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Founder ClassroomLearn the LLC paperwork for your state.

Lesson 1 · New Hampshire

How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire (2026): 7 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services

Here is the 2026 answer for starting an LLC in New Hampshire: Mainstay Filing ($199), NH Registered Agent.org ($199) and New Hampshire Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked in that order. Whichever route you take, the state charges $100 to file; the 7 steps below show the rest.

The Founder Classroom teaching team ·

Quick facts for this lesson

Formation fee
$100Official: gc.nh.gov, October 2026
Annual report
$100 a yearFiled and paid April 1
Three-year state cost
$300Before any service fees
How many steps
7One at a time

What you will learn

  • The New Hampshire filing, its fee and its office
  • The registered agent requirement
  • What comes after formation
  • Which services we would use, and why

Teacher's pick

The New Hampshire services we recommend

Same five criteria in every state; see how we grade.
Start here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a hands-off first year

Annual price $199 · renewal price $199 · state fee extra

First on our list, Mainstay Filing: you pay $199 a year and the annual report is filed for you along with the agent service.

Over three years it costs $200 more than NH Registered Agent.org, and our grading puts the extra steps it handles ahead of that.

It also files the annual report for you; New Hampshire's $100 fee is charged at cost.

What you get

  • Formation filed for you
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Annual report filed each cycle
  • EIN application
  • State fee charged at cost

What we like

  • One $199 yearly price with the annual report included
  • $199 at renewal
  • Handles the EIN application

Watch out for

  • $100 yearly premium over NH Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
One-state plan

2. NH Registered Agent.org: best for budget New Hampshire LLCs

$199 to start, $99 a year from year two

In second, NH Registered Agent.org: a $199 formation fee and $99 a year for the agent after that.

The annual report is not part of its price.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • First year of agent service

What we like

  • Agent renews at $99
  • Year one of agent service in the price
  • Formation fee $199

Watch out for

  • You file the annual report
  • $99 add-on for the EIN application
Visit NH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
One-state plan

3. New Hampshire Registered Agent.co: best for a low agent renewal

$199 to start, $99 a year from year two

In third, New Hampshire Registered Agent.co: a $199 formation fee and $99 a year for the agent after that.

The annual report is not part of its price.

Its prices match NH Registered Agent.org, so either is a fine choice.

What you get

  • The formation filing
  • First year of agent service

What we like

  • Formation fee $199
  • Agent renews at $99
  • Year one of agent service in the price

Watch out for

  • You file the annual report
  • $99 add-on for the EIN application
Visit New Hampshire Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The 3 picks side by side

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2NH Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit NH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3New Hampshire Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit New Hampshire Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices from each company's own site, read November 12, 2026. The $100 state fee is extra in every row.

Forming the LLC, in order

  1. Step 1: Choose a name and check it is free

    Search the register kept by the New Hampshire Secretary of State first. If the name is taken, choose another before you file.

    TipHave a second choice ready.

  2. Step 2: Choose who will be the registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A New Hampshire resident, or a business entity registered with the Secretary of State, whose office is the registered office.

    The address has to be a physical street address in New Hampshire; filings that list an out-of-state address are not processed. P.O. boxes are not accepted.

    TipAll of our picks include a registered agent.

    Official source: Official: gc.nh.gov, October 2026

  3. Step 3: Choose between doing it yourself and a service

    Two routes: file yourself and pay only the $100 state fee, or let a service do it for $199 more. Our picks are above.

  4. Step 4: File the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company

    Complete the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1), pay $100 and file it with the New Hampshire Secretary of State.

    Official source: Official: gc.nh.gov, October 2026

  5. Step 5: Request an EIN

    After the New Hampshire approval, the IRS issues an EIN, the number banks and payroll use for the LLC. This step is included with Mainstay Filing.

  6. Step 6: Put an operating agreement in writing

    Write down who owns the New Hampshire LLC and how decisions are made. This operating agreement stays with your records, not with the state.

  7. Step 7: Mark the yearly deadlines

    Each year, New Hampshire expects the annual report with $100, by April 1. Late filings cost $50 more.

    Official source: Official: sos.nh.gov, August 2026

What each step costs in New Hampshire

WhatPaid toCost
Filing feeState office$100
Annual reportState office$100 every year
Missing the deadlineState office$50
Optional serviceThe service$199 first year
State fees, years one to threeState office$300
The state rows are official figures; the service row uses each company's published price. The three-year total leaves service fees out.

Behind the ranking

The grade turned on lesson steps handled (35%), where Mainstay Filing came out ahead of NH Registered Agent.org.

Having the annual report handled outweighed NH Registered Agent.org's lower three-year cost.

Common questions

What does it cost to form an LLC in New Hampshire?

$100 to the state. Our picks charge $199 on top.

Which form creates the LLC?

Step 4 of this lesson: the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1), sent to the New Hampshire Secretary of State.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does New Hampshire require each year?

The annual report: $100, every year, due April 1.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

Yes. File directly with the state and pay $100; you also need a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

Mainstay Filing, NH Registered Agent.org and New Hampshire Registered Agent.co, ranked in that order.

See also

Where these facts come from

  1. sos.nh.gov. New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Confirmed August 2026.
  2. sos.nh.gov. New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Confirmed August 2026.
  3. gencourt.state.nh.us. New Hampshire report due date. Confirmed August 2026.
  4. gc.nh.gov. N.H. Confirmed August 2026.
  5. gc.nh.gov. New Hampshire formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Confirmed October 2026.
  6. gc.nh.gov. New Hampshire registered agent statute. Confirmed October 2026.
  7. Mainstay Filing New Hampshire service page: prices as shown November 12, 2026
  8. NH Registered Agent.org pricing page: prices as shown November 12, 2026
  9. New Hampshire Registered Agent.co pricing page: prices as shown November 12, 2026