How to Start a New Hampshire Corporation — Step by Step

Your corporation's name has to be distinguishable from every other entity already on file with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. "Distinguishable" is a legal test, not a matter of taste — a name that differs only in punctuation, spacing, or a trivial word may still be rejected. The Corporation Division checks your proposed name against corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other registered names.

Start with the NH QuickStart business name search. Search your exact name and near variations. If something close already exists, adjust before you file rather than risking a rejected filing and a delay.

Corporate name rules

• The name must contain a corporate designator: "Corporation," "Incorporated," "Company," "Limited," or an abbreviation like "Corp.," "Inc.," "Co.," or "Ltd."
• It cannot imply a purpose the corporation is not authorized to pursue, and certain restricted words (for example those suggesting banking or insurance) require regulatory clearance.
• It must be distinguishable from all names already on the state's records.

Reserving a name

If you have settled on a name but are not ready to file, New Hampshire lets you reserve it for a limited period through QuickStart. Reservation holds the name; it does not create the corporation.

Before filing, decide who your registered agent will be, because the Articles of Incorporation require the agent's name and physical New Hampshire street address. The agent must consent to the role and be available during normal business hours to receive service of process — lawsuits, subpoenas, and official state mail — on behalf of the corporation.

Your options

• Serve as your own agent if you have a New Hampshire street address and don't mind that address being public.
• Appoint an individual you trust who has a qualifying New Hampshire address.
• Use a commercial registered agent service, which keeps a professional address in the public record and guarantees someone is always there to accept documents.

A P.O. box does not qualify. If the agent later moves or resigns, you must promptly update the state, so reliability matters more than convenience here.

The Articles of Incorporation are what actually create the corporation. You file them with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division, through the QuickStart portal. The form asks for a compact set of facts:

• Corporate name with its required designator.
• Number of authorized shares. This is the maximum the corporation may ever issue. Many founders authorize a clean round number and issue only a portion at the start, leaving room for future stock grants and investors.
• Registered agent name and New Hampshire street address.
• Principal office address.
• Incorporator name and signature — the person submitting the filing, who need not be a shareholder or director.

The securities acknowledgment

Because a corporation issues stock, New Hampshire ties a state securities acknowledgment to incorporation. Even a small closely held company is offering securities when it issues shares to its founders, so this step is not just for companies raising outside money. Complete it as directed in the filing flow.

After you file

QuickStart filings are generally processed in roughly seven to ten business days. Once approved, the corporation legally exists and appears in the state's records. Keep the accepted, stamped Articles — banks and investors will ask for them.

Your corporation needs its own Employer Identification Number from the IRS. The EIN is the entity's federal tax ID — you need it to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal and New Hampshire tax returns. It is free directly from the IRS at irs.gov, and the online application issues the number immediately during IRS business hours.

Do not pay a third party who charges a fee for the EIN itself — the IRS never charges for it. Apply only after your Articles are accepted, so the corporation legally exists when you request the number.

Filing the Articles creates the shell. The organizational meeting brings the corporation to life internally. At this first meeting, the incorporator or the initial board:

• Adopts corporate bylaws, the internal rulebook that governs directors, officers, meetings, and voting.
• Elects directors (if not already named) and appoints officers — typically a president, secretary, and treasurer.
• Authorizes a corporate bank account.
• Issues the initial shares of stock to the founders and records them in a stock ledger.

Document all of this in written minutes and keep them in a corporate record book alongside your Articles, bylaws, and stock records. New Hampshire does not file your bylaws or minutes, but maintaining them is part of preserving your liability protection.

A corporation is not "set it and forget it." To keep it in good standing:

• File the annual report with the Secretary of State each year by the April 1 deadline through QuickStart. It updates your registered agent, officers, and address information. Missing it triggers a late fee, and prolonged failure can lead to administrative dissolution.
• File Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax returns with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration as applicable.
• Keep your registered agent current. If the agent changes, update the state promptly.
• Maintain corporate formalities — separate bank account, real records, board and shareholder actions documented in writing.

Getting these rhythms in place early is far easier than untangling a lapsed entity later. If you would rather not track the annual report yourself, we can file it for you each year.