Starting an LLC in New Hampshire requires several steps. One of the first (and most important) is selecting your business name and verifying that it’s available.
Conducting a business entity search helps you ensure that the name you want for your business is both unique and compliant with all applicable state regulations. This guide will walk you through the process of performing a business entity search in New Hampshire, the state’s naming guidelines, and the next steps you’ll want to take once you have a name.
A business entity search checks to see whether a particular business name is available in New Hampshire. This search is crucial because it helps you:
Conducting a business entity search in New Hampshire is one key step to verify that your desired LLC name is available. It should also go a long way toward preventing any legal complications in the future.
New Hampshire has a few specific guidelines you must follow when choosing a name for your LLC:
To start your search, visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Business Search.
You can search by:
You can also do a partial word search if you’d like to find multiple spellings or verb tenses.
Searching the database is free. But if you decide to reserve a name, you’ll need to pay the fees associated with that process.
When conducting your search, you can take advantage of search filters to narrow down the results. These may include searching businesses by active or inactive status, entity type (e.g., LLC, corporation, partnership), and more. If a business has the name you’d like to use but it is in inactive status, you may be able to use this name under certain circumstances.
Once you get the search results, review the following:
For example, a search for businesses with “Donut” in the name turns up these results.
You can see the business type, address, registered agent’s name, and current status.
If you plan to use a different name for your business than the name of your LLC, you’ll have a DBA or “doing business as” name. This will require you to also search the fictitious name database to ensure your name isn’t already in use.
You can reserve your LLC name for 120 days by filing a name reservation application with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. This costs $15 (plus a $2 processing fee if you pay online) and will secure the name you’ve chosen while you complete the other steps necessary to form your new LLC.
Registering your name as a trademark will keep other businesses across the U.S.—not just in New Hampshire—from using it. This can help strengthen your brand. Visit the USPTO website for more information on trademark protections and the registration process.
Every modern business needs a web presence of some sort. And even if you’re not planning to transact much business from a website, securing a domain name that matches your business name will prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. You can use this website to establish and reaffirm your online presence.
A business entity search helps you make sure your desired name is unique and complies with state regulations. This lets you avoid legal issues and establishes a distinct identity for your new business. If you don't do a business entity search and inadvertently select a name that's already being used, you'll probably be required to change this name later.
Use the New Hampshire Secretary of State's Business Search to check name availability. There are a variety of search parameters to make sure you find every business whose name possibly overlaps with yours.
The fee for reserving an LLC name in New Hampshire is $15, with an additional $2 fee if you pay online.
Yes, registering a DBA makes sure your company's fictitious name is legally recognized and protected in New Hampshire.
Your LLC name must be unique, include required words like "LLC," and avoid restricted or prohibited terms. Most of the restricted or prohibited terms are those that could be misleading to the public.
If the name you want is taken, you can consider variations on that theme or just choose a new name. You can also check if the existing business is inactive or dissolved; if it is, contact the New Hampshire Secretary of State for further guidance on whether you can use this name.
Choosing a name for your LLC is one of the most crucial steps in starting your new business. By conducting a business entity search and following New Hampshire’s naming guidelines, you can make sure your business name is unique and legally compliant.
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between Tailor Brands and any other brands, services or logos.
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