Forming an LLC in New Hampshire (2026): 7 Procedures and the 3 Best LLC Services
Mainstay Filing ($199), NH Registered Agent.org ($199) and New Hampshire Registered Agent.co ($199) measured best, in that order, for forming an LLC in New Hampshire in 2026. New Hampshire collects $100 at filing and expects the annual report every year; 7 procedures cover the whole run.
Recorded by the Business Basics Lab staff ·
Key facts for this sheet
Filing fee
$100Observed at gc.nh.gov; entry dated October 2026
Annual report
$100 a yearFiling window: April 1
State fees, three years
$300Formation, reports and any minimum tax
Number of procedures
7From first to last
On this sheet
The New Hampshire formation document, its price and its destination
The registered agent requirement
The recurring upkeep
The services we recommend
Best reading
The New Hampshire results
The order follows five published criteria, set out in how we measure.
Best reading
1. Mainstay Filing: best for the annual report filed on the owner's behalf
Annual $199; renewal $199; state fee extra
Top of the New Hampshire readings is Mainstay Filing: at $199 a year it completes three procedures (filing, registered agent, annual report) under one charge.
NH Registered Agent.org measures $200 lower over three years; this service still reads higher because it performs more of the sheet.
Each annual report is filed by the service; the only addition is the state's $100.
2. NH Registered Agent.org: best for owners who remain in New Hampshire
$199 in year one, $99 later
NH Registered Agent.org follows in second place: the New Hampshire formation measures $199 with the agent covered in year one, and the agent renewal reads $99.
Time must be allowed for the annual report every year, since the price omits it.
3. New Hampshire Registered Agent.co: best for LLCs that keep to New Hampshire
$199 in year one, $99 later
New Hampshire Registered Agent.co follows in third place: the New Hampshire formation measures $199 with the agent covered in year one, and the agent renewal reads $99.
Time must be allowed for the annual report every year, since the price omits it.
Its prices equal NH Registered Agent.org's, so either is acceptable.
Posted prices, observed November 13, 2026. The state fee ($100) is not counted.
Formation in sequence
Procedure1
Procedure 1: Fix the company name
Query the business records kept by the New Hampshire Secretary of State. They show whether the name is already on the New Hampshire register.
TipHold a fallback name in reserve.
Procedure2
Procedure 2: Place a registered agent on record
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.
TipEach recommended service fills the registered agent role.
Specimen: Observed at gc.nh.gov; entry dated October 2026
Procedure3
Procedure 3: Compare filing alone with engaging a service
Route one: pay the state $100. Route two: use one of the ranked services, pay $199 more and skip the forms.
Procedure4
Procedure 4: Assemble and file the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company
Required inputs: the Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1), $100, and the New Hampshire Secretary of State as the receiving office.
Specimen: Observed at gc.nh.gov; entry dated October 2026
Procedure5
Procedure 5: Secure an Employer Identification Number
Sequence: state approval, then the IRS number. Mainstay Filing completes this step at no added charge.
Procedure6
Procedure 6: Document the owners' agreement
Ownership and decision rules are written in the operating agreement, an internal document outside the New Hampshire filing.
Procedure7
Procedure 7: Plan the second year
Log the annual report: $100, every year, deadline April 1. The late penalty reads $50.
Specimen: Observed at sos.nh.gov; entry dated August 2026
New Hampshire costs by procedure
Line
Recipient
Total
Forming the LLC
To the state
$100
Annual report
To the state
$100 every year
Late filing penalty
To the state
$50
Filing service (optional)
Service
$199 in the first year
State total over three years
To the state
$300
Filing fee plus two later reports plus any minimum tax gives the state's three-year total. The specimens below name the page behind each amount.
Why Mainstay Filing comes first
prevailed on procedures the price performs (28% of the reading), with close behind.
NH Registered Agent.org costs less, yet the annual report stays with the owner.
Review questions on New Hampshire
What is the cost of registering an LLC with New Hampshire?
New Hampshire charges $100. Add $199 when a service files.
Which form creates the LLC?
The Certificate of Formation of a New Hampshire Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) is the instrument, and the New Hampshire Secretary of State receives it.
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?
New Hampshire calls for the annual report every year, at $100 with the deadline stated as April 1.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
A service is optional. An owner can file with the $100 fee, provided a registered agent is appointed.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Mainstay Filing reads highest, NH Registered Agent.org and New Hampshire Registered Agent.co follow; Mainstay Filing leads on procedures the price performs.