New Hampshire Registered Agent
New Hampshire registered agents are responsible for receiving legal documents like service of process. You’ll need to appoint a registered agent in order to form a limited liability company (LLC).
You can act as your own registered agent, but most LLC owners choose to use a service. This is because services:
- Increase privacy and flexibility
- Reduce risk
- Offer affordable pricing
This article will help you make the best choice for your business.
Recommended: Northwest Registered Agent offers free registered agent services with LLC formation ($29 plus state fees).
Choosing a Registered Agent in New Hampshire
A New Hampshire registered agent serves as your business’s primary point of contact with the Secretary of State, as well as anyone who may need to deliver service of process).
A New Hampshire registered agent can be yourself, a partner or another individual, or a commercial registered agent service.
Having said that, your prospective registered agent must satisfy the following requirements in order to be accepted:
- They must be at least 18 years old.
- They must have a physical street address in the state of New Hampshire.
- They must always be available for contact at their registered office address during normal business hours.
New Hampshire Registered Agent Services
- Convenience: Hiring a third-party service will allow you to be more flexible on a day-to-day basis. This is because you will not need to be physically present in your registered address.
- Privacy: Hiring a third-party service will mean that your own private information (e.g., address, name, etc.) will not become publicly available after your business has been formed.
- Compliance and Online Storage: Most third-party services offer additional services, such as annual report reminders; they also scan all legal documents and upload them online as PDFs.
Let’s Find the Right Registered Agent for Your Business
We’ve tested and reviewed the most popular registered agent services.
Can You Be Your Own Registered Agent?
Yes, you can.
Being your own agent can be a great choice if you are operating on an exceptionally tight budget. This is because you can do it completely free of charge.
Having said that, we recommend avoiding this approach if you can since it will not save you a significant amount of capital (i.e., around $150 per year after the first year of your formation.).
Acting as your own agent is also relatively time inefficient and will not allow you to have as much flexibility as hiring a third-party service on a day-to-day basis.
If you are currently planning to form a new LLC, it will make sense to use an LLC formation service that comes with a free year of registered agent services. These services can charge as little as $29 per formation (excluding state fees).
If you are forming an LLC but prefer to file the paperwork yourself and act as your own registered agent, take a look at our How to Start an LLC in New Hampshire guide.
Best New Hampshire Registered Agent Service
If you're in New Hampshire and either looking to form a new LLC or switch your existing registered agent, it's crucial to consider factors like cost, range of services, reputation, and customer support.
Many people seek registered agents offering features like mail forwarding, document scanning, and compliance monitoring.
Northwest Special Offer
If you haven't formed your LLC yet, consider Northwest's LLC formation package for $29 plus state fees, which includes a free first year of registered agent service.
- Premium customer service
- Streamlined ordering
- Robust privacy features
To help you make an informed choice, we've compiled a table comparing the top 5 New Hampshire registered agent services below.
Top 5 New Hampshire Registered Agent Services
| 1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Northwest
4.7/5 |
BEST REGISTERED AGENT SERVICE
|
VISIT SITE |
|
LegalZoom
4.5/5 |
TRUSTED AND WELL-KNOWN COMPANY
|
VISIT SITE |
|
ZenBusiness
4.3/5 |
|
VISIT SITE |
|
Incfile
4.1/5 |
|
VISIT SITE |
|
Rocket Lawyer
3.9/5 |
|
VISIT SITE |
Whether you're starting a new business or considering a change, it's crucial to weigh factors like pricing, services, reputation, and customer support when choosing a registered agent in New Hampshire. Compare quotes and read online reviews to find the best fit for your needs.
Benefits of Using a Registered Agent Service
Many businesses choose to use a professional registered agent service when they form an LLC. This is because it can offer a number of benefits, including:
- Legal compliance: A registered agent service will ensure that you don’t miss an important legal document or notification (e.g., service of process, etc.) as a result of not being in your office (or as a result of a human error).
- Improved privacy: If you act as your own agent, your name and address will become public record on the New Hampshire Business Search. Using a registered agent service will help keep your information private.
- Discretion: When it comes to legal disputes, you will want to avoid receiving lawsuit-related documents in front of your clients and/or some employees.
- Better storage: Your service will generally scan all documents received and upload them online in PDF form. This means that you will always be able to access them online, and won’t have to worry about losing an important document.
A national registered agent service can also be beneficial if you plan to expand into other states as a foreign LLC. This is because, otherwise, you would need to find an individual or business entity that is a resident — or is allowed to transact business — in each state that you want to register in.
How to Elect a Registered Agent in New Hampshire
For your LLC in New Hampshire, you will be required to appoint a registered agent while you are completing the LLC’s Certificate of Formation.
This is also known as the Articles of Organization outside of New Hampshire and is the main formation document (Form LLC-1) that you will need to file with the Department of State’s Corporation Division in order to get started.
Electing a Registered Agent Online
You can form your LLC online by creating an account through the NH Department of State. You’ll gain access to all the resources you need to appoint a registered agent and form an LLC online.
Electing a Registered Agent by Mail
To form your LLC by mail, download Form LLC-1 - Certificate of Formation ($100 filing fee required), fill out the required fields, and submit to the New Hampshire Department of State.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in New Hampshire
If you want to appoint a new agent for your business, you will need to visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s website and head to the “Business Services” page.
You will then need to select the “Registered Agent Change” option, search for and select your company, and complete a Statement of Change form.
There is a $15 filing fee that will need to be paid.
Mailing Address:
Corporation Division, NH Dept. of State
107 N. Main Street, Room 204
Concord, NH 03301-4989
You also can change your registered agent on your annual report form if the change happens during the January 1 to April 1 annual report filing period. If you make the change using your annual report, there’s no filing fee.
Check out our full guide on how to change registered agents in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Registered Agent FAQs
Can I be my own registered agent in New Hampshire?
Yes, as long as you are at least 18 years old, have a physical address in New Hampshire, and are always available at your address during regular business hours.
Having said that, we recommend going with a third-party service instead because it offers more flexibility and privacy protections whilst remaining relatively affordable.
Have a look at our New Hampshire Registered Agent article for more information.
Does NH require a registered agent?
It can, depending on how your Hampshire business is registered.
For example, sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not legally required to appoint a registered agent, whereas LLCs and corporations are.
See our What is a Registered Agent article for more information.
How do I become a registered agent in New Hampshire?
If you want to act as your own agent, you will need to provide your personal details when you are completing the registered agent section of your business’s formation document.
For LLCs, this will be the Certificate of Formation.
We recommend checking out our How to File a New Hampshire LLC Certificate of Formation article for more information.
How do I change my registered agent in New Hampshire?
You will need to complete the following steps:
- Go to the NH SOS website and log in.
- Go to the “BUSINESS SERVICES” section and select “Registered Agent Change”
- Search for your business
- Complete the Statement of Change form and pay the $15 filing fee.
For more information, see our How Do I Change My Registered Agent in New Hampshire article.
Who can be a registered agent in New Hampshire?
Anyone can be a registered agent — also known as a statutory agent — so long as they are at least 18 years old, have a physical address in the state, and will always be available for contact during regular business hours.
This can be yourself, a partner, or a premium registered agent service.