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New Hampshire runs trade names through the same office that files companies. That makes the rules easy to find: the Corporation Division lists them on one forms page, and the statute is RSA 349. The prices below come from the division's trade name forms page and its forms and fees page.
Do you need to register a trade name?
If you do business under any name other than your own legal name, yes. The division says a person conducting business under a different name must register. A name that adds a word, like Enterprises, counts as different.
Other state and federal rules about how a business lists its name may apply as well. The division suggests asking a legal adviser.
What do the forms and fees look like?
| Filing | Form | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Register a trade name | TN-1 | $50 |
| Renew a trade name | Paper form from the division | $50 |
| Add a partner | TN-5 | $10 |
| Withdraw a partner | TN-7 | $10 |
| Discontinue | TN-9 | $10 |
| Change address or contact details | No standard form | $0 |
The page also offers an online option. The business services menu on the division's site has Register a Trade Name under its QuickStart tools, so the filing can be done on screen.
How long does a trade name last?
A trade name must be renewed every five years to remain active. The division does not tell you in the pages we read how it reminds you, so mark the date yourself.
The renewal form is a paper form you request from the division. If you stop using the name, discontinue it with Form TN-9 rather than letting it run out.
Can you hold the name first?
No. Reservations are not available for trade names. That means you cannot lock the name before filing, and you also cannot check availability online in advance. For company names, the division decides on availability when it gets the filing. See our LLC name search guide for the general method, and the New Hampshire guide for the QuickStart search.
How do you search a New Hampshire trade name?
Trade names sit on the same record system as companies. The division says the business profile of a trade name shows each applicant or owner and the business address. Each registered business gets a Business ID Number, which is the same as its charter number.
The QuickStart search also covers older records filed before a cutoff the division names, according to its name lookup page. The division says most filed documents can be viewed and downloaded free on QuickStart, so look there for the filing behind a name. We did not run searches, so we do not describe the screens. Our DBA search guide explains the general method, and the state hub page has the New Hampshire steps.
How does this compare with forming an LLC?
A trade name is just a label. An LLC is a company, formed with Form LLC-1 for $100 and kept alive with a yearly report. If you want liability protection, read DBA vs LLC and the New Hampshire LLC guide. An LLC that sells under a second name can register the trade name afterwards.
Massachusetts sits to the south and has its own page: see the Massachusetts DBA guide. The general steps are in how to file a DBA.
This page does not cover town or city clerk rules, trademark filings or tax registration.