New Hampshire company records are kept by the Corporation Division of the Secretary of State, which works from Concord, the state capital. The division registers new LLCs and corporations, records changes and keeps the public register up to date. Its information pages sit under sos.nh.gov, and its business search runs on a system called QuickStart.
You will notice that this guide gives no New Hampshire fees or dates yet. That is deliberate. We only print a figure for a state after we have read it on that state's own website, and our check of the New Hampshire pages is still under way. For now the page tells you where each answer lives.
Searching in QuickStart
Go to quickstart.sos.nh.gov and open the business search. Type the company name, or just its most unusual word if you are unsure of the spelling, and scan the list for the right entity.
On the record, pay attention to the legal name, the current status and the registered agent. A status that is anything other than active is a reason to ask questions before you sign or pay. The agent is where legal papers for the company are delivered, so an out of date agent is a warning sign too.
Treat the search screen as information, not proof. Ask the Corporation Division for a certificate when a bank or another state wants evidence that the company is current.
NH fees
Each filing with the Corporation Division has its own state fee: forming an LLC or corporation, registering a business from another state, changing a record and ordering certificates. The division publishes these on its website. Check the amount when you are ready to file, since fees are set by the state and may change.
If you are still deciding on a state, see how the costs compare in our guide to LLC filing fees by state. Confirm the New Hampshire figure on sos.nh.gov before you budget around it.
Keeping a New Hampshire company in order
Registered companies usually owe the state a regular report that confirms their address, agent and people in charge. Find out from your QuickStart record and the division's pages what your entity owes and by when. Set a reminder well before the date.
Our walkthrough on how to file an annual report covers the usual steps. It is general, so match each step to what QuickStart asks you for.
Agents and changes of address
Your company must keep a registered agent that the state can reach. If your agent moves or stops serving, update the record with the Corporation Division promptly. Our guide on changing a registered agent sets out the order to work in.
When the company itself moves, change its address on the record too. Mail from the state goes to the details on file, and a missed notice can lead to problems with standing.
Contacting the Corporation Division
| Office | New Hampshire Secretary of State (Corporation Division) (sos.nh.gov, checked ) |
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Phone numbers, the street address and opening hours are listed on the contact pages of sos.nh.gov. Quote the company's exact name and its record number in any call or message.
Sources
- www.sos.nh.gov/corporation-division: office name. Checked .