Independent comparison of registered agent services for New Hampshire LLCs and corporations.
Reviewed against New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division guidance · Updated 2026-04-30
If you have just decided to form a New Hampshire LLC, the registered agent question follows the entity name and structure decisions. N.H. Rev. Stat. §304-C:33 requires the agent at formation; the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division treats the designation as binding until a Statement of Change is filed. Below, four services compared on the metrics that actually differ. The New Hampshire comparison below covers the four registered agent services most New Hampshire LLCs realistically consider in 2026.
In New Hampshire, the registered agent’s job is heavier than the statutory floor implies. New Hampshire’s $100 annual report is due April 1 every year, and New Hampshire is one of two states (along with Tennessee) that imposes a separate state-level Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax even on LLCs taxed federally as pass-throughs. The practical reason this matters when picking a provider: the April 1 annual report and the Business Profits Tax/Business Enterprise Tax overlay — the registered agent receives Department of Revenue notices for both.
For New Hampshire businesses, the three traits that separate good providers from passable ones are (1) reliable same-day handling of service of process from New Hampshire state and federal courts, (2) accurate, deadline-aware reminders calibrated to New Hampshire’s specific annual cycle (annually by April 1), and (3) an online dashboard that shows scanned mail within hours, not days. All four services we ranked clear the N.H. Rev. Stat. §304-C:33 eligibility bar; the meaningful differences are in execution. Northwest leans privacy-first, Mainstay Filing leans value-first, ZenBusiness leans formation-bundle-first, and LegalZoom leans brand-and-phone-support-first.
The New Hampshire-specific filings that hinge on having a reliable registered agent:
Across all of these dates, the registered agent is the routing point for New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division mail, state tax notices, and service of process. A reliable provider turns the New Hampshire compliance calendar into a passive maintenance task; an unreliable one turns it into a recurring fire drill.
Physical-address-only operations; mail forwarding; same-day filing.
Best balance of price and features for most businesses. Includes mail forwarding, online dashboard, and same-day filing at half the cost of premium providers.
Pairs RA with LLC formation packages; useful if forming a new entity from scratch.
Largest brand; phone-based support; bundled legal services beyond RA.
New Hampshire-specific option: New Hampshire Registered Agent.co operates exclusively in New Hampshire and specializes in same-state filings. Best for businesses that want a state-focused provider with local-only operations.
| Filing | Cost | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | $100 | annually by April 1 |
| Annual Report | $100 | annually by April 1 |
| DBA / Fictitious Name | $50 | Every 5 years |
| Change of Registered Agent | $15 | — |
Source: New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division · Statute reference N.H. Rev. Stat. §304-C:33
For most New Hampshire LLCs, Northwest Registered Agent ranks first on privacy and reliability. Mainstay Filing earns the Editor's Choice for value at $99/year with the same core features. State-specific options like New Hampshire Registered Agent.co specialize in same-state filings.
Commercial services range $50–$250 per year. Mainstay Filing is $99/yr; Northwest is $125/yr; ZenBusiness is $199/yr; LegalZoom is $249/yr.
Yes. File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division for $15. Most commercial services handle the change paperwork for you.
National services like Mainstay Filing and Northwest operate across all 50 states with consistent pricing and online dashboards. State-specific providers (like New Hampshire Registered Agent.co) focus exclusively on one state and often handle same-state-only filings faster.
Yes — under N.H. Rev. Stat. §304-C:33, every New Hampshire LLC must designate and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in New Hampshire.
Yes — if you are a New Hampshire resident with a physical street address in New Hampshire and are available during normal business hours to accept service of process. Most commercial services exist because keeping a personal address on the public record is a privacy concern.
Same-day with every service in the table above. The provider issues a confirmation letter you include with the Articles of Organization filed with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division.
RA Ratings independently reviews registered agent services. We may earn a commission from sponsored links; this does not affect rankings or editorial selection. Verify all filing fees with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division before submitting paperwork.