Register a New Hampshire Foreign Corporation

While your business already has a legal corporate name in its home state, it will need to register the name in New Hampshire as well. This means you’ll need to know if your corporate name is available. Visit New Hampshire’s Business Name Search and type in the name of your business. And don’t forget, your corporate name must comply with New Hampshire state law NH Rev Stat § 293-A:4.01 (2022).

Now is probably a good time to apply for a federal trademark if you want to own your business name in all 50 states.

Your corporation has a registered agent in its home state, but you’ll need a New Hampshire registered agent as well. This can be a person or a business that has a physical address in New Hampshire. Your registered agent must be available during regular business hours to receive service of process (legal notifications).

Keep things simple and hire us! We offer registered agent services in all 50 states (plus DC, and Puerto Rico), and we offer bulk discounts once you sign up for five registered agent services.

From the moment you start a business, its identity starts to come into focus. Your business identity is the way in which customers view your business. Everything from your logo to your choice of company colors impacts the way customers view your business. If you want to get a head start on crafting the identity of your business, Northwest can help. We’ll get you a domain name, free for the first year. We’ll also set you up with a business website, a business address, phone number, and business email, free for the first 90 days, and a low cost annual fee per service after that.

You will need to get a Certificate of Good Standing from your home state prior to registering as a foreign corporation in New Hampshire. Your certificate must be no older than 60 days.

To register your foreign corporation in New Hampshire, you’ll need to file an Application for Certificate of Authority. Once completed, submitted, and processed by the state, your foreign corporation will be ready to do business in New Hampshire.

Here’s what you’ll need in order to fill out your application:

• Name of corporation
• If the corporate name is not available for use in New Hampshire, enter the name to be used
• Principal office address
• Date of incorporation and name of state where corporation was originally registered
• Name and address or New Hampshire registered agent
• Short description of the purpose of the corporation (ex: real estate, hair dresser, etc…)
• Names and addresses of all of the current corporate officers and directors
• Name, signature, and title of person signing the application (must be signed by the chairman of the board of directors, president or another officer)

In person filings are processed while you wait. Online filings take 3-7 business days to be processed. Mailed filings can take up to 3 weeks, plus additional time for mailing. If you file in person, you’ll receive your Certificate of Authority while you wait. Online filers will find notification of approval in their online QuickStart account. If you file by mail and want a paper copy, include an extra $5 with your filing fee and the state will mail you a copy of your certificate.

Tip: All types of filers can type their corporation’s name into New Hampshire’s Business Entity Search to see if their Certificate of Authority has been accepted.

New Hampshire corporations file an annual report each year and are also subject to two specific state taxes: the Business Profits Tax (similar to income tax) and the Business Enterprise Tax.

New Hampshire Annual Report: The New Hampshire Annual Report must be filed every year. Due by April 1st, the report costs $100 to file (add $2 for online filing).

Business Profits Tax (BPT): New Hampshire’s BPT is a flat 7.5% tax on all gross business income over $103,000.

Business Enterprise Tax (BET): For 2024, the BET rate is a 0.5% tax on the “enterprise value tax base,” which is the total compensation paid out to corporate ownership, including dividends and interest. New Hampshire’s BET is assessed on corporations with gross receipts over $281,000.