New Hampshire LLC Tax Filing Requirements (2026)
A New Hampshire LLC files the Business Profits Tax if its gross business income exceeds $109,000 for 2026; the rate is 7.5%. It also files the Business Enterprise Tax at 0.55% if gross business receipts or the enterprise value tax base exceed $298,000. New Hampshire has no sales tax.
Quick Answer
- Business Profits Tax rate
- 7.5% (periods ending on or after Dec 31, 2023)
- BPT filing threshold (2026)
- Gross business income over $109,000
- Business Enterprise Tax rate
- 0.55% (periods ending on or after Dec 31, 2022)
- BET filing threshold (2026)
- Gross receipts or enterprise value base over $298,000
- Agency
- NH Department of Revenue Administration
- Sales tax
- None in New Hampshire
- Wage income tax
- None on wages and salaries
New Hampshire Taxes Businesses, Not Wages
New Hampshire has no general sales tax and no broad-based personal income tax on wages and salaries. It funds itself instead through two entity-level business taxes administered by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration (DRA): the Business Profits Tax (BPT) and the Business Enterprise Tax (BET). Both apply to limited liability companies. Neither depends on whether the LLC elected corporate treatment federally - New Hampshire reaches the business entity itself.
This is the structural point that surprises owners moving an LLC to New Hampshire from a pass-through state. In most states, an LLC taxed as a partnership pays no entity-level income tax and the members pay on their shares. In New Hampshire the LLC itself files and pays, and the members do not owe New Hampshire income tax on the distributed profit. See business tax for how this compares nationally.
Business Profits Tax: 7.5% Above $109,000
The BPT is New Hampshire's tax on income from business activity conducted in the state. The DRA states the rate as 7.5% for taxable periods ending on or after December 31, 2023. The filing threshold is indexed and adjusted periodically; for 2026 the DRA's threshold adjustment sets the BPT filing requirement at gross business income over $109,000.
Two things follow from that. First, the threshold is a filing threshold measured on gross business income, not on profit. An LLC with $150,000 in gross income and no profit still has a filing obligation even though its computed tax may be zero. Second, "gross business income" is a defined term - confirm the definition and any adjustments in the DRA's BPT guidance before you conclude you are below the line.
New Hampshire's BPT is imposed under RSA 77-A. Business organizations with activity both inside and outside New Hampshire apportion income to the state, so a multi-state LLC does not pay BPT on its entire book of business.
Business Enterprise Tax: 0.55% Above $298,000
The BET is unusual: it is not a profits tax. It is levied on the enterprise value tax base, which is the sum of compensation paid, interest paid, and dividends paid by the enterprise. The DRA states the rate as 0.55% for taxable periods ending on or after December 31, 2022. For 2026, an enterprise must file if its gross business receipts exceed $298,000 or its enterprise value tax base exceeds $298,000.
Because the BET base is compensation, interest, and dividends rather than profit, an unprofitable LLC with a payroll can owe BET. That is the single most common surprise for new New Hampshire employers. The tax is imposed under RSA 77-E.
The two taxes interact. BET paid may be credited against BPT liability, so a business that owes both does not simply add them together. Work the BET first, then apply the credit against BPT, per the DRA's instructions for the year in question.
New Hampshire Business Tax Summary (2026)
| Tax | Rate | 2026 filing threshold | Base | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Profits Tax (BPT) | 7.5% | Gross business income over $109,000 | Business profits, apportioned | RSA 77-A |
| Business Enterprise Tax (BET) | 0.55% | Gross receipts or enterprise value base over $298,000 | Compensation + interest + dividends paid | RSA 77-E |
| State sales tax | None | - | - | - |
| Tax on wages and salaries | None | - | - | - |
| Federal return (multi-member LLC) | Pass-through | - | Form 1065 + Schedule K-1 | IRS |
The DRA has noted pending legislation that would reduce the BET rate from 0.55% to 0.50% for taxable periods ending on or after December 31, 2027. Treat that as prospective only and confirm the enacted rate with the DRA before relying on it.
The Interest and Dividends Tax
New Hampshire historically levied an Interest and Dividends Tax on individuals' investment income, and it was frequently confused with a business tax. That tax has been phased out. Because phase-out schedules and repeal dates change, confirm the current status on the DRA's taxes at a glance pages for the tax year you are filing rather than relying on older summaries. What has not changed is the core point: New Hampshire does not tax wages and salaries.
Federal Filing Is Separate
New Hampshire's business taxes sit on top of the federal return, which follows the IRS default classification. A multi-member LLC is a partnership by default and files Form 1065 with Schedules K-1; a single-member LLC is disregarded and its activity flows onto the owner's Form 1040, usually Schedule C. An LLC may instead elect to be taxed as a corporation or an S corporation. That election changes the federal picture but does not remove the LLC from BPT or BET, because those taxes reach the business organization regardless. See S-corp vs LLC and how to get an EIN. Non-resident owners without a Social Security number should read what an ITIN is. Self-employment tax on pass-through income is a federal matter - the self-employment tax calculator estimates it.
The Secretary of State Annual Report Is Not a Tax
New Hampshire LLCs also file an annual report with the Secretary of State. That filing keeps the entity's registry record current - name, principal office, registered agent - and is entirely separate from the DRA's BPT and BET returns. Filing one does not satisfy the other, and the two agencies do not share a deadline. Confirm the current annual report fee and due date with the Secretary of State's business division before budgeting, and keep the registered agent record current: see New Hampshire registered agent requirements and the national registered agent guide.
Practical Filing Calendar
A New Hampshire LLC with meaningful activity typically runs four tracks in a year:
- Federal return - Form 1065, Form 1120-S, or Schedule C, on the IRS calendar.
- BPT and BET returns - filed with the DRA for the taxable period, with the BET credit applied against BPT.
- Estimated payments - New Hampshire requires estimates once liability crosses the DRA's threshold; check the current estimate rules for BPT and BET.
- Secretary of State annual report - registry maintenance, not tax.
Because the BET can apply to a business with no profit, do not assume a loss year is a no-filing year. Run both threshold tests every year, on gross business income for BPT and on gross receipts and the enterprise value tax base for BET. Formation costs are covered in New Hampshire LLC cost and how much an LLC costs.
Other New Hampshire Obligations
New Hampshire has no general sales tax, so most LLCs need no sales tax permit. Specific industries face targeted levies instead - the Meals and Rentals Tax on restaurants, hotels, and motor vehicle rentals, and the Communications Services Tax, among others. Check the DRA's tax list against your industry rather than assuming "no sales tax" means "no transaction tax." Local and occupational licensing is separate again; see business licenses. Internal governance is set by the operating agreement, not by the state - see New Hampshire LLC operating agreement. Entity records can be checked through New Hampshire business entity search, trade names through New Hampshire DBA filing, and terms are defined in the glossary. To close the entity, see how to dissolve an LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a New Hampshire LLC pay state income tax?
The LLC pays the Business Profits Tax at 7.5% if gross business income exceeds $109,000 for 2026. New Hampshire does not tax wages or the members' distributive shares.
What is the New Hampshire Business Enterprise Tax?
A 0.55% tax on compensation, interest, and dividends paid. For 2026 the filing threshold is gross receipts or an enterprise value tax base over $298,000. BET can be credited against BPT.
What is the BPT filing threshold for 2026?
Gross business income over $109,000. The test is on gross income, not profit, so a break-even LLC above the line still files.
Can an LLC owe BET but no BPT?
Yes. The BET base is payroll, interest, and dividends paid, so a business with a payroll can owe BET in a loss year.
Does New Hampshire have a sales tax?
No general state sales tax. Targeted taxes such as the Meals and Rentals Tax still apply to specific industries.
Is the New Hampshire annual report a tax filing?
No. It goes to the Secretary of State and is separate from the DRA's BPT and BET returns.
Related
- Business tax overview (cluster hub)
- New Hampshire LLC cost
- New Hampshire registered agent requirements
- New Hampshire LLC operating agreement
- New Hampshire business entity search
- New Hampshire DBA filing
- S-corp vs LLC
- How much does an LLC cost?
- How to dissolve an LLC
Sources
- NH Department of Revenue Administration - Business Taxes (BPT and BET overview and rates).
- NH Department of Revenue Administration - Business Profits Tax FAQ (7.5% rate for periods ending on or after Dec 31, 2023).
- NH Department of Revenue Administration - Business Enterprise Tax FAQ (0.55% rate; enterprise value tax base).
- NH Department of Revenue Administration - BET and BPT Filing Threshold Adjustment ($109,000 BPT and $298,000 BET thresholds for 2026).
- NH Department of Revenue Administration - 2026 Tax Tips and Filing Guidance.
- New Hampshire General Court - RSA 77-A, Business Profits Tax.
- New Hampshire General Court - RSA 77-E, Business Enterprise Tax.
- New Hampshire Secretary of State - Corporation Division (annual report and entity records).
- IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (default federal classification).
- IRS - About Form 1065 (partnership return).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
- Legal Information Institute (Cornell) - 26 CFR 301.7701-3 (entity classification election).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not legal advice, is not a law firm, and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current amounts with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration and the New Hampshire Secretary of State before acting.