Start a Business by State › New Hampshire
How to start an LLC in New Hampshire: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in New Hampshire, file the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (LLC-1) with the New Hampshire Secretary of State for $100, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
New Hampshire checklist
- File the formation document. Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (LLC-1), New Hampshire Secretary of State, $100.
- Name a registered agent. Required. A New Hampshire resident, or a business entity registered with the Secretary of State, whose office is the registered office.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. We could not confirm a general-license statement from New Hampshire’s own pages, so check with your city or county. The state’s starting-a-business page is a good place to begin.
- Keep it current. Annual Report, yearly: $100, due april 1.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in New Hampshire?
The state filing fee is $100 for the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (LLC-1). The first Annual Report later costs $100.
Do I need a registered agent in New Hampshire?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in New Hampshire?
We could not confirm a general-license statement from New Hampshire’s own pages, so check with your city or county. The state’s starting-a-business page is a good place to begin.
Sources
- N.H. RSA 304-C:31 (New Hampshire Revised Limited Liability Company Act — certificate of formation); fee set by RSA 304-C:191 (multira state research spine): gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/xxviii/304-C/304-C-191.htm, checked August 12, 2026
- New Hampshire formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sos.nh.gov/corporations-0/forms-and-fees/limited-liability-companies, checked October 1, 2026
- New Hampshire formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXVIII/304-C/304-C-191.htm, checked October 1, 2026
- New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporations Division (multira state research spine): www.sos.nh.gov/corporations-0/file-annual-report, checked August 12, 2026
- New Hampshire report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/XXVIII/304-C/304-C-194.htm, checked August 12, 2026
- New Hampshire registered agent statute (N.H. RSA 304-C:36): gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/xxviii/304-C/304-C-36.htm, checked October 20, 2026
- New Hampshire Secretary of State: www.sos.nh.gov/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (starting a business): www.revenue.nh.gov/resource-center/taxpayer-assistance/registering-new-business, checked October 21, 2026