LLC Formation in New Hampshire (2026): 7 Moves and the 3 Best LLC Services
Short answer for New Hampshire, 2026: use New Hampshire Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and NH Registered Agent.org ($199), ranked best to worst, if you want help starting an LLC. Numbers to know: 7 moves, a $100 filing fee, a $100 annual report.
Each company's listed price on November 13, 2026. Every row owes the $100 state fee as well.
The primer, move by move
Move 1
Name the company
Start at the New Hampshire Secretary of State: its business records show whether a New Hampshire company already uses your name.
Have a backup ready.
Move 2
Who is 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.
Every pick above takes the registered agent role.
Where this comes from: Per gc.nh.gov, as of October 2026
Move 3
Who files it?
Skip the service: $100 to the state. Use one of our picks: $199 more, and you skip the forms.
Move 4
Send in the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company
The Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) is the document that forms the company. Deliver it to the New Hampshire Secretary of State; the fee is $100.
Where this comes from: Per gc.nh.gov, as of October 2026
Move 5
Order the LLC's federal tax ID
The IRS issues EINs, not New Hampshire. Apply after approval and hand the number to your bank. Mainstay Filing does this for you, no extra fee.
Move 6
Write an operating agreement
A single-owner New Hampshire LLC still benefits from a written operating agreement in the files.
Move 7
Keep the LLC active
New Hampshire requires the annual report every year, due April 1, costing $100. Late means $50 extra.
Where this comes from: Per sos.nh.gov, as of August 2026
What you will pay
Move
Pay to
Amount
The formation move
The state
$100
Annual report
The state
$100 every year
Missing the deadline
The state
$50
Optional service
Service company
$199 in year one
State fees, years one to three
The state
$300
These are the official New Hampshire fees, cited below. The three-year line adds the filing fee, the year-two and year-three reports and any minimum tax.
Why New Hampshire Registered Agent.co is first
Founder outlay over three years is 27% of the mark, and it is where moved ahead in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Registered Agent.co takes the cost criterion: $397 over three years, against $200 more at Mainstay Filing.
Common questions
What does New Hampshire charge for a new LLC?
$100, per the official fee schedule. A service adds $199 the first year.
Which form creates the LLC?
Move 4 shows how to fill out the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) and where it goes: 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?
Every year the LLC files the annual report: $100, due April 1.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Allowed. File yourself for $100 and arrange a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Our order: New Hampshire Registered Agent.co, Mainstay Filing and NH Registered Agent.org. New Hampshire Registered Agent.co leads because $199 to file, then $99 a year to keep the agent.