How Much Does It Cost to Start a Business in New Hampshire?
Last updated: March 2026
New Hampshire Business Overview
LLC Filing Fee
$102
Sales Tax Rate
0.0%
Minimum Wage
$7.25/hr
Cost of Living Index
116.7
Workers Comp
Required
Annual Report Fee
$100
Starting a Business in New Hampshire
New Hampshire businesses register with the Secretary of State. Some industries require specific state licenses.
New Hampshire has no income tax on wages and no sales tax. A Business Profits Tax (BPT) of 7.6% applies to profits over $92,000, and a Business Enterprise Tax (BET) of 0.6% applies to enterprise value.
New Hampshire's no sales tax and no income tax environment makes it very business-friendly. The state benefits from spillover activity from Boston's economy.
For official formation documents, visit the New Hampshire Secretary of State.
Startup Costs for 100 Business Types in New Hampshire
The table below shows estimated startup costs for every major business type, adjusted for New Hampshire’s cost of living index of 116.7. Click any column header to sort. Click a business name to see full cost breakdowns, calculator, and licensing requirements.
| Accounting Firm | Professional Services | $8,190 | $23,400 | $53,820 |
| Airbnb / Vacation Rental | Real Estate | $12,870 | $35,100 | $105,300 |
| Ambulance Service | Transportation & Logistics | $93,600 | $234,000 | $585,000 |
| App Development Company | Tech & Online | $11,700 | $35,100 | $93,600 |
| Architecture Firm | Professional Services | $23,400 | $64,350 | $152,100 |
| Auto Detailing Business | Automotive | $5,850 | $35,100 | $117,000 |
| Auto Repair Shop | Automotive | $87,750 | $234,000 | $585,000 |
| Bakery | Food & Beverage | $23,400 | $111,150 | $351,000 |
| Bar & Nightclub | Food & Beverage | $117,000 | $409,500 | $994,500 |
| Barbershop | Beauty & Personal Care | $17,550 | $76,050 | $204,750 |
| Beauty Supply Store | Beauty & Personal Care | $35,100 | $117,000 | $351,000 |
| Bookstore | Retail | $29,250 | $117,000 | $351,000 |
| Brewery / Microbrewery | Food & Beverage | $117,000 | $468,000 | $1,170,000 |
| Cannabis Dispensary | Specialty & Regulated | $145,665 | $388,440 | $1,456,650 |
| Car Wash | Automotive | $145,665 | $636,480 | $1,818,180 |
| Carpentry & Woodworking Shop | Construction & Trades | $12,285 | $32,760 | $81,900 |
| Catering Business | Food & Beverage | $14,040 | $62,010 | $152,100 |
| Chiropractic Office | Health & Wellness | $46,800 | $140,400 | $351,000 |
| Cleaning Business | Home Services | $1,755 | $12,870 | $43,290 |
| Clothing Boutique | Retail | $35,100 | $117,000 | $351,000 |
| Coffee Shop | Food & Beverage | $29,250 | $140,400 | $409,500 |
| Concrete Business | Construction & Trades | $29,250 | $76,050 | $175,500 |
| Consulting Business | Professional Services | $2,340 | $10,530 | $30,420 |
| Convenience Store | Retail | $58,500 | $327,600 | $877,500 |
| Courier & Delivery Service | Transportation & Logistics | $9,360 | $25,740 | $64,350 |
| Cybersecurity Firm | Tech & Online | $23,400 | $64,350 | $175,500 |
| Dance Studio | Childcare & Education | $23,400 | $93,600 | $292,500 |
| Daycare Center | Childcare & Education | $70,200 | $210,600 | $585,000 |
| Demolition Company | Construction & Trades | $35,100 | $93,600 | $234,000 |
| Dental Practice | Health & Wellness | $292,500 | $585,000 | $1,170,000 |
| Digital Marketing Agency | Tech & Online | $4,680 | $14,040 | $37,440 |
| E-Commerce Store | Tech & Online | $5,850 | $17,550 | $58,500 |
| Electrical Business | Home Services | $17,550 | $64,350 | $187,200 |
| Esthetics & Skincare Business | Beauty & Personal Care | $9,360 | $46,800 | $140,400 |
| Excavation Company | Construction & Trades | $58,500 | $152,100 | $409,500 |
| Financial Planning Practice | Professional Services | $23,400 | $64,350 | $152,100 |
| Flower Shop | Retail | $23,400 | $87,750 | $234,000 |
| Food Delivery Service | Food & Beverage | $11,700 | $60,840 | $152,100 |
| Food Processing Business | Food & Beverage | $87,750 | $292,500 | $877,500 |
| Food Truck | Food & Beverage | $52,650 | $140,400 | $234,000 |
| Freight Brokerage | Transportation & Logistics | $18,720 | $42,120 | $93,600 |
| Furniture Store | Retail | $58,500 | $234,000 | $702,000 |
| General Contracting Business | Construction & Trades | $23,400 | $64,350 | $152,100 |
| Ghost Kitchen | Food & Beverage | $23,400 | $70,200 | $175,500 |
| Gift Shop | Retail | $23,400 | $81,900 | $234,000 |
| Gym & Fitness Center | Health & Wellness | $58,500 | $292,500 | $1,170,000 |
| Hair Salon | Beauty & Personal Care | $17,550 | $87,750 | $292,500 |
| Handyman Business | Home Services | $2,340 | $11,700 | $38,610 |
| Home Health Care Agency | Health & Wellness | $46,800 | $152,100 | $351,000 |
| HVAC Business | Home Services | $23,400 | $81,900 | $234,000 |
| Ice Cream Shop | Food & Beverage | $23,400 | $87,750 | $234,000 |
| Insurance Agency | Professional Services | $17,550 | $46,800 | $105,300 |
| IT Services Business | Tech & Online | $17,550 | $46,800 | $117,000 |
| Juice Bar & Smoothie Shop | Food & Beverage | $29,250 | $105,300 | $292,500 |
| Landscaping Business | Home Services | $11,700 | $46,800 | $140,400 |
| Laundromat | Real Estate | $117,000 | $292,500 | $702,000 |
| Law Firm | Professional Services | $14,040 | $39,780 | $94,770 |
| Limousine & Car Service | Transportation & Logistics | $46,800 | $105,300 | $257,400 |
| Liquor Store | Retail | $58,500 | $210,600 | $585,000 |
| Marketing Agency | Professional Services | $5,850 | $21,060 | $58,500 |
| Martial Arts Studio | Childcare & Education | $23,400 | $81,900 | $234,000 |
| Meal Prep Business | Food & Beverage | $23,400 | $76,050 | $234,000 |
| Med Spa | Health & Wellness | $117,000 | $409,500 | $1,170,000 |
| Medical Practice | Health & Wellness | $175,500 | $468,000 | $1,170,000 |
| Mental Health Practice | Health & Wellness | $17,550 | $58,500 | $175,500 |
| Moving Company | Home Services | $35,100 | $117,000 | $351,000 |
| Music School | Childcare & Education | $11,700 | $58,500 | $175,500 |
| Nail Salon | Beauty & Personal Care | $23,400 | $105,300 | $292,500 |
| Painting Business | Home Services | $5,850 | $29,250 | $93,600 |
| Personal Training Business | Health & Wellness | $5,850 | $29,250 | $117,000 |
| Pest Control Business | Home Services | $11,700 | $46,800 | $140,400 |
| Pet Store | Retail | $35,100 | $117,000 | $351,000 |
| Pharmacy | Health & Wellness | $175,500 | $468,000 | $1,170,000 |
| Physical Therapy Clinic | Health & Wellness | $70,200 | $210,600 | $526,500 |
| Pizza Shop | Food & Beverage | $58,500 | $204,750 | $468,000 |
| Plumbing Business | Home Services | $17,550 | $58,500 | $175,500 |
| Podcast Production Company | Tech & Online | $2,340 | $7,020 | $21,060 |
| Preschool | Childcare & Education | $58,500 | $175,500 | $468,000 |
| Property Management Company | Real Estate | $12,285 | $28,080 | $64,350 |
| Real Estate Agency | Professional Services | $11,700 | $32,760 | $81,900 |
| Real Estate Investing (Rental) | Real Estate | $29,250 | $87,750 | $292,500 |
| Restaurant | Food & Beverage | $204,750 | $438,750 | $877,500 |
| Roofing Company | Home Services | $17,550 | $70,200 | $210,600 |
| SaaS Company | Tech & Online | $23,400 | $70,200 | $234,000 |
| Spa & Massage Therapy | Health & Wellness | $11,700 | $81,900 | $292,500 |
| Staffing Agency | Professional Services | $23,400 | $64,350 | $175,500 |
| Storage Unit Facility | Real Estate | $234,000 | $702,000 | $2,340,000 |
| Tattoo Shop | Beauty & Personal Care | $23,400 | $69,030 | $234,000 |
| Tax Preparation Business | Professional Services | $4,095 | $11,700 | $31,590 |
| Thrift Store | Retail | $23,400 | $87,750 | $234,000 |
| Tire Shop | Automotive | $58,500 | $175,500 | $468,000 |
| Towing Company | Automotive | $58,500 | $175,500 | $468,000 |
| Trucking Company | Transportation & Logistics | $35,100 | $93,600 | $234,000 |
| Tutoring Business | Childcare & Education | $2,340 | $28,080 | $117,000 |
| Used Car Dealership | Automotive | $58,500 | $234,000 | $702,000 |
| Vape Shop | Retail | $29,250 | $87,750 | $234,000 |
| Web Development Agency | Tech & Online | $4,095 | $14,040 | $38,610 |
| Welding Business | Construction & Trades | $17,550 | $46,800 | $117,000 |
| Winery | Food & Beverage | $175,500 | $891,540 | $3,510,000 |
| Yoga Studio | Health & Wellness | $17,550 | $93,600 | $234,000 |
Most Popular Business Types in New Hampshire
Restaurant
Food & Beverage
$204,750 – $877,500
Cleaning Business
Home Services
$1,755 – $43,290
Landscaping Business
Home Services
$11,700 – $140,400
Real Estate Agency
Professional Services
$11,700 – $81,900
Accounting Firm
Professional Services
$8,190 – $53,820
Airbnb / Vacation Rental
Real Estate
$12,870 – $105,300
Licenses & Permits in New Hampshire
General Business License
New Hampshire does not have a statewide general business license or a state sales tax. Businesses must register their entity with the New Hampshire Secretary of State and register with the Department of Revenue Administration for Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax purposes. Some New Hampshire municipalities require local business licenses. New Hampshire's 'Live Free or Die' philosophy means the regulatory burden is among the lightest in the nation.
Industry-Specific Licenses
- Food Service License — New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services — Division of Public Health ServicesCost: $50-$300 • Renewal: Annual
- Home Improvement Contractor Registration — New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationCost: $150-$400 • Renewal: Annual
- Cosmetology Shop License — New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology, and EstheticsCost: $50-$150 • Renewal: Annual
- Real Estate Broker License — New Hampshire Real Estate CommissionCost: $100-$300 • Renewal: Annual
- Child Care License — New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services — Child Development BureauCost: $50-$200 • Renewal: Annual
- Ski Area License — New Hampshire Department of Safety — Passenger Tramway Safety BoardCost: $500-$5,000 • Renewal: Annual
- Liquor License — New Hampshire Liquor CommissionCost: $200-$3,000 • Renewal: Annual
- Health Care Facility License — New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services — Bureau of Healthcare FacilitiesCost: $200-$1,000 • Renewal: Annual
Home-Based Business Rules
Home-based businesses in New Hampshire are regulated by local zoning ordinances, which vary significantly by municipality. New Hampshire's many rural towns are generally very permissive of home-based businesses reflecting the state's libertarian philosophy. Manchester and Nashua allow home occupations with standard restrictions on customer traffic and commercial signage. New Hampshire's cottage food law supports home-based food production and direct consumer sales up to $20,000 annually.
New Hampshire Business Resources
SBA District Office
New Hampshire SBA District Office — Concord
Secretary of State
https://www.sos.nh.gov/corporation-divisionZoning Information
New Hampshire municipalities control zoning. Manchester and Nashua have active commercial zoning; many smaller towns have minimal zoning.
Health Department Notes
Food establishments need a license from the New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services. The state has a cottage food law for low-risk home-produced foods.
Workers Compensation
Required for all employers. New Hampshire uses a competitive private insurance market.