New Hampshire Articles of Incorporation
New Hampshire articles of incorporation are filed to create a corporation.
Preparing and filing your articles of incorporation is the first step in starting your business corporation. Approval of this document secures your corporate name and creates the legal entity of the corporation. Only after this approval can the corporation apply for tax IDs, obtain business licenses, sign contracts, and otherwise conduct business.
Benefits
Incorporating provides many important benefits:
- Limits the liability of directors, officers, and shareholders
- Fulfills statutory requirements to register your business name
- Provides governance and adds credibility
Fast Facts
For Domestic Corporations:
| Agency: | New Hampshire Secretary of State - Corporations Division |
| Form: | |
| Filing Method: | Mail or Online |
| Agency Fee: | $100 |
| Turnaround: | ~10-14 business days |
| Law: | |
| Notes: |
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For Domestic Professional Corporations:
| Agency: | New Hampshire Secretary of State - Corporations Division |
| Form: | Form 11PC Articles of Incorporation for a Professional Corporation |
| Agency Fee: | $100 |
Other Helpful New Hampshire Facts
As you are preparing to incorporate, keep in mind the following requirements specific to New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Directors
- Number: One or more required.
- Qualifications: None.
- Quorum: Majority of directors, unless bylaws or articles of incorporation fixes a different number. No less than one third.
New Hampshire Officers
- As stated in the bylaws, but a minimum of one. One person may hold multiple offices. One officer is required to be responsible for maintaining corporate records.
New Hampshire Bylaws
- Required: Yes.
New Hampshire Annual Shareholder Meeting
- Required: Yes, unless directors are elected by written consent.
- Action by written consent: Allowed if by all shareholders entitled to vote on the action. Artiticles of incorporation may provide if enough shareholders consent to equal the number required to take action by vote.
New Hampshire Shareholders
- Qualifications:
- Stock Certificate: Optional, but shareholder must receive a writing with the same information.
- Voting Trusts Allowed: Yes.
