Navigate the annual reporting process in New Hampshire effortlessly with our guide. Learn the essential steps and requirements to help ensure your business stays compliant. Read this guide for a seamless annual report filing experience.
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Congratulations on starting your New Hampshire small business! Now that you’ve experienced what it’s like to launch your own company, it’s time to handle some of the additional duties, like your annual report. If you don’t file it (and pay the filing fee) between January 1 and April 1, the New Hampshire Secretary of State may dissolve your company. But what is an annual report, and how do you create and file yours?
An annual report isn’t necessarily difficult, but it is time-sensitive. It’s also crucial to the official registration, ongoing operation, and continued good status of your New Hampshire limited liability company (LLC) or corporation.
As a company owner, it helps to know what an annual report is and how to get it done.
Your New Hampshire annual report is essentially a confirmation of information about your LLC or corporation. It’s also an opportunity to update the state’s registered information since you started your business. For example, if a new member came on board, you moved your principal location, or changed your registered agent, your annual report is where you can update that information with the state.
Your annual report also verifies to the Secretary of State that your business is in good standing. You will file yours with the New Hampshire Department of State’s Corporation Division.
LLCs, corporations, and many other entities need to file a report yearly, which is due on April 1. Nonprofits have to file a report every 5 years. Whatever your entity, try to file as early as possible, especially if you file by mail or if you need to report changes in the company’s information. If you file late, for example, and need to report changes like a new registered agent, you won’t be able to make the change online and will have to do it by mail.
In New Hampshire, you can file your annual report online or mail in a paper form. It will take quite a bit longer for a mailed version to be processed and approved by the state.
To use online options, your business will need to have a free NH QuickStart account at the Department of State website. Once you’ve logged in or created your account, you can use the online portal to complete and submit your filing. This is also the option to choose if you need to report changes to your company’s information.
If you don’t have any changes to report about your business, such as a change in principals, you may be able to use the one-click report option.
If you’ve changed registered agents or your registered office, those changes can be reported using New Hampshire’s Form 10 (or you can file online). During the January 1 to April 1 annual report filing period, the filing fee for this change form is waived. Outside the filing period, a $15 filing fee applies.
To request a mailable form, you can send an email to the Department of State.
Prefer to request your form by phone? Call the Annual Report Request Line and leave a voicemail saying that you want the department to mail you a form. In your message, provide the following details:
Remember: Whether filed by mail or filed online, your annual report is publicly available, and anyone can request a copy.
Filing your annual report on time is important. In New Hampshire, annual reports may be filed between January 1 and April 1 of each year. The report must be filed by April 1.
If your report is filed after April 1, or if your report isn’t filed at all, New Hampshire can consider your company “Not in Good Standing.” Plus, the state will assess a $50 penalty, which you’ll need to pay, along with your filing fee, in order to get your entity back in good standing with the state.
If you don’t file an annual report for your business two years in a row, New Hampshire can dissolve your entity. That strips your business of all the legal rights and protections afforded by an LLC or corporation, putting you at liability risk financially and personally.
When you file your annual report, you’ll include the requested information as it currently stands. Unless you’re using the one-click option, you can’t simply write “no change” or “same as last year.” Even if there’s no change, you still need to fill out the information.
For entities like corporations and LLCs, your filing fee is $100. The fee is $25 for nonprofits. You can make your payments online, via mail, or in person. Payment methods include:
You can’t send the payment after your filing. New Hampshire requires full payment of your filing fee at the time you file your completed annual report.
Remember, if your report is late, you’ll also need to pay the $50 penalty. If you’re behind on annual reports, you’ll need to file the previous year’s report before filing the current year’s. Either way, do your best to complete the filings inside the January 1 to April 1 filing window set by the state.
Every year when you complete your annual report, you’ll need to include the following information. (Here’s an example of a completed report.)
Once you’ve completed the filing, you’ll need to physically or digitally sign the report.
If you’re filing online, it should be considered complete immediately once you’ve submitted the completed report and made your payment. If you’re filing by mail, processing can take up to 3 weeks.
If possible, try to aim to complete your report as early in the filing window as you can.
New Hampshire requires annual reports to be filed by April 1 of each year.
If you miss that deadline, your business will be assessed a $50 penalty and will be considered “Not in Good Standing.”
After two consecutive years of not filing an annual report, New Hampshire can consider your company “Administratively Dissolved.”
You also aren’t allowed to skip a year. Annual reports have to be filed for each year your company is in business. If you miss a year, you’ll need to file that prior year’s report before filing the current year’s.
Once a company is administratively dissolved in New Hampshire, it loses all legal protections associated with its business structure. You can retroactively reinstate a dissolved business by requesting a reinstatement form from the Secretary of State.
If you’re running into problems with your annual report, visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s website, email, or call or walk in during regular business hours.
The fee to file your New Hampshire annual report is $100.
If you file your report late, there is a $50 penalty.
If a company doesn’t file its state-mandated annual report, New Hampshire places the organization in a “Not in Good Standing” status. If two consecutive years pass without your company filing its annual report, New Hampshire’s Secretary of State can consider your company “Administratively Dissolved.” This means your company loses its protected corporate status or LLC status, and is no longer considered an active legal entity by the state.
If your business is closing, contact the secretary of state to verify reporting requirements. You can do this by phone at (603) 271-3246 or by email at corporate@sos.nh.gov.
The first time you file an annual report, it may take around 30 minutes to gather the information, complete the form, and submit the completed report and payment. In years where you report a change in company information, it could take a similar amount of time. In years where you don’t have changes to report, filing your annual report could take as little as five minutes.
Mailed reports can be signed by hand. Online reports can be signed digitally. Following the instructions for the online or paper form can guide you through the correct signing process.
Any authorized party can file a New Hampshire annual report, such as a company owner, LLC member, or authorized corporate officer.
Qualifying New Hampshire businesses, such as LLCs and corporations, are required to file an annual report between January 1 and April 1 the year after formation. Your business does not need to file an initial report immediately after formation.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 700,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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