New Hampshire is an excellent place to start a business. The locals are very supportive of small businesses, enabling small business owners and new entrepreneurs to thrive.
If you are looking to build a business in New Hampshire, you’ll need a unique name for your business. Because there are many businesses in New Hampshire, you need to make sure the business name is available.
We’ll provide you with all the information you need to search for name availability and provide additional information to get your business started in New Hampshire.
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How to check business name availability in New Hampshire
Now that you thought of a name or names for your business, checking for its availability is the easy part, and here is how:
1. Visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State website
New Hampshire’s business name search tool is easy to use. The search bar is similar to a browser’s search bar, and all you need to do is type the name you had in mind.
2. Check the results
There are options for a more advanced search, but you don’t need to make things complicated. All you need to do is type the business name, hit search, and wait for the results.
If the name has no matches, you can use the name. If the results show a business with that name in existence, you’ll need to think of a new name.
3. Consider reserving a name
After running a New Hampshire business name search, you have two options: You can reserve a name or you can register the name. You should reserve the name if you aren’t planning to set up the business immediately.
New Hampshire allows business owners to reserve a name for 120 days for $15. ($15 fee + a $2 handling fee).
To do so, you’ll fill out a quick form and provide the payment.
Again, you don’t need to reserve a name if you plan to officially set up your business with the state of New Hampshire, but if you’re just doing some homework and plan to set up your business later, reserve the name now so it’s not taken when you’re ready.
4. Check domain name availability
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to name your New Hampshire business
Now that you know a little more about the business landscape in the state, it’s time to start generating a list of names for your business. To do so, follow these steps:
1. Write down basic details about your business
Start by creating a verbal picture of your business. Think about what your business will offer and who it will serve. Will you sell a specific product or service? Who’s going to buy it? Jot down a few details about your company as a starting point.
Next, start creating a list of adjectives that describe your business. Think in terms of keywords. What keywords would your customer use to find the product or service that you offer? Write them down.
2. Stay away from initials and hard-to-say words
There are plenty of businesses that include initials, like A&J Plumbing, but consider upping your game with something a bit more creative and descriptive.
The same goes for names that are hard to say. If your last name is Stackowaski, for example, it’s not conducive to a business name because it’s too hard to pronounce.
3. Don’t pigeon-hole your business
Be careful not to select a name that limits your company’s potential growth. Think about where your business will be in five, ten, even twenty years, and take that into consideration when creating a name.
A company named Bob’s Bargain Books, for example, is a good name, but what if they plan to sell vintage records and cassettes down the road? The name only refers to books, so when vintage music is added people won’t associate it with the store.
4. Consider using a name generator
At this point, you probably have a list of a few ideas. Rather than brainstorm a bunch of different combinations, why not try a name generator? You simply enter a few of the adjectives that you came up with into the search bar and you’ll get a list of possible names.
Name generators can take some of the hassles out of creating a name. Most name generators will only show you available names too, which is helpful.
Check out some of Namechk’s name generators below:
What kind of business structure is right for your New Hampshire company?
As you research available business names in New Hampshire, you’ll also want to think about what kind of business you want to establish. There are a handful of options to choose from, but some of the most common are Sole proprietorship and LLC.
- A sole proprietorship is ideal for small businesses with no employees that want to test their business out. There’s virtually no paperwork to set up this kind of business, which is a plus. However, a sole proprietorship is not a separate business entity, which means you’re financially and legally responsible for any problems that might arise.
- An LLC, or limited liability company, provides a certain amount of liability protection. Your personal assets and your business are separate with this business structure, which means if the business is sued or goes bankrupt, you will not be forced to use your personal cash reserves to bail the business out.
Steps to register your New Hampshire business
Ready to set up your business in NH? Here’s what you do:
1. File your Articles of Organization
Visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State website and fill out the Articles of Organization. To fill this out, you’ll need to have an available business name, address, and contact information.
2. Name a registered agent
You’ll also need to name a registered agent. A registered agent is the point-person for your company who will receive important documents like tax notices or legal documents.
A registered agent must be trustworthy and be available during regular business hours when documents are delivered. The business owner can serve as the registered agent in New Hampshire, or another person or company can be named.
You might decide to name your accountant or co-founder, for example. You can also hire a registered agent service to serve in this role. Northwest Registered Agent, ZenBusiness, and Bizee are a few examples. These companies will receive documents on your behalf and notify you of their arrival. They offer additional services too, like legal documents or annual report filing that may also be helpful.
3. Pay the filing fee
Every state charges a filing fee to file LLC formation documents with the government. In New Hampshire, the cost is $100. You can choose to pay an expedited fee if you need approval faster.
4. Wait for approval
New Hampshire will review your application and typically provides approvals within five business days. Once approved, your business is officially set up.
Our picks of the best registered agent services
New Hampshire small business facts
Before we show you how to choose a name and reserve a name for your business in New Hampshire, here are some small business statistics from the U.S. Business Administration:
- There are a total 136,535 small businesses in New Hampshire, which is 99% of all businesses in the state.
- New Hampshire small businesses employ 300,628 people, which is 49.8% of all New Hampshire employees.
- The largest share of small business employment are firms with 20 to 99 employees.
- In April 2020, the unemployment in New Hampshire experienced a significant raise from 2.5% in April 2019, to a whopping 16.3%. It was above the national unemployment rate of 14.7% in the same year.
- 1,221 businesses started up in the 4th quarter of 2018, which generated 3,123 jobs. However, in that same year, 1,139 small businesses dissolved, causing the loss of 2,712 jobs.
- The health care and social assistance industry employs the most people, closely followed by the accommodation and food services industry.
FAQs
To further help entrepreneurs, check out these frequently asked questions about starting a business in New Hampshire:
Why is it so important to check on business name availability?
New Hampshire will not allow two businesses in the state to have the same name. There are many reasons for this, but at its core, it’s to avoid any confusion. For example, if someone plans to sue Bob’s Fruit Stand and there are two of these companies in the state, things can get complicated quickly.
All businesses must have a unique name. And, you can’t just add a hyphen to a name to make it different. Each name must be “distinguishingly different.”
Does the state of New Hampshire require a state-level business license?
The state of New Hampshire does not have a state-level business license like most states. Instead, business licenses and permits are mandated at a local level. In that case, you only need to contact your local clerk to get the necessary requirements and specific licenses you need to operate.
How long does it take to get an LLC approved in New Hampshire?
After filing all the necessary paperwork for forming an LLC, it takes around 3 weeks to get everything processed by mail.
You can also file the necessary documents online, which only takes 3 to 7 business days to process and get approved. Most entrepreneurs utilize this method since it’s easiest to do.
The fastest way to get your LLC approved in New Hampshire is applying in person, which only takes a couple of hours. However, if your business isn’t near the capitol building, this may not be a feasible option.
Do small businesses in New Hampshire need a registered agent?
Yes. New Hampshire requires small businesses to have a registered agent who accepts official documents for the company. The registered agent can be the business owner, the company accountant, a neighbor, or a commercial registered agent.
What does a commercial registered agent do?
A commercial registered agent is a professional company that will serve as your company’s registered agent. There’s an annual charge for this service, which generally starts around $50 and increases as you add more services.
Some business owners use a registered agent for peace of mind, while others travel and don’t maintain regular business hours.
Does a New Hampshire small business need insurance?
It’s a good idea to speak with an insurance agent in New Hampshire who can assess your company’s risk and put together an insurance portfolio. There are a variety of different insurances that are beneficial, like liability insurance, property insurance, income insurance, and vehicle insurance.
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