What Is the Cost of a Registered Agent in New Hampshire?
Every New Hampshire business entity incurs two distinct categories of expense when designating and maintaining a registered agent: state filing fees paid to the New Hampshire Secretary of State and commercial service fees paid to a private registered agent provider. Separating these two categories is essential for accurate budgeting at formation and throughout the entity’s life.
State filing fees are fixed amounts established by statute and published on the Secretary of State’s forms and fees pages. These fees apply only when a document is filed — at formation, when changing the registered agent or registered office, or when the agent resigns. New Hampshire does not impose a separate annual state fee solely for maintaining a registered agent.
Commercial service fees are the recurring annual charges collected by professional registered agent companies for serving as the entity’s agent on file. These fees vary by provider and typically range from $49 to $300 per year for New Hampshire entities. An entity that designates an individual New Hampshire resident — such as an owner, officer, or employee — as its own registered agent pays no commercial service fee at all.
New Hampshire law does not require any entity to hire a commercial registered agent service. Under the New Hampshire Business Corporation Act (RSA) § 293-A:5.01, any individual who resides in the state and whose business office is identical with the registered office may serve, as may any corporation, LLC, or LLP authorized to do business in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire State Filing Fees for Registered Agent Appointments
The registered agent designation in New Hampshire is set forth in the entity’s formation document — the articles of incorporation for a corporation, the certificate of formation for an LLC, or the application for a limited partnership or limited liability partnership. No separate state filing fee is assessed solely for the registered agent designation; it is included within the standard formation filing fee for each entity type.
The table below lists the formation filing fee for every entity type filed with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, Corporation Division.
| Entity Type | Form | Filing Fee |
| Domestic For-Profit Corporation | Form 11 Articles of Incorporation | $100 |
| Domestic Professional Corporation | Form 11PC Articles of Incorporation for a Professional Corporation | $100 |
| Domestic LLC | Form LLC-1 Certificate of Formation | $100 |
| Domestic Professional LLC (PLLC) | Form PLLC-1 Certificate of Formation for a Professional LLC | $100 |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation | Form NP-1 NH Nonprofit Application | $25 |
| Domestic Limited Partnership (LP) | Form LP-1 N.H. Limited Partnership Application | $100 |
| Domestic Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | Form LLP-1 Limited Liability Partnership Registration | $100 |
| Foreign For-Profit Corporation | Form 40 Application for Certificate of Authority | $100 |
| Foreign Professional Corporation | Form 40PC Application for Certificate of Authority for a Foreign Professional Corporation | $100 |
| Foreign LLC | Form FLLC-1 Application for Foreign Limited Liability Company Registration | $100 |
| Foreign Professional LLC (PLLC) | Form FPLLC-1 Application for Foreign Professional Limited Liability Company Registration | $100 |
| Foreign Nonprofit Corporation | Form FNP-1 Foreign Nonprofit Application | $25 |
| Foreign Limited Partnership (LP) | Form FLP-1 Foreign Limited Partnership Application | $100 |
| Foreign Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | Form FLLP-1 Limited Liability Partnership Registration | $100 |
Corporation and LLC formation fees are set out on the Secretary of State’s domestic and foreign corporation fee page and LLC fee page, respectively. Nonprofit formation fees appear on the nonprofit corporations and associations fee page. LP fees are listed on the limited partnerships fee page, and LLP fees on the limited liability partnerships fee page.
All electronic filings submitted through the NH QuickStart portal carry an additional $2.00 handling charge per filing. Paper filings submitted by mail are accepted by check or money order payable to “State of New Hampshire.” Credit card payment (MasterCard, Visa, and Discover) is accepted only for online filings.
Note: Nonprofit corporations pay a substantially reduced formation fee of $25 compared to the $100 charged for all other entity types. This differential carries through to several other filings, including amendments and foreign registration.
State Filing Fee to Change a Registered Agent
When an entity needs to replace its registered agent or update the registered office address after formation, it files a statement of change with the Secretary of State. For corporations, LLCs, PLLCs, nonprofits, and LLPs, the standard form is Form 10, and the filing fee is $15. Limited partnerships file a change-of-agent document under RSA 304-B for $35.
The table below summarizes the state filing fees for all registered-agent-related actions.
| Action | Form | Filing Fee |
| Change of registered agent and/or registered office (corporation, LLC, PLLC, LLP, nonprofit) | Form 10 Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both | $15 |
| Change of registered agent and/or registered office (limited partnership — domestic) | N.H. Limited Partnership Change of Agent (no standardized form; see RSA 304-B:9) | $35 |
| Change of registered agent and/or registered office (foreign limited partnership) | Foreign Limited Partnership Change of Agent (no standardized form; see RSA 304-B:52) | $35 |
| Agent-initiated registered office address change (corporation) | Form 10 Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both | $15 |
| Agent-initiated registered office address change (LLC) | Filed under RSA 304-C:36, V | $15 |
| Resignation of registered agent (all entity types) | No standardized form | No fee |
The $15 Form 10 fee applies identically to domestic and foreign corporations, LLCs, PLLCs, nonprofits, and LLPs, as confirmed on the corporation fee page and the LLC fee page. Limited partnerships remain subject to a $35 fee for agent changes, as published on the limited partnerships fee page.
A registered agent may resign by signing and delivering a written notice of resignation to the Secretary of State. Under RSA § 293-A:5.03 for corporations and RSA § 304-C:36, III for LLCs, the resignation becomes effective on the 31st day after filing or upon appointment of a successor agent, whichever occurs first. No filing fee is charged for the resignation.
Online filings through NH QuickStart carry the standard $2.00 electronic handling charge in addition to the base fee.
What Is Included in a Registered Agent Service Fee?
The annual fee paid to a commercial registered agent provider covers the operational services needed to fulfill the statutory role of agent for service of process. Specific inclusions vary by provider and pricing tier, but most services share a common set of features.
Core services (generally included at all price levels):
- A physical street address in New Hampshire to serve as the entity’s registered office on file with the Secretary of State, meeting the requirement that the office cannot be a P.O. Box and must be available during regular business hours.
- Receipt of service of process, legal notices, tax correspondence, and official state communications delivered to the registered office during normal business hours.
- Same-day or next-day scanning and uploading of received documents to a secure online account accessible to the entity’s authorized contacts.
- Email notification alerts when a document is received on behalf of the entity, ensuring prompt awareness of legal deadlines.
Additional services (included by some providers or at higher tiers):
- Compliance reminders for annual report deadlines — New Hampshire’s annual report is due by April 1 each year for most entity types, with a $50 late fee for reports filed after the deadline.
- Use of the registered agent’s address on formation documents to keep the owner’s personal address off the public record maintained by the Corporation Division.
- Mail forwarding for general business correspondence beyond legal and government documents.
- Pre-populated state forms and filing tools are accessible within the provider’s online account.
What is NOT included in a standard registered agent service fee:
- State filing fees — formation fees, change-of-agent fees, annual report fees, and any other amounts payable to the Secretary of State are separate from the service fee.
- Preparation or filing of annual reports or other periodic compliance documents, unless purchased as an add-on service.
- Legal advice or representation.
- Expedited processing of state filings (available in person at the Corporation Division’s Customer Service Lobby for an additional $25 charge).
Registered Agent Cost When Forming a New New Hampshire Business
When forming a new business entity in New Hampshire, the registered agent is designated directly within the formation document submitted to the Secretary of State. There is no separate state line-item charge for the registered agent designation — the appointment is part of the formation filing fee itself. The total first-year cost, therefore, combines the state formation filing fee with whatever commercial registered agent fee the entity selects, if any.
| Entity Type | State Formation Fee | Commercial RA (Year 1) | Total Year 1 Cost |
| Domestic For-Profit Corporation | $100 | $0–$300 | $100–$400 |
| Domestic Professional Corporation | $100 | $0–$300 | $100–$400 |
| Domestic LLC | $100 | $0–$300 | $100–$400 |
| Domestic Professional LLC (PLLC) | $100 | $0–$300 | $100–$400 |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation | $25 | $0–$300 | $25–$325 |
| Domestic Limited Partnership (LP) | $100 | $0–$300 | $100–$400 |
| Domestic Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | $100 | $0–$300 | $100–$400 |
The $0 figure in the Commercial RA column reflects entities where an individual New Hampshire resident serves as the entity’s own registered agent, eliminating the commercial service fee—an option permitted under RSA § 293-A:5.01 for corporations and RSA § 304-C:36 for LLCs.
Many commercial registered agent services bundle the first year of agent service into a formation package at a promotional rate. Before purchasing a formation package, confirm whether the quoted price includes:
- The state filing fee is payable to the Secretary of State.
- The registered agent service fee for year one.
- The renewal price for subsequent years — some providers advertise low introductory rates but charge significantly higher renewal fees beginning in year two.
This section’s fees can be verified on the Secretary of State’s forms and fees directory and through the NH QuickStart online filing portal.
Cost of Serving as Your Own Registered Agent in New Hampshire
Under RSA § 293-A:5.01 and RSA § 304-C:36, an individual who resides in New Hampshire and maintains a business office in the state may serve as a registered agent for any entity type. The entity itself—if it is a corporation, LLC, or LLP authorized in New Hampshire—may also serve as registered agent for another entity, provided its business office is identical to the registered office.
Cost of self-designation:
- Commercial service fee: $0.
- State filing fee at formation: Included in the standard formation filing fee. No additional charge.
- State filing fee to update address: If the individual’s address changes, a Form 10 Statement of Change must be filed at a cost of $15 (or $17 online), as listed on the corporation fee page.
Tradeoffs of self-designation versus commercial service:
| Factor | Self as Registered Agent | Commercial Service |
| Annual cost | $0 | $49–$300 per year |
| Privacy | A personal name and address appear on the public record | The provider’s name and address appear on the public record |
| Business hours availability | Must be available at the registered office during regular business hours | The provider maintains a staffed office during business hours |
| Service of process delivery | Delivered to the individual in person at the registered office | Scanned and uploaded to online account with email notification |
| Address updates | Must file Form 10 ($15) each time the address changes | The provider handles address changes internally; no state filing is needed if the agent remains the same |
| Compliance monitoring | The individual must track annual report deadlines independently | Most providers include compliance reminders |
| Eligibility requirement | Must be an individual resident of New Hampshire with a physical street address in the state | Provider maintains a qualifying New Hampshire office |
Frequently Asked Questions About Registered Agent Costs in New Hampshire
Is there a fee to designate a registered agent when forming a New Hampshire LLC or corporation?
There is no separate state filing fee for the registered agent designation at formation. The agent appointment is included within the formation document — the certificate of formation for an LLC or the articles of incorporation for a corporation — and is covered by the standard formation filing fee of $100 for either entity type. Nonprofit corporations pay a reduced formation fee of $25. These fees are listed on the Secretary of State’s LLC fee page and corporation fee page.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in New Hampshire?
The filing fee to change a registered agent is $15 for corporations, LLCs, PLLCs, nonprofits, and LLPs, filed on Form 10, Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both. Online filings through NH QuickStart carry an additional $2.00 handling charge, bringing the total to $17. Limited partnerships pay $35 for a change-of-agent filing. Filings may be submitted online, by mail to the Corporations Division, N.H. Department of State, 107 North Main Street, Concord, NH 03301-4989, or in person at 28 School Street, Concord, NH 03301.
Can I designate myself as a registered agent to avoid the annual service fee?
Yes. Any individual who resides in New Hampshire and maintains a physical street address in the state may serve as the registered agent for a corporation, LLC, or any other filing entity. Self-designation eliminates the commercial service fee. The tradeoff is that the individual’s name and address become part of the public record maintained by the Secretary of State, and the individual must be available at the registered office during regular business hours. If the individual’s address changes, a Form 10 must be filed for $15 per the forms and fees page.
What is the annual cost of Northwest Registered Agent in New Hampshire?
Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 per year for registered agent service in New Hampshire. The fee includes a physical New Hampshire street address on file as the entity’s registered office; receipt and scanning of service of process and official documents; email notification alerts, a free domain name; a business email address; a phone number; and mail scanning—with no per-document charges or hidden fees.
Does the registered agent service fee include the state filing fee?
No. The commercial registered agent service fee and the state filing fee are entirely separate costs paid to different parties. The service fee is paid annually to the registered agent provider for maintaining the agency appointment. State filing fees—such as the $100 formation fee, the $15 change-of-agent fee, or the $100 annual report fee—are paid directly to the New Hampshire Secretary of State as listed on the official forms and fees directory.
Is there a fee to file the consent of registered agent form?
New Hampshire does not require a separate consent form to be filed with the Secretary of State. The registered agent’s consent is documented within the formation filing itself—for example, the articles of incorporation (Form 11) and the certificate of formation (Form LLC-1) each include a registered agent acceptance section. Because no standalone consent form is filed, no separate filing fee applies. The consent requirement is established by RSA § 293-A:5.01 for corporations and by RSA § 304-C:36 for LLCs.
Is there a fee for the registered agent to resign?
There is no filing fee for a registered agent resignation in New Hampshire. The registered agent resigns by signing and delivering a written notice of resignation to the Secretary of State, who then mails a copy to the entity at its principal office. The resignation becomes effective on the 31st day after filing or upon the appointment of a successor agent, whichever occurs first. During that 31-day window, the entity must designate a new registered agent or risk losing its good standing. The resignation process for corporations is set out in RSA § 293-A:5.03.
How does the cost compare for a nonprofit corporation versus a for-profit corporation?
Nonprofit corporations benefit from lower state filing fees across nearly every transaction compared to for-profit corporations.
| Transaction | For-Profit Corporation | Nonprofit Corporation |
| Formation (articles of incorporation / nonprofit application) | $100 | $25 |
| Foreign entity registration | $100 | $25 |
| Change of registered agent (Form 10) | $15 | $15 |
| Resignation of registered agent | No fee | No fee |
| Annual report / periodic report | $100 (annual, due April 1) | $25 (every 5 years, due December 31) |
The change-of-agent fee and resignation cost are identical across both entity types. However, the nonprofit formation fee is $75 less, and the periodic reporting obligation is both cheaper ($25 vs. $100) and less frequent (every five years rather than annually), as confirmed on the nonprofit fee page and the corporation fee page. Commercial registered agent service fees do not vary by entity type.
Are there any hidden fees associated with registered agent services?
State filing fees in New Hampshire are fixed and publicly available on the Secretary of State’s forms-and-fees pages—there is nothing hidden about the government cost. Commercial registered agent pricing, however, warrants closer scrutiny. Common pricing traps include promotional first-year rates that jump significantly at renewal, bundled formation packages that obscure how much is allocated to the state filing fee versus the agent service, limited document scanning allowances with per-scan surcharges beyond the cap, and upsells for compliance services that may or may not be necessary. Requesting a written breakdown of the first-year price, the renewal price, and any per-document fees before committing eliminates most surprises.
Does the cost change if I move my business to a new address in New Hampshire?
Whether a cost is triggered depends on which address changes and what role it serves.
- Entity’s principal office address only: If the entity’s mailing or principal office address changes but the registered agent and registered office remain the same, no registered-agent-related filing is required. The new address is reported on the next annual report filed with the Secretary of State.
- Registered agent’s address change: If the registered agent relocates to a new physical address in New Hampshire, a Form 10 Statement of Change must be filed for $15 ($17 online) to update the registered office address on file, per the LLC fee page.
- Replacing the registered agent entirely: If the entity appoints a different person or company as its registered agent, the same Form 10 filing at $15 is required.
- Using a commercial service: If the entity uses a commercial registered agent, the entity’s own address changes do not affect the registered agent’s filing. The provider’s address remains on file as the registered office, and no additional state fee is incurred unless the provider itself relocates.