New Hampshire LLC Cost: $100 to File Certificate (2026)

Fact-checked and updated September 14, 2026.

A New Hampshire LLC costs $100 to file a Certificate of Formation (Form LLC-1) with the Secretary of State—plus a $2 electronic handling charge if you file online ($102 total). Annual reports are $100 (also +$2 online) due by April 1 each year following the year of registration, with a $50 late fee after April 1. File on QuickStart or use ZenBusiness Starter for a $0 formation service fee plus the state Certificate fee. Optional services cost extra.

This page is for founders filing Form LLC-1 in New Hampshire and planning the April 1 annual report that begins the year after registration.

This guide is for creating a new New Hampshire LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check New Hampshire’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.

New Hampshire LLC costs: required fees and optional extras

Confirm fees on the NH SOS LLC forms page and RSA 304-C:191.

Budget example: $100–$102 to form plus $100–$102 for the first annual report the following spring is the core SOS path before insurance, DRA taxes, or local licenses. The $2 online handling charge applies across Certificate and annual-report electronic filings under RSA 5:10-a. Paper remains $100 flat if you prefer mail.

New Hampshire has no SOS franchise tax for LLCs. Business Profits Tax / Business Enterprise Tax questions go to the Department of Revenue Administration—not the Certificate fee. New Hampshire’s $100 Certificate and $100 annual report are straightforward, but April 1 arrives quickly for companies formed late in the prior year—calendar the first report when Articles are accepted. If you convert or domesticate an entity into New Hampshire, different form packets and combined fees apply. This guide covers a new domestic Certificate of Formation only.

Should you file on NH QuickStart or use ZenBusiness?

Choose DIY if you can complete Form LLC-1 on QuickStart and calendar April 1 annual reports. Choose a filing service for guided preparation. New Hampshire’s $100 Certificate and $100 annual report are straightforward, but April 1 arrives quickly for companies formed late in the prior year—calendar the first report when Articles are accepted. Read renewal and cancellation terms for any optional compliance product before you pay.

ZenBusiness lists Starter at $0 without a base-plan renewal. Its optional first year of Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199/year; registered-agent service is listed at $199/year (intro pricing may show about $99 for the first year—confirm at checkout). EIN and operating-agreement services are separate Starter purchases. Check the current package terms and checkout selections.

A free introductory service can become a recurring expense. Before paying, review the initial total, renewal amounts, and cancellation terms. Keep a copy of your selections. A reminder is not confirmation that a required state filing was submitted, and the state filing fee remains separate.

Can you be your own New Hampshire registered agent?

Yes, if you maintain a New Hampshire registered office and meet SOS registered-agent rules. A member may serve when those conditions are met.

If you cannot reliably receive legal documents in New Hampshire, use a commercial agent and compare renewal terms.

Plan addresses before filing. SOS records are public—enter accurate principal-office and agent information.

Form 10 updates registered office/agent for $15. File promptly if the agent changes so annual-report data matches reality.

How to file your New Hampshire LLC: a practical checklist

1. Check the name on QuickStart/business search and include an LLC designator.
2. Appoint a registered agent with a New Hampshire address and obtain consent.
3. Complete Form LLC-1 (purpose, management, duration, organizer).
4. File on QuickStart ($102) or mail paper ($100).
5. Confirm acceptance and calendar the first annual report for April 1 of the year after registration.

How long does approval take?

QuickStart online filing is typically faster than mail. ZenBusiness preparation (often 7–10 business days) is separate from New Hampshire’s acceptance. Leave buffer for name issues. QuickStart is the SOS online system. Create the account before you need the LLC so login friction does not delay a lease or bank appointment.

New Hampshire LLC annual report: $100 by April 1

Every New Hampshire LLC must file an annual report by April 1 each year following the year of registration. The fee is $100 (plus $2 online handling). After April 1, a $50 late fee applies.

The report updates name, agent, principal office, and manager/member information. It is not an income-tax return.

Example: registered in 2026 → first annual report due by April 1, 2027. Set reminders in March and save the confirmation.

The $50 late fee after April 1 is in addition to the $100 report fee. Prolonged nonfiling risks administrative dissolution and higher reinstatement costs under RSA 304-C:191.

Reinstatement after administrative dissolution is more expensive than filing on time; RSA 304-C:191 lists reinstatement and late-reinstatement fees separately from the ordinary $100 report.

After filing: get the business ready to operate

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. New Hampshire’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. An EIN service fee pays someone to assist; it is not an IRS charge. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
• Separate business finances. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
• Check taxes and operating permissions. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
• Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly before buying a BOI filing add-on.

For a simple one-owner operation, organize these tasks into a short checklist. Where ownership, investors, or tax elections are complicated, formation paperwork alone will not resolve those decisions.

After filing, check Department of Revenue Administration requirements for Business Profits Tax / Business Enterprise Tax if they apply to your facts.

Match insurance to the work your LLC performs

Entity formation and insurance solve different problems. Ask the insurer to identify the correct business and operations; ask clients or landlords what coverage and certificate of insurance they require. Use the relevant guide to compare coverage:

• New Hampshire cleaning business insurance
• New Hampshire food truck insurance
• New Hampshire HVAC insurance
• New Hampshire landscaping insurance
• New Hampshire daycare insurance

Continue with the New Hampshire business guide for the broader startup process.

New Hampshire BET and BPT thresholds

For taxable periods beginning in 2025 or later, a business generally files a Business Enterprise Tax return when gross receipts from all activities or its enterprise value tax base exceeds $298,000. BET is 0.55%. A Business Profits Tax return is generally required when gross business income exceeds $109,000; BPT is 7.5%. BET paid may be credited against BPT, subject to the state rules.

These taxes are separate from the Secretary of State annual report. See the New Hampshire DRA business-tax guidance.

New Hampshire LLC questions before you file

What is the cheapest way to form a New Hampshire LLC?

File Form LLC-1 for $100 by paper, or $102 online. ZenBusiness Starter advertises a $0 formation service fee plus the state Certificate fee. Budget $100 for the April 1 annual report. Always separate state fees from any optional registered-agent or compliance add-ons you choose at checkout.

When is the New Hampshire LLC annual report due?

By April 1 each year following the year of registration. Late fee is $50 after April 1.

Can I be my own New Hampshire registered agent?

Yes, if you maintain a New Hampshire registered office and meet SOS rules.

Does forming an LLC give me a New Hampshire business license?

No. Formation is with the SOS. DRA tax accounts and local licenses are separate.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free after the LLC is formed, if you are eligible.