How to start a New Hampshire LLC

An LLC is a type of business that helps protect its owners (called members). This means that if the business owes money or gets sued, the members' personal assets, like their house or car, are usually safe. 

In the state of New Hampshire, an LLC is defined as “a limited liability company formed under this act” (Section 304-C:11). That means an LLC in New Hampshire is a company created within the state or a company that becomes subject to New Hampshire state regulations surrounding LLCs (Chapter 304-C).

If that sounds like a lot of legal jargon - that's because it is! What you need to know is that LLCs are popular with business owners because they are simple and flexible to run. They have fewer rules compared to comportations and the owners can choose if they want to manage the business themselves or appoint managers to do it. 

Another benefit is how taxes work: LLC owners can pay taxes through their own personal tax returns, or they can choose to have the business pay taxes separately, like a corporation. This gives owners more choices in how they handle taxes as their business grows.

Why should I register for an LLC in New Hampshire?

You may want to register for an LLC in New Hampshire when:

• You own or want to start a business in New Hampshire, or want to expand an existing business into New Hampshire, and want to stay legally compliant. 
• You own or want to start a business, and want more flexibility on how you will manage the business or pay taxes than a corporation would provide.
• You want to protect your personal assets from potential liability resulting from business you conduct in the state of New Hampshire. 
• You own or want to start a business, and want to register in New Hampshire to open accounts, lease or buy property, secure funding, or hire employees.

Do I need to file my LLC in New Hampshire if I live in another state?

Any LLC that does business in New Hampshire must file with the State of New Hampshire. New Hampshire does not outline any specific actions that constitute transacting business, however, these actions, among others, are not considered to be doing business in New Hampshire:

• Maintaining, defending, or settling any proceeding.
• Holding meetings of its members or managers or carrying on any other activities concerning its internal affairs.
• Maintaining bank accounts.
• Maintaining offices or agencies for the transfer, exchange, and registration of the foreign limited liability company's own securities or interests or maintaining trustees or depositories with respect to those securities or interests.
• Selling through independent contractors.
• Soliciting or obtaining orders, whether by mail or through employees or agents or otherwise, if the orders require acceptance outside this state before they become contracts.
• Creating or acquiring indebtedness, mortgages, and security interests in real or personal property.
• Securing or collecting debts or enforcing mortgages and security interests in property securing the debts.
• Owning, without more, real or personal property.
• Conducting an isolated transaction that is completed within 30 days and that is not one in the course of repeated transactions of a like nature.
• Transacting business in interstate commerce.

LLCs based in New Hampshire are called "domestic LLCs," and out-of-state LLCs are called "foreign LLCs." Foreign LLCs and domestic LLCs may have different filing and compliance requirements -- Rocket Lawyer can help you navigate foreign LLC registration, regardless of where you live.

How to start an LLC in New Hampshire

1. Find a unique name for your New Hampshire LLC

The state of New Hampshire requires that the names of all LLCs in the state:

• Shall contain the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC" or any other similar abbreviation.
• May contain the name of a member or manager.
• Shall not contain language stating or implying that it is organized for a purpose other than that permitted by state legislature and by its certificate of formation.
• Are not too similar to existing LLCs in the state. You can search the state of New Hampshire's database of business entities in the state to ensure your business' name is unique.

Rocket Lawyer can help you determine whether your business' name is eligible for registration in New Hampshire and may be able to help you reserve the name before you file your LLC.

2. Include your other LLC members (if any)

In New Hampshire, you can in fact form as a one-person LLC. In this case, the LLC would be referred to as a single-member LLC (SMLLC), whereas if there is more than one owner, the LLC may be called a multi-member LLC. 

The main difference between single-member and multi-member LLCs lies in ownership structure and management. With a single-member LLC, you have full control over the business. In contrast, a multi-member LLC has multiple owners, each with a specific percentage of ownership as defined in the operating agreement. This means that in a multi-member LLC, owners share profits, losses, and tax responsibilities based on their ownership percentage.

3. Provide a New Hampshire address

This will be used as your official LLC address. The address that you list may either be your home, an office, or another physical location, but it cannot be a PO box.

4. Choose a Registered Agent

A Registered Agent is the person or business responsible for receiving tax, legal, and government documents during regular business hours. It's important that every business has one. You can either serve as your own registered agent (if you have a New Hampshire address) or choose one to do that service for you (if you are not located in New Hampshire or would like an extra layer of privacy).

5. Register your LLC with the state of New Hampshire

Once you have a business name and registered agent, you can register your business as a New Hampshire LLC with the state of New Hampshire by filing your Certificate of Formation. In other states, this document may be called a "Certificate of Organization," "Certificate of Filing," or "Articles of Organization."

6. Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN)

New Hampshire LLCs are required to have a Federal EIN tax number. Think of your tax ID as the social security number for your company. It will be important for business contracts, tax filings, and all manner of documents down the line. Every company should have one to remain in good standing.

7. Pay the state filing fee

Every state has different fees for forming an LLC, which can also vary from one year to another.

Congratulations! After you have completed all these steps, you have formed your New Hampshire LLC.

What to do after forming a New Hampshire LLC

There are a few steps you need to take to maintain your New Hampshire LLC:

1. Create an Operating Agreement: we can help you create your New Hampshire LLC Operating Agreement online.
2. Hold a meeting: a first meeting with members of an LLC is not required by law, but it is highly suggested in order to get organized. Also, unlike corporations, LLCs are also not required to maintain Meeting Minutes, but these documents are also recommended as they provide records for important decisions made.
3. Have an office in the state: you must maintain your LLC's principal office within the state of New Hampshire.
4. Pay taxes according to how you chose to be taxed: traditionally, LLCs are "pass-through entities." This means that you pay your business taxes on your personal tax form. That said, you can elect to be taxed like a corporation, if you choose to do so.
5. File an Annual Report: this is required of all New Hampshire LLCs between January 1st and April 1st each year.

What is needed to keep records for my New Hampshire LLC

The State of New Hampshire has no requirements for keeping any specific records pertaining to your LLC, but you may be required to have the following records available for members and/or managers at their request:

• Complete and accurate information regarding the company's internal affairs and the status of the business.
• A current list of the full names and last known addresses of each member and manager.
• A copy of the company's federal, state and local income tax returns for each year the company has filed.
• A copy of the company's certificate of formation and Operating Agreement along with any amendments made to these documents.
• Complete and accurate information regarding the following:
  • The date on which each member became a member.
  • The amount of cash as well as a description and statement of the agreed services or property that each member has contributed or will contribute in the future.

Still have questions? Rocket Lawyer can help you with the process of forming a New Hampshire LLC. Get started today!

  

Key takeaways Registering an LLC in New Hampshire can give you a lot more flexibility than a corporation, as well as protection for your personal assets from potential liabilities. Even if you live in another state, you must register your LLC in New Hampshire if you do regular business there, like selling things or having employees. After starting your LLC, it's advisable to create an Operating Agreement and hold a first meeting. You'll also need to file an Annual Report every year. Keep records of your New Hampshire LLC, like the names of all members, tax documents, and your business rules. These help you stay organized and follow the law.

Additional resources

Learning how to enforce a contract is just one step. Explore these additional topics to learn more and take the next steps.

• What is an LLC
• How are LLCs taxed
• How to start an LLC
• Do I Need a Registered Agent?
• How and when to file an Annual Report