New Hampshire LLC Name Search & Naming Rules (2026)
Your New Hampshire LLC name has to clear the Secretary of State's database before you can file. Here's how to search it free, the naming rules that trip people up, when the $15 reservation is worth it, and how the $50 trade name registration lets one LLC run multiple brands.
Search availability free with the Secretary of State's business name database, accessible through NH QuickStart. Your name must be distinguishable from every existing New Hampshire entity and contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." It cannot suggest it's a bank, insurance company, or government entity without proper authorization. Not ready to file? New Hampshire reserves a name for $15 for 120 days. Operating under a different brand uses a trade name (DBA) registration for $50.
- Name search
- Free — SOS database
- Required designator
- LLC, L.L.C., or full "Limited Liability Company"
- Name reservation
- $15 · 120 days
- Trade name (DBA)
- $50
- Filed with
- Secretary of State
- Distinguishable rule
- Yes — from all NH entities
New Hampshire LLC Naming Rules
- Required designator: the name must contain "Limited Liability Company" or an abbreviation — "LLC" or "L.L.C."
- Distinguishable on the record: it can't match or closely shadow any entity registered with the Secretary of State — check the free business name database before you commit.
- Restricted words: can't suggest your business is a bank, insurance company, or government entity without proper authorization.
Check the domain before you commit: at $100–$102 a filing, a name mistake isn't expensive to fix in New Hampshire — but a branding one is. Before you fall for a name, confirm the .com (or a clean variant) is free and grab the matching social handles. The state check takes a minute; whether your real brand is available online is what actually decides if you'll be filing a $50 trade name six months from now.
Name Checker & Availability Advisor
New Hampshire LLC Name Checker & Availability Advisor
Format check + reservation guidance · not a substitute for the SOS search
Availability is determined solely by the New Hampshire Secretary of State – run the official search before filing or reserving. Reservation: $15 for 120 days.
How to Search New Hampshire Name Availability (Free)
Open the business name database via NH QuickStart
Free, searches every LLC, corporation, and reserved name on file in New Hampshire.
Search core words without the designator
Search "Granite State Woodworks" rather than "Granite State Woodworks LLC" to surface the widest set of potential conflicts.
Check close variants
Minor spelling, spacing, or punctuation differences don't reliably make a name distinguishable — when in doubt, call the Secretary of State's Corporations Division to confirm.
Reserve or file
Clean search + ready to go → file the Certificate. Clean search + a real delay → the $15 reservation holds it for 120 days.
The $15 Reservation: When It's Worth It
New Hampshire’s optional LLC name reservation lasts 120 days. RSA 304-C:27 permits the same applicant to reserve the same name for successive 120-day periods. RSA 304-C:191 sets a $15 base reservation fee; confirm current Form 1 instructions and any electronic handling charge before paying. A search does not reserve a name. Trade-name registration is separate; check its current form, fee, term and renewal instructions.
Trade Names (New Hampshire's DBA)
Want your LLC to operate under a different brand — or several? File a trade name registration with the Secretary of State for $50. This is how a single LLC can run multiple product lines or storefronts under distinct names while keeping one legal entity, one EIN, and one set of formation paperwork behind all of them. Details in Step 7.
Ahmad Adil's Take: New Hampshire's naming process is about as straightforward as this series gets — clear rules, a generous 120-day reservation for a small fee, and no surprise publication or county-level complications like you'll find in some other states. My only real advice here: don't skip the domain check just because the state process is simple. A $100 formation fee is nothing compared to redoing your branding after you've already printed materials and built a following around a name that turns out not to work online. Search the state database, then search the internet — both matter.
- ✓Optional formation assistance; confirm filing scope, service pricing and submission responsibilities.
- ✓Optional formation assistance; confirm filing scope, service pricing and submission responsibilities.
- ✓Confirm registered-agent eligibility, coverage, included periods and renewal charges.
- ✓Review address-use rules and privacy policies; a service does not remove all information from public filings.
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Successive reservations and the statutory base fee
New Hampshire’s optional LLC name reservation lasts 120 days. RSA 304-C:27 permits the same applicant to reserve the same name for successive 120-day periods. RSA 304-C:191 sets a $15 base reservation fee; confirm current Form 1 instructions and any electronic handling charge before paying. A search does not reserve a name. Trade-name registration is separate; check its current form, fee, term and renewal instructions.
New Hampshire LLC — FAQ
Ahmad Adil is the founder and CEO of LLC School. For filing and ongoing compliance, confirm the requirements with the responsible state agency. This is educational information, not legal or tax advice.
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