See our How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire for more information on registering your business as an LLC.
Do LLCs pay taxes in New Hampshire?
Yes, LLCs are a “pass-through” tax entity. This means that the LLCs profits are “passed through” directly to its owner(s), who then pay income taxes independently.
This is advantageous compared to a corporation’s tax structure because it means that LLC members are not taxed twice.
Having said that, readers should keep in mind that LLCs are very flexible when it comes to how they can be taxed, and — depending on the specifics — they can choose to be taxed as a pass-through entity, a C corp, and an S corp.
For more information, see our How Is an LLC Taxed guide.
What are the tax benefits of an LLC?
The tax benefits of an LLC will depend on how you choose to be taxed, as well as on whether you are operating as a single or multi-member LLC.
Generally speaking, LLCs can choose to be taxed in several different ways, including:
- As a sole proprietorship or general partnership
- As a C corporation
- As an S corporation
See our Single-Member LLC Taxes guide for a detailed overview of the tax benefits of having an LLC as a small business.
Do I need to open a business bank account for my LLC?
Even though you do not necessarily “need” to open a bank account for your LLC, this is generally highly recommended for several reasons.
For one, having a separate bank account can allow you to maintain your LLC’s corporate veil — meaning that you will not risk losing your limited personal liability under the law. A business bank account also offers financial benefits, including the ability to build business credit more quickly and access to larger business loans.
Interested in opening a business bank account? See our review of the best banks for startups in 2024.