Event Planning Permit Requirements in Manchester, NH

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if operating as a business entity (LLC or corporation) or if you have employees. Free from the IRS. You will need an EIN to open a business bank account and sign vendor contracts professionally.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. New Hampshire Business Registration

   Event planning businesses operating in New Hampshire must register with the New Hampshire Secretary of State if operating as an LLC, corporation, or partnership (Certificate of Formation filing fee: $100). Sole proprietors using a trade name must file a $50 trade-name registration with the state (RSA 349). An LLC provides personal liability protection.

   Official government source

   $50 (trade name) to $100 (LLC/corporation filing fee)·1–7 business days (online)

   $50 (trade name) to $100 (LLC/corporation filing fee)

   1–7 business days (online)

1. Manchester — No General Business License for Event Planners

   Manchester has no general business license. The City Clerk's Business Licensing and Enforcement Division licenses only enumerated activities — food service establishments, high-impact retail selling tobacco/vape/lottery, peddlers, hawkers, junk and secondhand dealers, pawnbrokers, hotels and B&Bs, tattoo and body piercing establishments, farmers' markets, taxicabs, towing, employment offices, circuses, carnivals, arcades, dances and dance halls, entertainment places of assembly, fairs, festivals and most other special events. An event-planning company is not licensed as such, though a license applies if you directly operate one of those enumerated activities. Organizing an event in public space is handled through the separate special event process.

   Official government source

   No fee for event planning itself. If an enumerated activity applies, the business license fee is based on floor area — $50 for the first 1,500 square feet plus $2.00 per additional 100 square feet, $50 minimum and $1,000 maximum — and initial-year fees are prorated·Not applicable for most event planners

   No fee for event planning itself. If an enumerated activity applies, the business license fee is based on floor area — $50 for the first 1,500 square feet plus $2.00 per additional 100 square feet, $50 minimum and $1,000 maximum — and initial-year fees are prorated

   Not applicable for most event planners

2. City of Manchester — Park Use and Street Closure Permits for Events

   Manchester has no single citywide special event permit page. Events using public parks or venues are permitted by the Parks and Recreation Department; street closures and traffic control go through the Highway Division and Police Department. As the event planner you may be responsible for obtaining these on behalf of your client, and requirements typically include event details, expected attendance, and proof of insurance.

   Official government source

   Not published online; confirm with Parks and Recreation·Confirm required lead time with Parks and Recreation; start as early as possible for large events

   Not published online; confirm with Parks and Recreation

   Confirm required lead time with Parks and Recreation; start as early as possible for large events

3. No Hillsborough County Special Event Permit Applies in Manchester

   Manchester is a fully incorporated city, and New Hampshire has no unincorporated county land, so no Hillsborough County temporary-use permit applies to events held in Manchester. Events on public property are permitted by the City: Parks and Recreation for park venues, and the Highway Division and Police Department for street closures and traffic control.

   Official government source

   Not applicable for a county permit; City of Manchester event fees are not published online·Confirm required lead time with Manchester Parks and Recreation

   Not applicable for a county permit; City of Manchester event fees are not published online

   Confirm required lead time with Manchester Parks and Recreation

Official Sources

• Manchester Business Licensing
• New Hampshire Secretary of State — Business Registration
• IRS EIN Application

Related Guides