Whether you want to start a business in New Hampshire or you’re thinking of expanding your business in this state, you’ll need a registered agent service. To ensure that you hire a great service from the get-go, you’ll find our article on the best New Hampshire registered agent services extremely helpful.
For those who are short on time, we created a summary table that features all the benefits of our top three recommendations.
Best New Hampshire Registered Agent Services
| Registered Agent Service | Cost | New Hampshire Office Location |
|---|---|---|
| IncFile | $119 a year/ first year free with incorporation | Not stated |
| ZenBusiness | $199 a year | Not stated |
| Northwest | $125 a year | Derry |
| InCorp | $129 a year | Goffstown |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 a year | Derry |
| New Hampshire Registered Agent | $49 a year | Derry |
| Registered Agent Net | $89 a year | Not stated |
| Registerd Agent LLC | $75 a year | Not stated |
| LegalZoom | $299 a year | Not stated |
| CSC Global | $381 a year | Concord |
| MyCompanyWorks | $99 a year | Not stated |
Apart from providing you with individual recommendations, we’ll also explain the role of a registered agent and its benefits and elaborate on all the steps required to register a business.
Let’s start by defining the role of a registered agent.
What Is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent is a person or a company that accepts official mail and correspondence on your behalf and forwards said correspondence to you.
In most states, you can be your own registered agent, provided that you meet the requirements.
Does New Hampshire Require a Registered Agent?
Yes, it’s required by law that you appoint a registered agent for your New Hampshire business.
Benefits of Hiring a Registered Agent Service
Here are the benefits you can access if you hire a registered agent service:
- You can expand your business in multiple states without changing registered agents;
- You’ll stay complaint with the state’s laws;
- You’ll never have to worry about being fined and missing a deadline;
- You’ll have more privacy because you won’t have to share your private address;
- Your business will be deemed more reputable because you won’t risk being put in a vulnerable position in front of clients.
With that out of the way, let’s start with our first recommendation.
1. IncFile
IncFile will help your business meet all its legal obligations at an affordable price. They’ve helped over 800,000 happy customers throughout the years. Their registered agent package includes:
- Access to all your important correspondence in due time
- Automatic mail forwarding
- Access to a personal dashboard
- Tailored email and text notifications
On top of all that, customers praise them for the user-friendly interface and compliance reminders.
Their registered agent services cost $119 per year. If you sign up for their formation services, you can get your first year of registered agent services for free! This makes them a great option for start-ups and businesses on a budget.
In addition to the registered agent and formation services, they also offer:
- Trademarking
- EIN Number
- Virtual address
- Amendment
- Foreign qualification
- Business licenses and permits
- Certificate of good standing
- Tax consultations
2. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is known for providing a premium service and being recognized as #1 on sites like Forbes and Investopedia. With their experience with over 300,000 businesses, you can rest assured knowing your business will be in good hands. Their registered agent services provide:
- Email notifications
- Document scanning
- Fast turnaround
- Access to a personal dashboard
- Mail forwarding
In addition to the compliance essentials, another reason to opt for ZenBusiness is their dedication to giving back to the entrepreneurial community – their $5K Grant Program gives entrepreneurs the chance to apply and get up to $5,000 in funding to start and run their businesses.
Moreover, customers love how helpful their customer support is.
Their pricing is transparent and there are no hidden fees. A year of registered agent services with ZenBusiness will cost you $199. If you want, you can upgrade this package to include perks like two free filing changes a year and annual support alerts.
Apart from registered agent services, they also provide:
- Worry-free compliance
- Incorporation
- LLC formation
- Domain name and website
- EIN Number
- Operating agreement
- Annual reports
- Taxes and accounting
- Business license reports
- Banking and finances
3. Northwest
Another company that has mastered the task of keeping businesses compliant is Northwest. For just $125 a year, you can access their registered agent service that includes benefits like:
- Document storage
- Compliance alerts
- Pre-filled state forms
- Scanned documents
- Annual report reminders
- Mail forwarding
The biggest advantage to choosing Northwest is their outstanding customer support. Also known as Corporate Guides, their customer support team will be there for you whenever you hit a hurdle or you need help with something.
They also offer additional protection and privacy thanks to their Privacy by Default Practice, ensuring that your personal data will remain protected.
Their yearly fee is $125. If you hire their registered agent service in five or more states, you’ll get a special multi-year discount which will lower your fee to $100.
Their New Hampshire office is located in Derry.
Other services include:
- Mail forwarding
- Phone service
- Payment processing
- Annual report filings
- Foreign qualification
- Virtual office
- Trademarking
4. InCorp
If you’re just starting out or you’re on a tight budget, you’ll love our next couple of recommendations. InCorp offers a great deal if you want to hire a registered agent service for multiple years – while their regular fee is $129, you can pay as low as $87 with their multi-year discount. This offer includes:
- Mail forwarding
- Annual report filings
- Legal notifications
- Access to their Entity Management System
Thanks to their EntityWatch technology, your business will always be protected from identity theft.
Their New Hampshire office is located in Goffstown.
Here are all the other services provided by InCorp:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Foreign qualification
- Trademarking
- Copyright
- DBA Filing
- EIN Number
- UCC search
- Articles of amendment
- Apostille service
5. Harbor Compliance
Another excellent choice for an affordable registered agent service is Harbor Compliance. Costing only $99, this registered agent service provides:
- Same-day electronic delivery of all your documents
- Pre-filled state forms
- Customizable notifications
- Annual report reminders
Harbor Compliance is known for their rapid processing speed – with the help of their service, you’ll never have to worry about missing an important deadline again. And if you use their registered agent services for a couple of years, you’ll get an additional 10% discount.
Their New Hampshire address is located in Derry.
On top of registered agent services, they also offer:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Amendments
- Business licenses
- Registration
6. New Hampshire Registered Agent
Our most affordable recommendation on this list is New Hampshire Registered Agent. For only $49 a year, your business can benefit from the following tools:
- Annual report reminders
- Email notifications
- Access to pre-filled state forms
- Online document storage
Their pricing is affordable, but it’s also transparent – you’ll never have to worry about hidden fees or auto-renewals.
Their New Hampshire office is located in Derry.
In addition to registered agent services, you can also hire them for:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Filing services
7. Registered Agent Net
Another excellent New Hampshire registered agent service that’ll cost you less than $100 is Registered Agent Net. Their registered agent package gets you access to the following benefits:
- Access to their Compliance Calendar and Compliance Entity Manager
- Two-year price guarantee
- Same-day document delivery
The easy access to their compliance tools will help you seamlessly track all your due dates and annual renewals. Moreover, you’ll receive an email notification ahead of any due date so that you’re prepared.
A year of registered agent services with Registered Agent Net will set you back $89. There are no additional costs or fees.
8. Resident Agent LLC
Continuing with our recommendations for an affordable New Hampshire Registered agent service, Resident Agent LLC is an A+ rated service that brings many benefits, such as:
- Compliance reminders
- Immediate notifications
- Pre-filled state forms
- Annual reports
- Access to an online account
We also love how they offer a satisfaction guarantee, so you can try out their services without any commitment.
Their service is nationwide, making it incredibly easy to expand your business without changing registered agents.
Their yearly fee is only $75, making it affordable even for businesses that are just starting out.
9. LegalZoom
LegalZoom offer a wide array of legal and business services, so they can easily be your go-to company if you need additional services. Their registered agent offer includes:
- Mail alerts
- Unlimited cloud storage
- Annual report reminders
- $1M in identity theft protection
One of the many aspects we like about LegalZoom is that they offer to change your current registered agent for free and cover any fees in the process.
Their yearly fee is slightly more expensive ($299), but makes for a great investment for larger businesses that would benefit from a plethora of legal services. If you purchase their formation package, the first year of registered agent services will cost you only $249.
Another thing that makes them a good fit for larger businesses is their expertise on IP protection, ensuring that your business stays protected at all times.
Their other services include:
- Trademarking
- Residential lease
- Copyright
- Foreign qualification
- Annual reports
- EIN Number
- Business formation
- Incorporation
- Power of attorney
- Taxation
- Business registration
10. CSC Global
Just like our previous recommendation, CSC Global is an outstanding choice for a registered agent service if you own a large business. They provide a combination of premium compliance tools and excellent data protection facilities. Their registered agent package includes:
- Access to a personalized online dashboard
- Annual compliance reminders
- Access to their SOC-2 facilities
- Electronic delivery of documents
- Same-day document scans
Moreover, their SOC-2 technology will protect your business from third parties and provide a high level of data security.
CSC Global’s rates are slightly higher than our previous recommendations – a year of registered agent services with them will cost you $381.
Their New Hampshire office can be found in Concord.
- In addition to registered agent services, they also provide:
- Entity management
- Legal management
- Corporate filings
- Real estate and erecording
- UCC
- Digital brand services
11. MyCompanyWorks
We’re finishing our list of recommendations with MyCompanyWorks. Costing only $99 a year, this registered agent service will provide the following tools:
- Access to The Startup Wizard
- Free E-delivery
- Same-day processing
- Compliance monitoring
- Online order tracking
- Access to an online dashboard
Their service is customizable and their processing speed is fast, which customers appreciate.
On top of that, their pricing is quite affordable and they offer 100% satisfaction guarantee in case their service isn’t compatible with your needs.
Their other services include:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Company dissolution
- File a DBA
- Annual reports
- Virtual office
- Business licenses
How Do I Register a Business in New Hampshire?
Here are all the steps required for you to register your business in New Hampshire.
Name Your Business
Like any other venture, naming your business is one of the first steps to registering a business.
Apart from following some general rules, like choosing a name that feels authentic to you and represents the service/goods you’ll sell, you also have to follow a few guidelines to comply with New Hampshire’s rules.
For starters, you must ensure that you’re choosing a unique business name. To check if your name is unique, you can do an online business name search on the Nevada Secretary of State website.
Additionally, your business name has to include a few words, depending on the business structure you choose. For LLCs, you have to use “Limited Liability Company” or an abbreviation of the name. When it comes to corporations, you can use “Corporation” or an appropriate abbreviation.
An optional step you can take is reserving your name for just $15. This is especially useful if you’re really set on a name and you don’t want to risk it being taken.
Choose a Business Structure
Choosing a name for your business and choosing its structure go hand in hand. Here are the most common business structures in New Hampshire:
- Sole proprietorship
- Partnership
- LLC
- Corporation
The main advantage corporations and LLCs have over sole proprietorships and partnerships is that they provide limited liability. In other words, the assets of the members of the business will remain protected in case of a lawsuit.
With that said, sole proprietorships and partnerships are a good option if you don’t have a large budget to start your business.
File a Certificate of Formation
A mandatory step for any future LLC owner is filing a certificate of formation with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. This document details the basics of your business, such as its location, name, and information about the owners and the registered agent. By this stage, you’ll need to have selected a registered agent.
The fee for filing a certificate of formation is $100.
File Articles of Incorporation
Just like LLCs, corporations need to submit a document called articles of incorporation to the New Hampshire Secretary of State. This document serves a similar purpose to a certificate of formation and it has the same filing fee.
Obtain an EIN
Getting an EIN (Employee Notification Number) is mandatory for businesses that have hired employees, as well as businesses that are taxed separately from their owners. You can apply for an EIN on the IRS website.
The application is completely free and it’ll only take minutes of your time.
It’s recommended that you get an EIN even if your business doesn’t require it. It comes with many different benefits, like helping you keep your personal finances separate and making it easier for you to open a business bank account.
Apply for the Necessary Licenses and Permits
Last but not least, you have to check if your business requires any licenses and permits. The answer will depend on the industry you’re in, as well as the kinds of goods you sell or services you offer.
New Hampshire doesn’t require businesses to have a general business license. In addition, you’re not required to obtain a state sales tax. With that said, you might need a specific license. These often vary on a county/city level, so we recommend researching your specific location to get accurate information. The best way to go about it is to check the websites of the county where your business will be located.
Businesses that operate in sectors like health and safety, food, and environment are the ones that will require special licenses. For instance, if you sell tobacco products, you’ll need a Tobacco Tax Operator’s License. You can check for occupation-based licenses on the New Hampshire Employment Security website.
FAQs
Where Can I Do a New Hampshire Business Entity Search?
You can do a New Hampshire business entity search on the Nevada Secretary of State website.
How Much Does It Cost to Register a Business in New Hampshire?
The cost of starting a business in New Hampshire is $100.
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed reading about our top 11 recommendations of the best New Hampshire registered agent services.
If you don’t have any specific recommendations and you just want to hire a reliable service that will keep you compliant, we recommend Northwest, IncFile, and ZenBusiness.
If you’re just starting out and you’re on a budget, New Hampshire Registered Agent offers an amazing deal that will set you back only $49 annually. Alternatively, if you want to hire another service from our list, consider utilizing their multi-year services.
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