When Is a Change of Registered Agent Required in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire law requires every filing entity that desires to change its registered agent, its registered office, or both to deliver a statement of change to the Secretary of State. Under the New Hampshire Business Corporation Act (RSA 293-A) § 5.02, a corporation may change its registered office or registered agent by filing a statement of change that identifies the entity, the current and new agent information, and confirms that the registered office address and the agent’s business address will remain identical after the change is made. Parallel requirements apply to LLCs under RSA 304-C:36, to registered limited liability partnerships under RSA 304-A:49, to limited partnerships under RSA 304-B:9-a, and to foundations under RSA 564-F.
Every domestic and foreign filing entity subject to a registered agent requirement must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in New Hampshire. A corporation that is without a registered agent or registered office for 60 days or more is subject to administrative dissolution under RSA 293-A:14.20. Foreign corporations face revocation of their certificate of authority under RSA 293-A:15.30 on similar grounds. The same consequences apply, under their respective governing statutes, to LLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs, and foundations that fail to keep their registered agent information current.
A change filing is needed whenever any of the following circumstances arise:
- The current registered agent resigns by filing a notice of resignation with the Secretary of State
- The current registered agent moves out of New Hampshire or is no longer a state resident
- The registered agent’s address changes due to relocation, postal renaming, or other cause
- The registered agent is no longer available at the registered office during regular business hours
- The entity voluntarily selects a new registered agent or switches to a commercial registered agent service
- The agent no longer consents to serve in the role
New Hampshire does not distinguish between a voluntary and an involuntary change — the filing requirement and procedure are the same regardless of the reason.
Domestic nonprofit corporations. Domestic nonprofit corporations formed under RSA 292 are treated differently from other entity types. Under RSA 292:5-d, enacted in 2023, a domestic nonprofit may voluntarily file a statement appointing an agent for service of process pursuant to RSA 5:15-c, but it is not required to do so. Failure to appoint and maintain an agent for service of process has no effect on the validity of the nonprofit’s charter. A domestic nonprofit that has voluntarily appointed a registered agent and wishes to change that agent files the same Form 10 used by other entity types. Foreign nonprofit corporations, by contrast, register under RSA 293-A:15.03 and are required to maintain a registered agent in New Hampshire.
Grounds for Changing Your Registered Agent in New Hampshire
The most common grounds for filing a change of registered agent or registered office are summarized in the table below. In each case, the entity must file a statement of change to update the information on record with the Corporation Division.
| Ground | Filing Required |
| Registered agent resigns | Form 10 – Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both to appoint a replacement |
| Registered agent relocates out of New Hampshire | Form 10 to designate a new agent |
| Registered agent’s address changes | Form 10 (filed by entity) or agent-initiated statement under RSA 293-A:5.02(b) |
| Entity switches to a commercial registered agent service | Form 10 to designate the new agent |
| Registered agent no longer available during business hours | Form 10 to designate a new agent |
| Registered agent no longer consents to serve | Form 10 to designate a new agent |
| Entity changes its own registered office address | Form 10 to update the address on record |
An entity’s registered agent information is part of the public record maintained by the Corporation Division and is searchable through the state’s Business Record Search. Any inaccurate or outdated information must be corrected promptly to avoid administrative consequences. Limited partnerships use a non-standardized filing statement rather than Form 10, as described in the fee table below.
New Hampshire Registered Agent Change Requirements
Several requirements must be satisfied before filing a change of registered agent in New Hampshire.
Eligibility of the new registered agent. New Hampshire permits two categories of registered agents:
- Option A – Organization: A corporation organized or authorized under RSA 292, RSA 293-A, or RSA 294-A; a limited liability company formed or authorized under RSA 304-C; or a limited liability partnership formed or authorized under RSA 304-A:44 — in each case with a business office in New Hampshire that is identical to the registered office.
- Option B – Individual: An individual who resides in New Hampshire and whose residential or business office is identical with the registered office address.
An individual business owner, manager, or employee may serve as the entity’s registered agent so long as that person can be located at the registered office address during regular business hours.
Registered office address. The registered office must be a physical street address in New Hampshire where service of process can be personally delivered during regular business hours. A P.O. Box, mailbox-only service, or telephone answering service does not satisfy this requirement. As stated on Form 10, “if a post office box is given, the physical location must also be given.” The street address of the registered office and the business office of the registered agent must be identical after the change is made.
Consent of the new registered agent. The person or entity designated as the new registered agent must have consented to serve before the statement of change is filed. For foreign corporations, RSA 293-A:15.08(a)(5) requires that the new agent’s “written consent (either on the statement or attached to it)” accompany the filing.
Note: A person commits a misdemeanor under RSA 293-A:1.29 by signing any document that the person knows is false in any material respect with the intent that it be delivered to the Secretary of State for filing. This includes falsely representing that a named registered agent has consented to serve.
Execution. The statement of change must be executed by an authorized person — an officer or director of a corporation, a manager or member of an LLC, a partner of a limited partnership or LLP, or a founder or agent of a foundation. The form does not require notarization.
How to File a Statement of Change of Registered Office/Agent
The change is made by completing and filing Form 10 – Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division. Form 10 is the standardized form used by corporations, professional corporations, LLCs, professional LLCs, LLPs, foundations, foreign entities of these types, foreign nonprofit corporations, and cooperative associations. Domestic nonprofit corporations that have voluntarily appointed a registered agent also use Form 10. Limited partnerships — domestic and foreign — file a non-standardized statement that complies with RSA 304-B rather than using Form 10.
The form requires the following information:
- Entity name (Article First): The exact legal name of the business as it is registered with the Secretary of State’s office.
- Current registered agent name (Article Second): The name of the registered agent currently on record.
- Current registered office address (Article Third): The street address of the registered office currently recorded with the Secretary of State.
- New registered agent name (Article Fourth): The name of the new registered agent, if the agent is being changed. If only the address is changing and the agent remains the same, this field may be left blank.
- New registered office address (Article Fifth): The street address of the new registered office. A physical street address is required; if a P.O. Box is given, the physical location must also be provided.
- Identity of addresses (Article Sixth): A recitation that the street address of the registered office and the business address of the registered agent, as changed, will be identical.
- Execution (Article Seventh): The signature, printed name, title, and date of the authorized person executing the form.
The completed form must be accompanied by the $15 filing fee.
Note: When filing Form 10 online through NH QuickStart, the portal collects the required information directly. You do not need to upload a PDF copy of the paper form.
Filing Method: Online vs. Mail
Form 10 may be filed online through the state’s electronic filing portal or by mail. In-person filing is also accepted at the Corporation Division’s customer lobby in the State House Annex.
| Method | Details |
| Online | NH QuickStart — the Secretary of State’s online filing portal. Select “Manage a Business Filing” to access the change-of-agent filing. |
| Corporation Division, NH Department of State, 107 N Main St, Rm 204, Concord, NH 03301-4989 | |
| In Person | State House Annex, 3rd Floor, Rm 317, 25 Capitol St, Concord, NH — expedited in-person service is available for an additional $25 fee. |
For mail filings, one original document must be submitted, printed on 8.5″ × 11″ paper in black ink. Checks should be made payable to “State of New Hampshire.” The Corporation Division also accepts money order, pre-established ACH account, or exact cash for in-person filings. Credit card payments (MasterCard, Visa, and Discover) are accepted only for filings submitted through NH QuickStart. All fees paid electronically include an additional $2.00 handling charge under RSA 5:10-a.
Processing times vary by filing type and time of year. Current processing dates can be checked by viewing the announcements on the NH QuickStart login page or by contacting the Corporation Division Information Line at (603) 271-3246.
Registered Agent Change Filing Fees by Entity Type
Filing fees for corporations are established by RSA 293-A:1.22 and by the respective governing statutes for other entity types. The forms and fees pages maintained by the Corporation Division show the current fee for each entity type. The fee schedule for the registered agent change filing is shown below.
| Entity Type | Form | Filing Fee |
| Domestic for-profit corporation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign for-profit corporation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic professional corporation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign professional corporation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic LLC | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign LLC | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic professional LLC | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign professional LLC | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic registered LLP | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign registered LLP | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic foundation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign foundation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Foreign nonprofit corporation | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic nonprofit corporation (RSA 292) | Form 10 (voluntary agent only) | $15 |
| Foreign cooperative association | Form 10 | $15 |
| Domestic limited partnership | Non-standardized statement (RSA 304-B) | $35 |
| Foreign limited partnership | Non-standardized statement (RSA 304-B) | $35 |
| Foreign partnership | Form FP-4 | $15 |
The majority of entity types pay a $15 filing fee when using Form 10. Limited partnerships — both domestic and foreign — are the principal exception, as they file a non-standardized change-of-agent statement at a fee of $35. Domestic nonprofit corporations formed under RSA 292 are not required to maintain a registered agent but may voluntarily appoint one under RSA 5:15-c; a domestic nonprofit that has done so and wishes to change its agent uses Form 10 at $15. There is no filing fee for a registered agent’s statement of resignation under RSA 293-A:1.22(b)(6).
An additional $2.00 electronic handling charge applies to all fees paid online. Expedited in-person processing is available for an additional $25 beyond the base filing fee.
Effective Date of a Registered Agent Change in New Hampshire
A statement of change filed with the Secretary of State takes effect according to the general effective-date rules set out in RSA 293-A:1.23.
Immediate effect: A document accepted for filing is effective at the date and time of filing, as evidenced by the Secretary of State’s records, or at the time specified in the document on the date it is filed. A document filed electronically is effective upon the date and time of acceptance by the Secretary of State’s corporate database. This is the default and most commonly used option.
Delayed effective date: A document may specify a delayed effective date and time. If a delayed effective date is specified but no time, the document is effective at the close of business on that date. A delayed effective date may not be later than the 90th day after the date the document is filed.
Once accepted, the statement of change updates the entity’s registered agent and registered office information in the Secretary of State’s records. For corporations, the filing amends the agent and office information maintained by the Corporation Division. The entity does not need to file a separate amendment to its articles of incorporation or certificate of formation solely to reflect the new agent information.
Changing the Registered Agent Address Without Changing the Agent
When a registered agent changes its own business address — but the same person or organization continues to serve as agent — the agent may file the change directly with the Secretary of State rather than requiring each represented entity to file its own Form 10. Under RSA 293-A:5.02(b), if the street address of a registered agent’s business office changes, “the agent may change the street address of the registered office of any corporation for which the agent is the registered agent by delivering a signed written notice of the change to the corporation and delivering to the secretary of state for filing a signed statement” that recites the corporation has been notified.
The same mechanism is available for LLCs under RSA 304-C:36, paragraph V, for LLPs under RSA 304-A:49, paragraph IV, for limited partnerships under RSA 304-B:9-a, paragraph V, and for foreign corporations under RSA 293-A:15.08(b). In each case, the agent must first notify the represented entity in writing, then file the signed statement with the Secretary of State confirming that the entity has been notified.
The table below compares the entity-filed change (Form 10) with the agent-initiated address change.
| Feature | Form 10 (Entity-Filed Change) | Agent-Initiated Address Change |
| Filed by | The entity (officer, director, manager, member, partner, or agent) | The registered agent |
| Purpose | Change registered agent, registered office, or both | Change the registered office address only, reflecting the agent’s own address change |
| Can appoint a new agent? | Yes | No — the same agent must continue to serve |
| Covers multiple entities per filing? | No — one form per entity | Yes — the agent files a separate statement per entity but does so on its own initiative |
| Prior written notice to entity required? | No | Yes — the agent must deliver signed written notice to the entity before filing |
| Signed by | Authorized person of the entity | The registered agent only |
New Hampshire does not prescribe a separate standardized form number for the agent-initiated address change; the filing uses a statement that complies with the information requirements of RSA 293-A:5.02(a) or its equivalent under the applicable entity statute. The filing fee remains $15 per entity. For commercial registered agent services that represent large numbers of New Hampshire entities, this mechanism avoids the need for each entity to independently authorize and sign its own change filing. The Secretary of State may also collect fees for electronic filing of bulk registered agent and registered office address changes under RSA 293-A:1.22(e)(9).
What Happens After the Change Is Filed
Once the Secretary of State accepts the statement of change, several effects follow:
- The entity’s registered agent and registered office information in the Corporation Division’s records is updated immediately (or on the delayed effective date, if one was specified).
- The Secretary of State stamps the document “Filed” and delivers a copy with an acknowledgment of the filing date to the entity or its representative.
- The new agent’s name and address become part of the entity’s public filing history and are searchable through the Business Record Search on the NH QuickStart portal.
- The former registered agent’s authority to receive service of process on behalf of the entity terminates.
- All future service of process, legal notices, and official correspondence directed to the entity’s registered agent will be delivered to the new agent at the updated registered office address.
Changing a Registered Agent for a Foreign Entity Registered in New Hampshire
A foreign corporation, LLC, LLP, limited partnership, nonprofit corporation, or foundation registered to transact business in New Hampshire is subject to the same registered agent and registered office requirements as a domestic filing entity. Under RSA 293-A:15.08, a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in New Hampshire may change its registered office or registered agent by delivering a statement of change to the Secretary of State that sets forth the same information required of a domestic corporation.
Foreign entities of most types change their registered agent by filing Form 10, the same form used by domestic entities. The same eligibility requirements, consent requirements, physical street address requirements, execution requirements, and filing methods apply. The filing fee for a foreign corporation, LLC, LLP, or foundation is $15 when using Form 10. Foreign limited partnerships file a non-standardized statement at a fee of $35. Foreign nonprofit corporations — which, unlike domestic nonprofits under RSA 292, are required to maintain a registered agent — also use Form 10 at $15.
One distinction applies to foreign corporations: RSA 293-A:15.08(a)(5) explicitly requires that the new registered agent’s written consent appear either on the statement or attached to it. This requirement is stated directly in the statute governing foreign corporations but is equally expected in practice for all entity types.
A foreign entity that fails to maintain a registered agent or registered office in New Hampshire for 60 days or more faces revocation of its certificate of authority or registration under RSA 293-A:15.30, with the same practical consequences that domestic entities face through administrative dissolution.
Frequently Asked Questions About Changing a Registered Agent in New Hampshire
How long does it take to change a registered agent in New Hampshire?
The Secretary of State does not publish a guaranteed processing time for change-of-agent filings. Processing times vary by filing type and volume. Online filings submitted through NH QuickStart are generally processed more quickly than paper filings received by mail. Current processing dates can be viewed on the announcements section of the NH QuickStart login page. Expedited processing is available for filings submitted in person at the Corporation Division’s customer lobby in Concord for an additional $25 fee. For questions about current turnaround times, contact the Corporation Division Information Line at (603) 271-3246.
Do I need to notify my current registered agent before changing?
New Hampshire law does not require the entity to notify its outgoing registered agent before filing Form 10. The change becomes effective upon filing and acceptance by the Secretary of State. Many entities choose to notify the outgoing agent as a matter of courtesy, particularly if the agent is a commercial service with which the entity has a contractual relationship. If the outgoing agent wishes to end the relationship independently, the agent may file a separate notice of resignation under RSA 293-A:5.03.
Can I change my registered office address without changing the registered agent?
Yes. Form 10 permits changing the registered office address while keeping the same registered agent. To update only the address, complete Articles First through Third and Fifth of the form, leave Article Fourth (new agent name) blank, and confirm in Article Sixth that the registered office and agent’s business office addresses will be identical. Alternatively, if the address change results from the agent’s own relocation, the registered agent may file the change directly as described in the agent-initiated address change section above.
What is the agent-initiated address change form and when is it used?
The agent-initiated address change is not a separate numbered form in New Hampshire. Under RSA 293-A:5.02(b), a registered agent whose business office address changes may file a signed statement with the Secretary of State that updates the registered office address for any entity the agent represents. The agent must first deliver signed written notice of the change to the entity. This filing cannot appoint a different registered agent — it is used only when the same agent continues to serve at a new address. It is particularly useful for commercial registered agent services that represent multiple New Hampshire entities.
Is there a penalty for not filing a change of registered agent?
New Hampshire requires every filing entity (other than domestic nonprofits under RSA 292, for which agent appointment is voluntary) to continuously maintain a current registered agent and registered office. A corporation that is without a registered agent or registered office for 60 days or more may be administratively dissolved under RSA 293-A:14.20. A foreign corporation faces revocation of its certificate of authority under RSA 293-A:15.30 on the same grounds. Similar consequences apply to LLCs, LLPs, limited partnerships, and foundations under their respective governing statutes. An administratively dissolved or suspended entity loses its authority to transact business in New Hampshire.
Can I change my registered agent and the registered office address in the same filing?
Yes. Form 10 permits changing the registered agent, the registered office address, or both in a single filing. A single $15 filing fee applies regardless of whether the entity changes only the agent, only the address, or both simultaneously. The entity simply completes every applicable article on the form.
What happens if my registered agent resigns?
A registered agent may resign by signing and delivering a notice of resignation to the Secretary of State. Under RSA 293-A:5.03, the agent files the signed original and one exact or conformed copy. The Secretary of State then mails the copy to the entity at its principal office. The agency appointment terminates on the 31st day after the date the notice was filed — or upon appointment of a successor registered agent, whichever occurs first. There is no filing fee for a resignation. Once the entity receives notice of the resignation, it should promptly file Form 10 to appoint a replacement agent before the 31-day period expires. The same 31-day termination rule applies to LLC agents under RSA 304-C:36, IV and to LLP agents under RSA 304-A:49, III.
Does the new registered agent need to sign the change form?
No. Form 10 is signed by the entity’s authorized person — an officer or director of a corporation, a manager or member of an LLC, a partner of a partnership, or a founder or agent of a foundation. By signing the form, the authorized person affirms that the named registered agent has consented to serve. The consent document is retained by the entity and is not filed with the Secretary of State as a separate attachment, except for foreign corporations, where RSA 293-A:15.08(a)(5) requires written consent to appear on or be attached to the filing.
Can I use a P.O. Box for the new registered office address?
No. The registered office must be a physical street address in New Hampshire where service of process can be personally delivered during regular business hours. Form 10 instructs that “if a post office box is given, the physical location must also be given.” A P.O. Box, mailbox-only service, or telephone answering service does not satisfy the registered office requirement under RSA 293-A:5.01 or its equivalents for LLCs, LLPs, and other entity types.
Is the filing fee the same whether I file online or by mail?
Yes. The base filing fee for Form 10 is $15 regardless of whether the form is filed online or by mail. However, all fees paid electronically through NH QuickStart include an additional $2.00 handling charge under RSA 5:10-a, bringing the total online filing cost to $17. There is no separate surcharge for mail filings. Accepted payment methods for mail include check and money order made payable to “State of New Hampshire.” Online filers may pay by credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or Discover) or pre-established ACH account.