Change LLC Name in New Hampshire

Can I change the name of my LLC in New Hampshire?

Absolutely! You can easily change your New Hampshire LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Certificate of Amendment with the Department of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in New Hampshire.

The filing fee for a Certificate of Amendment in New Hampshire is $35.

After the state approves your LLC name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

• the IRS
• state tax department
• your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in New Hampshire?

1. Check if your new LLC name is available
2. File the New Hampshire LLC Amendment form (and wait for approval)
3. Update the IRS
4. Update the NH Department of Revenue Administration
5. Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
6. Update business licenses
7. Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in New Hampshire?

It costs $35 to change your LLC name in New Hampshire. This is the filing fee for the Certificate of Amendment form.

The fee is the same whether you file the form online or by mail.

How do I change my New Hampshire LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file a Certificate of Amendment with the New Hampshire Secretary of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The New Hampshire Secretary of State is responsible for LLC formation and administration, including name changes.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Certificate of Amendment online. (Technically, you can also file by mail. However, it’s slower and the state prefers online filings.)

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Certificate of Amendment yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

New Hampshire business owners can file documents for their own companies online.

But, because filing New Hampshire LLC amendments can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Step 1: Make sure your new New Hampshire LLC name is available

Before filing your New Hampshire amendment form (the Certificate of Amendment), you should check that your new LLC name is available in New Hampshire.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired New Hampshire LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entity search.

Step 2: File the New Hampshire LLC name change form

The New Hampshire LLC name change form is called the Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Formation.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your New Hampshire Certificate of Formation.)

How to file a Certificate of Amendment in New Hampshire

Get Started

Go to the New Hampshire Online Filing System: NH QuickStart

Login or create an account if you don’t have one.

From the dashboard, click Business Amendment.

(If you can’t find it, or your dashboard looks different, try this link: Business Amendment Filing)

Business Search

Look up your LLC’s record. Enter the first word or two of your LLC’s name and click Search.
Select your LLC in the search results, and click Continue.

File a Business Information Change instead?

An Alert will pop up letting you know that certain changes can be made using a Business Information Change form instead of the Amendment filing. But you can’t use that form to change the name of your LLC. So just click OK to close the popup.

Article First: Business Name

This shows your current LLC name. There’s nothing to do here.

New Business Name

Enter the desired new LLC name in the New Business Name field. Make sure to include a designator (ending).

In New Hampshire, you can use these designators: LLC or L.L.C.

Principal Purpose

You can skip this section.

Or you can change your LLC’s NAICS code here if you want.

Duration

You can skip this section.

Most people choose a Perpetual duration. This means your LLC exists forever, until you choose to shut it down. You can change that selection here, if you want.

Management Style

You can skip this section.

If you want, you can change the management type of your LLC.

A New Hampshire LLC can be Member-managed or Manager-managed.

Manager/Member Information

You can skip this section.

Or, you can add, edit or remove Managers and Members of your LLC here if you need to. (Learn more about LLC Officer Titles)

Professional Limited Liability Company

Skip this section.

Check the box only if you are changing from a regular LLC to a PLLC. That’s very uncommon, however.

Principal Office Information

You can skip this section.

Or, you can update the Business Address (Principal Office) and Mailing Address, if you need to.

Business Email Address

You can skip this section.

Or, you can update the business email address and phone number, if you want to. You can also add an alternate email address for the New Hampshire Department of State to send notifications about deadlines and filings.

General Upload

You can skip this section.

A normal LLC name change doesn’t need any uploaded documents.

Certify

Click the box to certify that you’re authorized to file the Amendment.

Effective Date

Most people choose: This statement will be effective on the date/time of electronic submission.

That means your LLC name change will go into effect when it’s approved by the Department of State.

Alternatively, you can click the second option and set a specific date up to 90 days in the future.

Signature

Click Individual.

Select your Title from the dropdown menu:

• If your LLC is Member-managed, a Member must sign the filing.
• If your LLC is Manager-managed, a Manager must sign the filing.
• If you aren’t a Member or Manager but were authorized to file the Amendment on the LLC’s behalf, select Authorized Signer.

Enter your First Name and Last Name to electronically sign the filing.

Click Continue to proceed.

Business Amendment – Review

Review the information you’ve provided and make sure there are no typos. Click the Back button if you need to make changes.

If everything looks good, click Add To Shopping Cart and Check Out to continue.

Order a Certificate of Good Standing?

A popup will appear asking if you also want to order a Certificate of Good Standing. You can select Yes or No. There is an extra fee ($5) for a Certificate of Good Standing.

Shopping Cart

Click Proceed to Checkout.

Pay using your credit card, and submit your filing to the state.

Wait for approval from the Department of State

After submitting your Certificate of Amendment to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 7-10 business days for your New Hampshire business name change to be approved.

When you file online, you’ll receive your name change approval by email.

Step 3: Change your New Hampshire LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your New Hampshire LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the Department of Revenue Administration

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the NH Dept. of Revenue Administration).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. However, in New Hampshire it’s called the Department of Revenue Administration, and this is who you’ll update with your new LLC name.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

• online
• by mail
• by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the Department of Revenue Administration. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your New Hampshire LLC name with the IRS and Department of Revenue Administration business tax department, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

• LLC business bank account
• business checks
• business debit card
• business credit cards
• Paypal or other online banking solutions
• business loans or lines of credit
• brokerage accounts
• bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

New Hampshire doesn’t have a general state business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license: NH Licensed, Certified and Registered Occupations

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or county clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your county clerk on the NH Association of Counties website, and you’ll need to look up your town or city, too.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

• online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
• website, domain registrar, hosting company
• letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• social media accounts

Professional services:

• Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
• accountant
• attorney

Other government agencies:

• local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
• business licenses and permits
• sales tax permit
• utility companies
• Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your New Hampshire LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

• You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
• Or, you can use our free template on New Hampshire LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in New Hampshire FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.