New Hampshire · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in New Hampshire
New Hampshire charges you the same $100 to stay in good standing each year as it does to form.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in New Hampshire, file Articles of Incorporation with the New Hampshire Secretary of State for $100. At checkout that is $102 for New Hampshire plus $123.75 for our formation, $225.75 before card processing. Your first annual report is due the year after you incorporate, between January 1 and April 1, and the annual report fee is another $100.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in New Hampshire, step by step?
New Hampshire's annual report costs $100, the same as the articles, so keeping the corporation alive costs what creating it did. A corporation formed between December 1 and April 1 skips the first filing. The name rule also leaves out a word most states allow: Company does not satisfy it.
Choose and check the name
Your name must contain the word corporation, incorporated or limited, or the abbreviation corp., inc. or ltd. It must also be distinguishable from names on the Secretary of State's records. See the New Hampshire name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File articles of incorporation
File the Articles of Incorporation (Form 11) with New Hampshire. The fee at our checkout is $102. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
A New Hampshire board of directors must have one or more individuals, and the same person can hold more than one office; the bylaws or board decide the officers. 4 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Before you pay wages, open a payroll withholding account with the state’s tax department, and a sales tax account if you sell taxable goods or services.
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the New Hampshire annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in New Hampshire?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $102 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $225.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $280.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $324 | At filing |
| Annual Report (each year) | $100 5 | between January 1 and April 1 each year; first report due the year after incorporation |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. State fees: the state's published fee for the Articles of Incorporation (Form 11) is $100; our checkout charges $102 on the state side, and the state's fee schedule does not itemize the other $2. You see it before you pay.
New Hampshire at a glance
| Question | New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Articles of Incorporation (Form 11), $100 1 |
| Name rule | Must contain Corporation, Incorporated or Limited, or an abbreviation (corp., inc., ltd.); the word Company is not on the list 2 |
| Registered agent | Registered office in New Hampshire and a registered agent (an individual resident at the registered office, or a business entity at that address) 3 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: as described in the bylaws or appointed by the board; one person may hold more than one office 4 |
| Annual report | Annual Report, $100, due between January 1 and April 1 each year; first report due the year after incorporation 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 7.5% flat 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in New Hampshire?
Every New Hampshire corporation must continuously maintain a registered office and a registered agent in New Hampshire. 3 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. New Hampshire registered agent rules.
What goes in the New Hampshire articles of incorporation?
The articles name the corporation, its registered agent and office, the shares it can issue, and the incorporators. RSA 293-A lets the Secretary of State collect extra fees for expedited service but sets no price.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a New Hampshire corporation owe?
The information in each report must be current as of January 1 of the year it is due.
How do I start an S corp in New Hampshire?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 8. New Hampshire does not pass S corporation income through for its business taxes: an S corporation pays the business profits tax itself, at the entity level. 7
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read New Hampshire: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in New Hampshire?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in New Hampshire.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in New Hampshire as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in New Hampshire?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your New Hampshire corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($102), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in New Hampshire?
The articles fee is $100. The annual report is another $100 each year.
When is the New Hampshire annual report due?
Between January 1 and April 1 each year, starting in the calendar year after you incorporate.
Can I use Company in a New Hampshire corporation name?
Not on its own. Company is not on the list.
How many directors does a New Hampshire corporation need?
One or more. One person can hold every office.
Sources 8 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- New Hampshire charges $100 to file articles of incorporation. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A New Hampshire corporation's name must contain the word corporation, incorporated or limited, or the abbreviation corp., inc. or ltd. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Every New Hampshire corporation must continuously maintain a registered office and a registered agent in New Hampshire. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A New Hampshire board of directors must have one or more individuals, and the same person can hold more than one office; the bylaws or board decide the officers. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- New Hampshire charges $100 for the annual report, which you deliver between January 1 and April 1; the first one is due in the calendar year after you incorporate. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A New Hampshire C corporation pays a 7.5% business profits tax on its taxable business profits. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- New Hampshire does not pass S corporation income through for its business taxes: an S corporation pays the business profits tax itself, at the entity level. gc.nh.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.