New Hampshire Certificate of Formation: File for $100 (2026)
The Certificate of Formation — Form LLC-1 — is the filing that creates your New Hampshire LLC. Here's every line of the form, the online-vs-mail trade-off (a rare case where mail is actually cheaper), and what to do after approval.
File a Certificate of Formation (Form LLC-1) with the New Hampshire Secretary of State to create your LLC. The fee is $100 by mail or $102 online through NH QuickStart — one of the few states where mail is slightly cheaper than online, since the $2 difference is an electronic handling charge. You can also hand-deliver a signed original to the Secretary of State's Corporations Division at the State House Annex in Concord. The Certificate requires your LLC name, registered agent, business purpose, and organizer information.
- Filing fee (mail)
- $100
- Filing fee (online)
- $102
- Form number
- LLC-1
- Portal
- NH QuickStart
- In-person option
- Concord, NH (State House Annex)
- Agency
- Secretary of State
What the Certificate of Formation Does
The Certificate of Formation is your LLC's birth certificate. When the Secretary of State accepts Form LLC-1, your LLC exists: liability protection attaches, the name is claimed, and you can bank and contract as the company.
The NH QuickStart Walkthrough
Create an NH QuickStart account
The state's official online portal handles formation now and your annual report every year after — keep the login durable.
Start a new domestic LLC filing
The portal walks Form LLC-1 field by field and checks your name against state records.
Enter your details and pay $102
Name, registered agent, purpose, organizer information; pay by card at submission — the $2 above the $100 base fee is an electronic handling charge.
Download your confirmed Certificate
Save the approved filing the moment it issues — your bank requires it.
Every Line of the Certificate
LLC name
With "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company," distinguishable on state records — verified in Step 1.
Business purpose
A general "any lawful purpose" statement works for most LLCs. Note: New Hampshire wants you to file a $35 Certificate of Amendment (Form LLC-3) rather than leave this outdated later — most founders simply leave the purpose broad enough from the start to avoid ever needing to amend it.
Registered agent & office address
Name of your registered agent and their New Hampshire street address.
Organizer signature
The person forming the LLC — doesn't have to be a member or manager.
Management structure
Member-managed or manager-managed — a formal declaration on the form.
Payment
$100 by check/money order for mail or in-person filings, or $102 by card online through NH QuickStart.
Online vs. Mail: A Rare Case Where Mail Is Cheaper
New Hampshire Filing Method Decision Tool
2 questions · which method fits your situation
Online: $102, processed relatively quickly through NH QuickStart. Mail: $100, but processing can take longer since paper submissions take time to appear in the public database. In-person filing is also available at the State House Annex in Concord.
After Approval: Your Immediate Next Moves
- Save your confirmed Certificate — banks require it alongside your EIN letter.
- Create your operating agreement — the document that overrides New Hampshire's default rules.
- Get your free EIN at IRS.gov, then register with the NH Department of Revenue Administration if your BPT/BET thresholds apply.
- Calendar the Jan 1–Apr 1 window for your first annual report.
Ahmad Adil's Take: New Hampshire is one of the only states in this series where mail is actually the cheaper filing option — just $2 less than online, which is barely worth optimizing for on its own. What I do think is worth optimizing is the purpose statement: write it broadly enough on day one ("any lawful purpose") that you'll never need the $35 amendment later. I've seen founders write an overly specific purpose clause thinking it looks more professional, then have to pay to fix it when the business evolves. Keep it broad, file online for the convenience, and don't sweat the $2.
- ✓Forms your New Hampshire LLC for $39 + the $100 state fee
- ✓Files online with the Secretary of State (NH QuickStart)
- ✓Free New Hampshire registered agent the first year
- ✓No upsells · No data selling · Privacy by Default
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New Hampshire LLC — FAQ
Ahmad Adil is the founder and CEO of LLC School. The figures here — the $100 Certificate of Formation, the $100 annual report due April 1, and New Hampshire’s Business Profits Tax (7.5%) and Business Enterprise Tax (0.50%) — reflect current New Hampshire Secretary of State and Department of Revenue Administration guidance. This is educational content, not legal or tax advice.
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