New Hampshire
On this page
New Hampshire at a glance
- Who runs it
- New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division
- QuickStart Business Search
- Cost to search
- Free
- Searching and downloading most documents is free. Certified copies are $5 plus $1 per page, and a Certificate of Good Standing is $5.
- Account needed
- No
- Search without signing up
- Search by
- Business Name, Business Home State Name
- and 6 more
State fees
- Form an LLC$100Online filings add a $2 handling charge.Certificate of Formation (Form LLC-1)Official source
- Annual Report$100Between January 1 and April 1 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed. An LLC formed between December 1 and April 1 skips the report that first spring.Official source
- Certificate of Good Standing$5Proof the business is currentOfficial source
- Change registered agent$15Form 10, Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source
New Hampshire LLC lookup: how to use the QuickStart Business Search
An LLC lookup in New Hampshire is the same search as a business search. The QuickStart Business Search, kept by the New Hampshire Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by business Name, business Home State Name, business ID, filing #, business Creation Date, registered Agent Name, match type: Starts With, Exact Match, Contains, All Words or similar sounding names. It's free, and you don't need an account.
- Open the QuickStart Business Search. Choose "Starts With," "Exact Match," "Contains," or "All Words."
- Enter a business name, Business ID, filing number, or registered agent name, and click search.
- Open the business to see its type, principal office, registered agent, and status.
- Open the filing history to view and download documents such as the Certificate of Formation and annual reports.
- If a document shows "File Not Found," it hasn't been scanned yet. Email corporate@sos.nh.gov to request it from State Archives.
Good to know in New Hampshire: New Hampshire's online search can't tell you whether a name is available. Corporation Division staff decide that only when they receive your registration. The search does let you look up businesses by registered agent name or by creation date, which few states offer.
What the search shows you
- Business name and Business ID
- Business type
- Previous name
- Principal office address
- Registered agent
- Status
- Filed documents, including annual reports
What the status words mean
New Hampshire uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the QuickStart Business Search, in the state's own wording.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Good Standing | The business is current with the Secretary of State. |
| Not in Good Standing | The annual report and fee weren't filed and paid by April 1. |
| Administratively Dissolved | A domestic business that failed to file its annual report for two consecutive years. It loses the authority to transact business in New Hampshire. Records may show this as "Admin Dissolution." |
| Administratively Suspended | A foreign (out-of-state) business that failed to file the current year's annual report or fee. Records may show this as "Admin. Suspension." |
| Expired | Common on trade names, which must be renewed every five years to stay active. |
| Dissolved | A status shown in search results. The Business FAQs don't define it, so read the filing history for details. |
For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.
Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners
Registered Agent
The record shows the registered agent and the agent's address. You can also search by registered agent name to find every business an agent represents.
Filing history
Most charter documents and annual reports can be viewed and downloaded free from the record. Certified copies cost $5 plus $1 per page by phone or email request.
Owners, managers and officers
An LLC's annual report lists at least one manager, or at least one member if the LLC is member-managed. Download the latest annual report from the record to see the names. If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.
Finding a New Hampshire Business ID
New Hampshire gives every business on its register a Business ID. It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.
- What it looks like
- A number. A Secretary of State certificate of good standing on file shows, for example, "Business ID: 722129." The office says the Charter Number and Business ID are the same number.
- Where to find yours
- On your business record in QuickStart and on certificates the Secretary of State issues.
- Search by it
- Yes. The QuickStart Business Search accepts it.
Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.
Checking whether a business name is available in New Hampshire
- Search QuickStart for names already registered, including trade names.
- Name availability isn't decided online. Corporation Division staff review it when they receive your filing.
- File Form 1 to reserve a name for 120 days ($15) if you want it checked before forming.
A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.
DBA and UCC search in New Hampshire
DBAs and assumed names
- What it's called
- Trade Name
- Where they're filed
- Trade names are registered with the Secretary of State's Corporation Division and appear in the QuickStart Business Search with the owner's name and business address.
- State fee
- $50
- How long it lasts
- 5 years. The office sends a renewal notice six months before it expires, and renewal is $50.
Trade names can't be reserved before filing.
UCC liens
Lenders file UCC financing statements with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, UCC and Statutory Liens. The online search is paid and needs an account. Our New Hampshire UCC search guide has the steps and fees.
New Hampshire fees and deadlines
These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.
Form an LLC
$100- Certificate of Formation (Form LLC-1).
- As of November 6, 2026, QuickStart said business filings may take up to 5 business days.
- Faster options: Filings on HOLD can be expedited in person at the Customer Lobby in Concord for $25.
Annual Report
$100- Due: Between January 1 and April 1 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed. An LLC formed between December 1 and April 1 skips the report that first spring.
- If you're late: A $50 late fee after April 1, which can't be waived. The LLC is marked "Not in Good Standing," and after two consecutive years without a report it is administratively dissolved. Reinstatement is $135, or $500 for a late reinstatement.
- You must complete the full report each year as of January 1. "No change" isn't accepted.
Change your registered agent
$15- Every New Hampshire LLC must have one.
- Form 10, Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both.
Certificate of Good Standing
$5- Proof the company exists and is current, from the New Hampshire Secretary of State.
16,348 new business applications were filed in New Hampshire from January to September 2026, up 28.4% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.
Starting a business in New Hampshire?
A lot of people search the QuickStart Business Search to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.
- 1Check the name is free in New HampshireTakes two minutes, steps on this page
- 2File your LLC with the stateCertificate of Formation, $100 state fee
- 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two
Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.
Frequently asked questions
How do I look up an LLC in New Hampshire?
Search the QuickStart Business Search, the official database kept by the New Hampshire Secretary of State. You can search by business Name, business Home State Name, business ID, filing #, business Creation Date, registered Agent Name, match type: Starts With, Exact Match, Contains, All Words or similar sounding names. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.
Is the New Hampshire business search free?
Yes. Searching QuickStart and downloading most filed documents is free. A Certificate of Good Standing is $5.
How do I find the owner of a New Hampshire LLC?
Open the LLC's record or its annual report. New Hampshire LLCs must list at least one manager, or one member if member-managed, on each annual report.
What does "Not in Good Standing" mean in New Hampshire?
The business didn't file its annual report and fee by April 1. A domestic business that misses two years in a row is administratively dissolved.
When is the New Hampshire LLC annual report due?
By April 1 every year, starting the year after you form. It's $100, and a $50 late fee applies after April 1.
Sources
We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.
- 1.QuickStart Business SearchChecked November 8, 2026
- 2.NH QuickStart home (announcements and processing times)Checked November 8, 2026
- 3.Secretary of State: Business FAQsChecked November 8, 2026
- 4.Secretary of State: LLC forms and feesChecked November 8, 2026
- 5.Secretary of State: trade namesChecked November 8, 2026
- 6.RSA 304-C:191: LLC feesChecked November 8, 2026
- 7.RSA 304-C:194: annual reportsChecked November 8, 2026
- 8.Secretary of State: UCC forms and search requestsChecked November 8, 2026
- 9.Secretary of State: UCC FAQsChecked November 8, 2026
See something out of date? Report it and we'll look into it.