16-Step Checklist for Starting a Business in New Hampshire

1) Write a Business Plan

Jumping into this endeavor without goals, directives, or a sense of direction can lead to a scattered, unproductive business.

A business plan lays the groundwork for your future success. It helps you analyze key elements of your business and forge pathways to achieve your goals. Here are a few things you should consider including in your business plan:

• Executive Summary (a separate document that gives a complete overview of your business’ purpose, plans, goals, competition, opportunities, etc.)
• Company description
• Market Analysis (opportunities, competition, etc.)
• Managerial or organizational structure
• Products and/or services
• Marketing strategies
• Funding goals
• Financial projections

Business plans aren’t just great for internal operations, but they give your business legitimacy in front of potential investors, customers, partners, and more. Need help? Check out this guide from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

2) Decide on a Business Name

You might’ve come up with the perfect name right away. If so, consider yourself lucky.

Sometimes, deciding on a business can be difficult, requiring brainstorming meetings and late-night rap sessions. That’s because your name is your business’ identity and reputation. It should be something that’s unique and memorable but also defines your business purpose.

Before you go using your business name, you’ll need to make sure it meets the state’s naming requirements. New Hampshire LLC names must include the words “limited liability company,” “LLC,” or another abbreviation, while corporation names must include “corporation,” “incorporated,” “limited,” or an abbreviation.

The specifics of your business name, however, won’t matter if it already belongs to someone else. You must confirm that your desired name is available by performing a name search. If you don’t see any other businesses using that name, go ahead and reserve it or use it on your formation documents.

3) Decide on a Legal Structure

There are only a few types of business structures, but each one dictates some important parts of how your business will run.

The most popular types are the sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited liability company (LLC), S corporation, and C corporation. Most small businesses go with the LLC because of its unique blend of flexibility and personal asset protection.

However, you shouldn’t make this decision without reading up on all of your options. We’ve done plenty of research on each business type and developed side-by-side comparisons. Check out our LLC vs. Corporation and LLC vs. Sole Proprietorship comparison guides for a closer look.

4) Choose a Registered Agent

The Secretary of State needs a point of contact for your business, someone who will be available at your registered office address during typical business hours – 9am to 5pm.

This person is called a registered agent, and they serve as an intermediary with the state, receiving all of your company’s important legal communications and relaying them on to you. The New Hampshire registered agent ensures that no important state documents, deadlines, or payments fall through the cracks, so you’ll want to choose a person or company you trust.

You can choose either an individual or a business entity as your registered agent in New Hampshire, but they must:

• Be an individual New Hampshire resident or a corporation authorized to do business in the state.
• Have a physical address in New Hampshire.
• Have a mailing address in New Hampshire (no P.O. boxes allowed).

Your registered agent has some important responsibilities, so if you’re choosing an individual, good choices include anyone who understands the details of business compliance and maintenance. However, if it’s easier to appoint a friend or family member, that works too.

Or, you can choose a registered agent service instead. These companies take care of all your registered agent responsibilities, and some will even handle your business formation and annual reporting as well.

Important: You must continuously maintain a registered agent on file with the Secretary of State. If your agent resigns or you appoint a new one, you’ll need to notify them by filing the appropriate documents.

5) Register Your Business

This is the big one, the step that officially creates your business. No matter which business type you choose, you’ll need to register it with the Secretary of State.

LLCs: To put your limited liability company information on file, you will need to file a Certificate of Formation. It’s a brief document that lets the Secretary of State know who you are, where your business will be, and how to contact it so that they’re aware it will be operating in the state.

This New Hampshire LLC filing costs $100 and must be approved before you can conduct any business in the state. You can file a paper form or online through the NH Quickstart portal.

Corporations: The filing processes and purposes are the same for corporations, but instead of the Certificate of Formation, you’ll need to file an Articles of Incorporation for $100 online or by mail.

Sole Proprietorship/General Partnership: There are no official forms or fees to register as a sole proprietor or general partnership. Simply start doing business and that’s it! While this is obviously faster and easier, we recommend incorporating your business because of the personal asset protection LLCs and corporations provide.

Foreign Entities: But let’s say that you formed your business in another state and now you’d like to do business in New Hampshire. In this case, you could disregard the Certificate of Formation or the Articles of Incorporation. You already filed an equivalent document in your home state. In New Hampshire, you would need to foreign qualify your business by filing an Application for Foreign LLC Registration or an Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Corporation. Both of these documents cost $100 and can also be submitted via NH Quickstart.

6) Get an EIN

The Employer Identification Number (EIN) is your ticket to doing state and federal taxes. It’s a nine-digit number, much like a Social Security Number, that identifies your business on tax documents.

If you’re forming an LLC, it will be considered a “pass-through” entity, so the business itself won’t pay federal income taxes. Instead, you and the other members will report income and losses on your personal tax returns.

But this doesn’t mean you can go without an EIN. If your LLC pays any type of business taxes – like Sales, Use, or Unemployment Taxes – or hires employees, you’ll need to get one.

Unsure if you need one? The IRS provides a useful “Do I need an EIN?” link on this page, where you can also apply for an EIN. If you go through the online application process, you’ll receive your number immediately.

Otherwise, you can submit a Form SS-4 by fax to (855) 641-6935 or by mail to :

Internal Revenue Service Operation

Attn: EIN Operation

Cincinnati, OH 45999

7) Open a Business Bank Account

LLC and corporation owners are required to keep their personal and business finances completely separate, or they risk losing their personal asset protection. To do so, you’ll need a business bank account.

The good news is that opening a business bank account is pretty simple. Just pay a visit to your bank’s local branch and sit down with one of the bankers there. You will need to present your formation documents, an EIN number, and some personal information. Then, you can direct all of your business income and expenses to that account instead of a personal one.

It doesn’t really matter which bank you choose, whether it’s a national giant like Chase or Bank of America or a small, local bank. However, it’s usually easiest to go with the one where you have existing accounts.

8) Handle Any Tax Obligations

Ah, taxes. They’re always part of the picture, especially when you run a business.

Familiarizing yourself with your business’ tax requirements will help you establish a solid financial plan going forward. LLCs don’t need to file a corporate tax return and pay federal income taxes, so you’ll handle these taxes as part of your personal return.

Corporations, on the other hand, will need to file a Corporate Income Tax Return, while sole proprietorships/general partnerships will need to pay self-employment taxes.

There are a few other taxes your business may owe in New Hampshire, depending on your circumstances:

Business Enterprise Tax: This tax is assessed on the enterprise tax base, or the combined total of all compensation paid or accrued, all interest paid or accrued, and all dividends paid by the business. It is only required of entities with more than $217,000 of gross receipts from all their activities, or an enterprise value tax base more than $108,000.

Business Profits Tax: This is a tax assessed on income made on business activity within the state and is only necessary for entities with $50,000 or more of gross receipts from all their activities. 

Unemployment Insurance Tax: If your business hires employees, it will also need to pay an Unemployment Insurance Tax through New Hampshire Employment Security.

Other Taxes: Depending on your business activities, it will owe other specific taxes, like the Electricity Consumption Tax or Excavation Tax. You can find a full list on the Department of Revenue Administration website.

9) Find an Accountant

Sometimes it’s easier to hand off your financial responsibilities to a professional. Not only will an accountant ensures that your taxes are filed and paid correctly, but they might also find a few ways to save your business money.

Bookkeeping and tax procedures are time-consuming and require some specialized knowledge. Balance sheets, financial reports, cash flow, audits, and much more – an accountant can ensure that your company operates smoothly and streamlines its expenses.

This can be expensive depending on the complexity of your finances, but the benefits an accountant offers can be well worth it.

10) Create an Operating Agreement

An operating agreement constructs a framework of procedures and standards for your business. This is where you can lay out processes for member conduct, asset allocation, compensation policies, voting procedures, dissolution, and much more.

While operating agreements aren’t technically required in New Hampshire, they are essential to your business’ stability and success. They provide a safety net in legal disputes and legitimacy in front of banks, courts, government agencies, and other businesses.

You can either draft one yourself using an online template, or you can hire an attorney or an incorporation service to take care of it for you.

Once you’ve drafted your agreement, it must be approved by each of your LLC’s members, then filed with the rest of your business documents. You do not need to submit it to the Secretary of State.

11) Acquire the Necessary Licenses

After filing your formation documents, your business is legitimate, but it might still need specific licenses before opening its doors in New Hampshire. This depends entirely on your business type and purpose, but there are three main state licenses you should know:

Professional Licenses: Certain occupations need to be licensed through state boards before they can begin doing business. Barbers, for example, must apply for a license with the New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology, and Esthetics, and real estate brokers require licensure through the New Hampshire Real Estate Commission. You can find a full list of licensed professions here.

Environmental Permits: If your business has emissions or hazardous waste – or if it otherwise works with New Hampshire’s land, air, or water – it may need certain environmental permits.

Food Service Licenses: If your business is a restaurant, catering service, or other food establishment, it will require a Food Service License through the Department of Health and Human Services.

Local Licenses: Your specific city, county, or municipality might have its own licensure requirements. Take a look at your local government’s website to find out.

12) Consider Business Insurance

Even though it’s not pleasant to consider, there’s always a chance that unforeseen events might take a toll on your assets.

While forming an LLC or corporation offers some personal asset protection, additional business insurance can also protect your business assets in cases of lawsuits, damages, etc. You can acquire insurance for your business products, vehicles, specific occupations and much more.

If you hire employees, you’ll also need to get workers’ compensation insurance. SBA.gov has a useful guide for determining which forms of insurance your new business might need.

13) Build a Website

Your company’s digital presence is just as important as its physical one. Like it or not, most potential customers will find your business online, and if you don’t exist online, you’re missing out.

But don’t worry, you don’t need to be an HTML or web design expert to build a website. Sites like WordPress and Squarespace make it easy to construct an elegant and responsive website, no coding necessary. But if you’re not comfortable or confident doing it on your own, you can always hire a professional web designer to take care of it for you.

14) Launch Social Media Accounts

Making your mark on the digital landscape doesn’t start and end with your website. Most successful businesses also have a robust social media presence on multiple platforms. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are all great ways to connect organically with potential customers and develop your brand voice.

Just don’t forget to publish consistent social media content, or you’ll have trouble building a base of followers.

15) Understand Ongoing New Hampshire Requirements

After you’ve launched your business, things will likely be moving at 100 miles per hour as you evolve and grow. But in all of the excitement, you can’t forget your state’s ongoing compliance requirements. Every state has its own annual or biennial business requirements.

Every New Hampshire business must file an Annual Report between January 1st and April 1st each year. This report costs $100 and you can file online or by mail through NH Quickstart. Miss this deadline and you will incur a $50 late fee, plus your business will lose its good standing with the state.

16) Check Out New Hampshire Small Business Resources

You’re not on this journey alone. There are plenty of free resources available to make starting and growing your business a smoother, easier process.

If you’re ever looking for a particular resource, whether it’s a small business center, financial advice, a loan opportunity, or something completely different, you can likely find it on SBA.gov. They have a specific page for New Hampshire’s district office and a helpful publication that outlines valuable resources for small businesses in the state. You’re bound to find something that can help empower your business.