Search New Hampshire LLC, Corporation & Trade Name Records
New Hampshire’s Secretary of State Corporation Division maintains the state business registry. Its NH QuickStart Business Search can find corporations, LLCs, partnerships, nonprofits and trade names by business name, Business ID, filing number or registered agent.
The search is useful for checking status, annual-report history, principal information, registered agents, previous names and filed documents before you pay for certificates or submit another filing.
Best first search: choose Business Name, then try Contains if you are unsure of the exact legal wording. QuickStart also offers Starts With, Exact Match and All Words.
If you already have a Business ID: use it. New Hampshire says the Business ID Number and Charter Number are the same state identifier. They are not the federal EIN.
Name-search warning: an empty QuickStart search does not mean the proposed name is legally approved. New Hampshire says final name availability is determined by Corporation Division staff when a registration or name-reservation filing is received.
How to Search New Hampshire Business Records
QuickStart gives you several search routes. Most visitors should begin with Business Name and use a broad match before moving to an exact identifier.
- Open the official NH QuickStart Business Search.
- Select the search field that matches what you know: Business Name, Business ID, Filing Number or Registered Agent.
- For a business-name search, choose Starts With, Exact Match, Contains or All Words.
- If spelling is uncertain, use the similar-sounding-name option when available.
- Open the matching business and compare its Business ID, type, status, home state, address and registered agent.
- Save the Business ID before viewing filings, filing an annual report or contacting the Corporation Division.
QuickStart Search Options Explained
| Search option | Best use | Practical tip |
|---|---|---|
| Business Name | You know all or part of the registered name. | Start with Contains if you are uncertain about LLC, Inc., punctuation or the full wording. |
| Business ID | You already have the New Hampshire state identifier. | Business ID and Charter Number refer to the same state-assigned number. |
| Filing Number | You are working from a specific Secretary of State filing reference. | Do not confuse a filing number with the entity’s Business ID. |
| Registered Agent | You know the agent but not the business name. | A commercial registered agent may represent many unrelated companies. |
| Similar-sounding names | You are unsure how a business name is spelled. | Use this before concluding that a slightly different spelling is unregistered. |
Business-name match modes
Starts With / Exact Match
Starts With is useful when you know the opening words. Exact Match is restrictive and works best when the full legal name is known precisely.
Contains / All Words
Contains is useful for a distinctive fragment. All Words helps when you know several words but are uncertain about their exact order.
What to Check on a New Hampshire Business Record
| Record field | Why it matters | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Business Name | Confirms the legal or registered name. | Assuming a similar name is the same entity. |
| Business ID | The safest identifier for future searches, filings and support questions. | Confusing it with the federal EIN. |
| Business Type | Distinguishes LLCs, corporations, trade names, nonprofits and other registrations. | Assuming every type follows the same annual filing rules. |
| Status | Shows whether the entity is current, owes filings or has been dissolved or suspended. | Treating Good Standing as proof of licensing or financial reliability. |
| Principal Office | Helps distinguish similarly named businesses. | Assuming it is necessarily a public storefront. |
| Registered Agent | Identifies the party designated to receive legal service. | Assuming the agent is an owner. |
| Last / Next Annual Report Year | Helps confirm recurring filing history. | Ignoring an overdue annual-report obligation because other information looks current. |
Can You Find the Owners of a New Hampshire Business?
The answer depends on the entity type. The Corporation Division does not collect the same ownership information for every business.
Corporations
Annual reports list officers and directors. New Hampshire says shareholder ownership information is not filed with the Secretary of State.
LLCs
A member-managed LLC must list at least one member on its annual report. A manager-managed LLC must list at least one manager.
Trade names
The business profile can contain the name of each applicant or owner of the trade name along with the business address.
Nonprofits
The periodic nonprofit report lists officers, directors or the governing board rather than private equity ownership.
New Hampshire Business Status Meanings
QuickStart status labels have specific meanings. The Secretary of State publishes definitions for common statuses in the corporate database.
| Status | State meaning | What to check next |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | The entity has filed required reports and fees. | Review filings and agent information if you need deeper verification. |
| Not in Good Standing | Reports or fees are owed, or the registered agent has resigned. | Review overdue annual reports and registered-agent status. |
| Administrative Dissolution | The Secretary of State dissolved the entity for filing, fee or registered-agent noncompliance. | Contact the Corporation Division about reinstatement options. |
| Administrative Suspension | A foreign entity was suspended for filing, fee or registered-agent noncompliance. | Resolve the missing filing or agent issue before relying on the registration. |
| Active | Used for a trade name or entity that does not file reports. | Confirm the record type so you understand what “Active” means in context. |
Read the official New Hampshire business-status definitions.
New Hampshire Business Name Availability
A QuickStart search is useful for screening names, but New Hampshire specifically says name availability is not determined online. Corporation Division staff makes the final decision when a registration or reservation is submitted.
The state’s Name Availability Guidelines say the proposed name generally must be distinguishable from existing names and protected names on file. The comparison can also include businesses administratively dissolved within the preceding 120 days.
- Search the proposed name with Exact Match.
- Search its strongest distinctive words with Contains.
- Turn on similar-sounding-name search.
- Check abbreviations, phonetic spellings and singular/plural variations.
- Review inactive and recently dissolved businesses as well as current records.
- Use a formal reservation if you need to hold an available name before formation.
Name reservation: Form 1 currently carries a $15 filing fee for common corporations, LLCs, LLPs and LPs and holds an accepted name for 120 days. A reservation is not required when you are ready to file the formation document immediately.
Read the official New Hampshire Name Availability Guidelines.
New Hampshire Trade Names and DBA Records
New Hampshire requires a person doing business under a name other than the person’s own legal name to register the trade name. For example, a sole proprietor using only the person’s full legal name generally does not need a trade-name registration, while adding a business term such as “Enterprises” can trigger the requirement.
| Trade-name service | Current listed fee | Useful detail |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Name Registration | $50 | Use Form TN-1 or the corresponding online filing. |
| Trade Name Renewal | $50 | Trade names must be renewed every five years to remain active. |
| Information change | $0 | Used for business address, email or phone updates. |
New Hampshire Annual Reports: April 1 Deadline
Corporations, LLCs and several other report-filing entities must file each year by April 1, starting in the year after registration.
| Filing | Current fee | Deadline / rule |
|---|---|---|
| Corporation annual report | $100 | Due April 1 each year following registration. |
| LLC annual report | $100 | Due April 1 each year following registration. |
| Late fee | $50 | Assessed when the report or annual fee is received after April 1; the Corporation Division says it cannot be waived. |
| Nonprofit report | $25 | Due by December 31 in years ending in 0 or 5 rather than annually. |
Open official annual-report instructions.
- Log into NH QuickStart or create an account.
- Select the annual-report filing service.
- If nothing changed, check whether the One Click annual-report option applies.
- Review all business and principal information before submitting.
- Pay the filing fee and save the receipt in your QuickStart correspondence or receipts area.
What happens if you miss April 1?
A domestic registration becomes Not in Good Standing when the required report and fee are not filed by April 1. After two consecutive years of nonfiling, a domestic entity can be administratively dissolved.
For a foreign registration, failure to file the current year’s report or annual fee can lead to administrative suspension.
Annual Reports, Charter Documents, Certified Copies & Good Standing
Most charter documents can be searched, viewed and downloaded through NH QuickStart without charge. Open the business record first rather than ordering copies blindly.
View filed documents
Open the business record and its filing history. Annual reports and many other scanned charter documents can be opened directly from the record.
If QuickStart says “File Not Found”
That can mean the document has not yet been scanned. Contact the Corporation Division at 603-271-3246 or corporate@sos.nh.gov to request retrieval from State Archives.
| Document service | State fee / rule | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Most online charter documents | No charge to view/download when available online | Research, annual reports and ordinary filing review. |
| Certified copy | $5 certification charge plus $1 per page | When a bank, attorney, court or transaction requires certification. |
| Expedited certified-copy service | Additional $25 | When faster service is available and necessary. |
| Standard Certificate of Existence / Good Standing | $5 statutory certificate fee; online electronic handling may apply | Formal evidence requested by banks, lenders, vendors or another state. |
| Long-form certificate | $10 statutory certificate fee; online electronic handling may apply | When the recipient needs a certificate reciting filing history rather than basic status only. |
Common New Hampshire Business Filing Fees
| Service | Current base fee | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| QuickStart business search | Free public lookup | Use before paying a third party for basic registry data. |
| Domestic LLC formation | $100 | Certificate of Formation, Form LLC-1. |
| Domestic corporation formation | $100 | Articles of Incorporation, Form 11. |
| Annual report | $100 | Common corporation and LLC report fee. |
| Annual-report late fee | $50 | Applies after April 1 and is not waived. |
| Name reservation | $15 | Holds an accepted name for 120 days for eligible entity types. |
| Registered-agent / office change | $15 | Form 10 or corresponding online filing. |
| Trade-name registration | $50 | Trade names renew every five years. |
Payment methods
The Corporation Division lists check, money order, pre-established ACH and exact-amount cash as accepted payment methods. NH QuickStart accepts MasterCard, Visa and Discover for online business filings and annual reports. The state currently says it cannot accept online credit cards with a billing address outside the United States.
New Hampshire Registered-Agent Requirements
Corporations and LLCs must continuously maintain a registered agent in New Hampshire to remain in good standing.
Who can serve?
An individual or business entity already registered with New Hampshire can serve if the agent has a physical address in New Hampshire.
Can the owner be the agent?
Yes. An owner, manager, employee or other individual can serve if that person can be located at the New Hampshire registered-agent address.
Changing the registered agent or registered office uses Form 10 or the equivalent online filing and currently carries a $15 fee.
Common New Hampshire Business Search Problems
| Problem | Likely reason | Best next step |
|---|---|---|
| No results | Exact Match is too restrictive. | Try Contains, remove LLC/Inc., or use similar-sounding-name search. |
| Too many businesses | The name fragment is common. | Use All Words, Business ID, filing number or compare registered agents. |
| Business ID does not match EIN | They are different identifiers. | Use the state Business ID / Charter Number in QuickStart, not the federal EIN. |
| Document says File Not Found | The filing may not yet be scanned. | Contact corporate@sos.nh.gov or 603-271-3246 for State Archives retrieval. |
| Not in Good Standing | Reports/fees are owed or the agent resigned. | Check annual-report history and registered-agent status before taking another action. |
| Name appears unused but filing is rejected | Online search is not final name approval. | Review the name guidelines and contact the Corporation Division or submit a reservation/registration for formal review. |
New Hampshire Corporation Division Contact Information
Customer Service Lobby
State House Annex
28 School Street
Concord, NH 03301
Lobby hours:
Monday–Friday
8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Mailing address
Corporations Division
N.H. Department of State
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301-4989
Use the address printed on the current filing form when a specific form provides different submission instructions.
Check the official Corporation Division contact page before visiting.
Official New Hampshire Business Resources
Search by business name, Business ID, filing number or registered agent.
Main hub for business search, annual reports, filings, certificates, forms, status definitions and contact information.
QuickStart filing, One Click filing and paper-form options.
Official answers on Business IDs, documents, annual reports, status, names, payments and ownership information.
Entity-specific forms and filing fees for corporations, LLCs, nonprofits, trade names and other registrations.
Official explanations of Good Standing, Not in Good Standing, Administrative Dissolution and related status labels.
Agent eligibility, New Hampshire address requirements and agent-change information.
Registration, renewal, information changes and trade-name rules.
New Hampshire Business Entity Search FAQ
1. Is the New Hampshire business entity search free?
Yes. NH QuickStart provides a public Business Record Search without a search fee. Filing, annual-report, certificate and certified-copy services can have separate charges.
2. Where do I search for a New Hampshire LLC or corporation?
Use the official NH QuickStart Business Search. It supports Business Name, Business ID, Filing Number and Registered Agent searches.
3. What is the difference between a New Hampshire Business ID and Charter Number?
There is no difference for this purpose. The Corporation Division says Business ID Number and Charter Number are two names for the same state-assigned business identifier.
4. Is a New Hampshire Business ID the same as an EIN?
No. The Business ID is assigned by the New Hampshire Corporation Division. An EIN or Federal Employer Identification Number is assigned separately by the IRS.
5. Can QuickStart tell me whether a proposed business name is officially available?
No. QuickStart helps you research existing registrations, but New Hampshire says final name availability is determined by Corporation Division staff when a registration or reservation filing is received.
6. When is a New Hampshire LLC or corporation annual report due?
The annual report is due by April 1 each year following the year of registration. The standard annual-report fee for common LLCs and corporations is $100.
7. What happens if a New Hampshire annual report is filed after April 1?
A $50 late fee is assessed. The Corporation Division states that the late fee cannot be waived. Missing filings can also cause a business to become Not in Good Standing and eventually be dissolved or suspended.
8. Can I see New Hampshire annual reports and charter documents online?
Yes. Most charter documents can be searched, viewed and downloaded through NH QuickStart at no charge. If a record says File Not Found, the document may need to be retrieved from State Archives through the Corporation Division.
9. Can I find the owner of a New Hampshire business through QuickStart?
It depends on the entity type. Corporations list officers and directors but not shareholders. LLC annual reports list at least one member for a member-managed LLC or at least one manager for a manager-managed LLC. Trade-name records can list applicants or owners.
10. Does New Hampshire Good Standing prove that a business is licensed or financially reliable?
No. Good Standing mainly reflects compliance with Secretary of State filing and fee requirements. Licensing, tax status, insurance, financial condition and professional authorization may require separate verification.
Best Way to Use NH QuickStart
Start with Business Name and a broad match, open the correct entity, then save its Business ID. Use that identifier when checking annual reports, filings, certificates, registered-agent information or contacting the Corporation Division.
For business-name research, remember that QuickStart is a screening tool—not final approval. For compliance, keep April 1 in mind: most New Hampshire LLCs and corporations owe an annual report and $100 filing fee by that date each year.
Information reviewed against current New Hampshire Secretary of State Corporation Division, NH QuickStart, Business FAQs, Forms and Fees, business-status definitions, registered-agent guidance, statutory fee provisions and contact resources on October 18, 2026. Fees, portal interfaces and processing practices can change. This independent informational website is not the New Hampshire Secretary of State and does not provide legal, tax or licensing advice.