You can find your New Hampshire business entity information through the NH Secretary of State's official NH QuickStart Business Entity Search. The database provides the core entity details most businesses need for onboarding, due diligence, and recordkeeping.

NH QuickStart is currently the Secretary of State's consolidated business-record search. The legacy search page has been retired, and according to the Forms and Fees page, QuickStart contains all data and filed documents previously found on the legacy page, including entities filed prior to October 1, 2016. The state has announced plans for a future platform that would eventually replace QuickStart, so confirm you're using the current system when you search.

Summary table: finding your New Hampshire entity information

The table below shows where each data point lives in New Hampshire's system and what format it takes.

How to search for New Hampshire business entities

Go to the NH QuickStart search portal and select your search field. The portal has offered options that include Business Name, Business ID, Filing #, Business Creation Date, and Registered Agent Name, with name-based fields including a "Show me similar sounding" option that widens the net when you are unsure of exact spelling. Confirm the current field list directly in QuickStart, since the state periodically updates the portal.

For business name searches, matching-criteria choices have included options such as "Starts With," "Exact Match," "Contains," and "All Words."

The sources reviewed do not document how the search box handles capitalization. New Hampshire's name availability guidelines do treat punctuation differences as non-distinguishing at registration; for example, "R/D Construction" is not distinguishable from "RD Construction." That rule governs how staff evaluate name conflicts at registration, not how the search box handles your input, so treat an unpunctuated variant of your search term as a fallback worth trying rather than documented search behavior.

Click your entity name in the results to view its Business Details and Filings, including your Business ID, formation date, and filing history.

What you'll see in search results

• Legal entity name (exact spelling and punctuation)

• Entity type

• Business ID (numeric identifier)

• Formation or creation date

How to find your entity number in New Hampshire

Your New Hampshire entity number is officially called your Business ID Number or Charter Number. The Business FAQs confirm the Corporation Division assigns it when your business is filed, and that the Business ID Number and Charter Number are the same identifier. Official materials abbreviate it as both "BID" and "BIN."

Where to locate your New Hampshire entity number

1. New Hampshire business search (fastest method)

QuickStart displays it as "Business ID" in the results list and on the record details page, formatted as a numeric identifier in the records reviewed.

2. Annual report notice

• Printed on the annual report notice the state mails to your entity

• Labeled as: "Business ID Number"

• Required to file; a Federal EIN cannot substitute

3. New certificates and your QuickStart account

• New certificates issued by the state include the business ID number alongside the certificate number

• The number is not on your original formation filing, since it is assigned only once that filing is accepted

• Correspondence about your filing appears in your QuickStart correspondence folder; a payment receipt appears separately in your receipts mailbox

New Hampshire entity number format

• Format: numeric in the records reviewed

• Examples from official state records: 394985, 65650

• Length: varies (5 to 6 digits in the records reviewed); the sources reviewed do not document a fixed digit-count rule

You need the Business ID for every annual report. The state will not accept a Federal EIN in its place.

How to find your entity type in New Hampshire

New Hampshire recognizes several business entity types, each governed by its own RSA chapter, including business corporations under RSA 293-A and LLCs under RSA 304-C. Your type appears exactly as registered.

Where to find your New Hampshire entity type

1. New Hampshire business search (most accessible)

• Displayed in the entity type field of search results

• Also visible on the detailed entity information page

2. Certificate of Formation or Articles of Incorporation

Named in formal legal language on the filed-stamped document, for example "Certificate of Formation of Limited Liability Company." The precise layout can vary by filing.

3. Annual reports

Your entity type also appears on your New Hampshire annual report filing.

How to find your formation date in New Hampshire

Your formation date is when the New Hampshire Secretary of State officially filed your entity, and it appears in business search results and on your Certificate of Formation or Articles of Incorporation. Under RSA 304-C:31, an LLC is formed on the date and at the time its certificate of formation is filed; under RSA 293-A:2.03, corporate existence begins when the articles of incorporation are filed, unless a delayed effective date applies.

Where your New Hampshire formation date appears

1. New Hampshire business search (easiest access)

• Listed as: formation or creation date

• The portal also lets you search by Business Creation Date

• Format: standard MM/DD/YYYY format

2. Certificate of Formation or Articles of Incorporation

Shown on the filed-stamped certificate; the precise location may vary by document.

Formation date vs. effective date

Absent a specified delayed effective date, your entity's statutory formation date coincides with its filing date. A certificate may also show other dates, such as an issuance date, which are separate from the statutory formation date.

If you specify a delayed effective date, both entity types cap the delay at 90 days after filing: RSA 293-A:1.23(b) for corporations and RSA 304-C:29 for LLCs. If you specify a date but no time, the document takes effect at the close of business on that date.

Onboard your New Hampshire entity to Discern

Once you have your Business ID, entity type, and formation date, Discern puts that information to work. The platform stores your New Hampshire entity data in a centralized model, pre-fills state filings, and creates annual reports ahead of their due dates.

The same system covers 51+ jurisdictions. Whether you manage a single New Hampshire LLC or a portfolio of entities across many states, Discern handles registered agent coverage, entity formations, foreign registrations, and annual report filings from a single platform.

Book a demo with Discern.

Frequently asked questions

These answers cover the questions people most often have after running a New Hampshire entity search.

Is the New Hampshire business entity search free to use?

Yes. NH QuickStart's business search is free. You only pay when you order extras such as certified copies or a Certificate of Good Standing.

What if I don't know my business's exact legal name?

Use the "Show me similar sounding" option on the name-based search fields, or try a partial or unpunctuated version of the name. QuickStart's own name availability guidelines treat differences in punctuation as non-distinguishing, so a close variant will often still surface your entity.

Is my Business ID Number the same as my Federal EIN?

No. Your Business ID Number (also called your Charter Number) is assigned by the Corporation Division when your entity is filed with New Hampshire. Your Federal EIN is a separate number issued by the IRS, and the state will not accept it as a substitute on your annual report.

Where do I find my formation date if I've lost my original certificate?

Search your entity on NH QuickStart and look for "formation" or "creation date" on the record details page. The same date appears on any certified copy of your Certificate of Formation or Articles of Incorporation, which you can request from the Secretary of State if you no longer have the original.