New Jersey LLCs are relatively inexpensive — especially when you consider that an LLC can protect your personal assets and help grow your business. That’s why forming an LLC is the best choice for most small businesses.
The cost to form an LLC in New Jersey is $125. This covers the primary cost of officially registering your LLC with the state.
Read our LLC Cost in New Jersey guide below to learn more about LLC costs and other fees associated with all New Jersey businesses.
Save Time With a Professional Service:
You can form an LLC yourself and save a little money or use a professional service and save a lot of time.
Northwest ($29 plus state fees)
How Much Is an LLC in New Jersey?
New Jersey LLC Filing Fee: $125
To form an LLC in New Jersey, you'll need to file the Certificate of Formation (Public Records Filing) with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. The New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services charges a $125 fee to process and record this document online, by mail, or in person.
You can complete this process yourself with our How to Start an LLC guide or use an LLC formation service.
Registered Agent Fee
Every New Jersey LLC must appoint a registered agent. Your New Jersey registered agent must be a resident of New Jersey and must be available to receive service of process during normal business hours at a designated street address.
You can be your own registered agent in New Jersey, or you can use a registered agent service for a minimal cost.
Recommended: Get free registered agent services for one year when you form an LLC with Northwest ($29 plus state fees).
New Jersey Annual Report Fee: $75
New Jersey requires LLCs to file an annual report with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services and pay a $75 filing fee every year.
Cost to Form a Foreign LLC in New Jersey: $125
LLCs registered in another state that want to expand into the state of New Jersey must register as a foreign LLC in New Jersey.
The cost for registering a New Jersey foreign LLC is $125. You can register a foreign LLC in New Jersey by filing a Certificate of Authorization.
Business Licenses and Permits
Your business might need federal, state, and local permits/licenses to legally operate in New Jersey, depending on your industry and geographical location. This is true whether you form an LLC or any other type of business structure.
Learn more about state and local licensing in our New Jersey business license guide.
Other New Jersey Business Filing Fees
There are fees associated with other, optional business filings in New Jersey.
LLC Name Reservation
You can reserve a business name for your LLC for up to 120 days by filing Form UNRR-1 through the Business Charter Amendment Service and paying the $50 filing fee.
"Doing Business As" (DBA) Name
When an LLC is registered with the state, the LLC’s name is also officially registered. Some business owners choose to also file for a DBA name, known as an alternate name in New Jersey.
You can file a Registration of Alternate Name (Form C-150G) with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services and pay the $50 filing fee to create a name other than your legal LLC business name.
Learn more in our New Jersey DBA guide.
Certified Document Copies
You can get certified copies of your New Jersey business documents by ordering through the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. The fee for this is $0.10 per page. Documents can be “certified” for an additional fee of $50 per certification/document.
Standing Certificate
Also known as a New Jersey Certificate of Good Standing, you can obtain this document by ordering through the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. The charge for this is $50 if you are ordering a short-form certificate, or $100 if you are ordering a long-form certificate.
A Standing Certificate is often required by banks and lenders.
Recommended: Learn more about LLC formation services in our Best LLC Services review.
How to Start an LLC in New Jersey
Forming an LLC yourself is easy; just follow the five steps below.
Five Basic Steps to Start an LLC in New Jersey
Step 1: Name Your New Jersey LLC
Step 2: Choose a Registered Agent
Step 3: File a Certificate of Formation
Step 4: Create an Operating Agreement
Step 5: Get an EIN
Step 1: Name Your New Jersey LLC
When you name your New Jersey LLC, you’ll need to choose a name that:
- Is available for use in the state of New Jersey
- Meets New Jersey's naming requirements
- Is available as a web domain
Check web domain (URL) availability with GoDaddy:
Not sure what to name your business? Check out our free LLC name generator.
Step 2: Choose a Registered Agent
New Jersey LLCs are required to appoint a registered agent to receive service of process.
Business owners can hire a registered agent service or appoint any New Jersey resident that is 18 years or older and is available during normal business hours at a specified address to receive service of process.
Recommended: Northwest offers one full year of registered agent services with their $29 (plus state fees) LLC formation package.
Step 3: File a New Jersey Certificate of Formation
To form an LLC in New Jersey, you must file a Certificate of Formation with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services online or file a Public Records Filing form by mail or in person along with the $125 filing fee.
For a closer look at the filing process, check out our New Jersey Certificate of Formation guide.
Step 4: Create an LLC Operating Agreement
Operating agreements are not required for New Jersey LLCs, but it’s still a good practice to have one.
An operating agreement outlines the ownership and operating procedures of an LLC, ensuring that all members are on the same page and reducing the risk of conflict down the line.
Learn more in our New Jersey LLC Operating Agreement guide.
Step 5: Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a nine-digit number issued by the IRS to identify businesses for tax purposes. Think of an EIN as a Social Security number for your LLC.
To learn how to get an EIN for free, visit our How to Get an EIN Number guide.
New Jersey Business Resources
LLC Cost in New Jersey FAQ
What is the cheapest way to start an LLC in New Jersey?
The cheapest way to start an LLC in New Jersey is to handle the registration process individually. In order to do this, you will need to follow these steps:
- Name your LLC
- Choose a registered agent: This can be a registered agent service or an individual.
- File the New Jersey Certificate of Formation: The filing fee for this is $125 and can be done online, by mail, or in person.
- Create an LLC operating agreement: This is usually not a legal requirement, but it is highly recommended.
- Get an EIN: This is basically your business’s Social Security number (SSN).
How much does an LLC cost per year in New Jersey?
All New Jersey LLCs are required to file an annual report every year. The filing fee for this is $75.
For a more in-depth analysis, see our How Much Does an LLC Cost? article.
How much does an LLC license cost in New Jersey?
An LLC is not a business license, but a business entity. Forming an LLC in New Jersey costs $125. There is also a $75 annual report fee that needs to be paid.
You may be required to pay additional fees if you choose to pay for a registered agent service, an LLC formation service, or an LLC attorney.
See our How to Start an LLC in New Jersey for more information on registering your business as an LLC.
Do LLCs pay taxes in New Jersey?
Yes, LLCs are a “pass-through” tax entity. This means that the LLCs profits are “passed through” directly to its owner(s), who then pay income taxes independently.
This is advantageous compared to a corporation’s tax structure because it means that LLC members are not taxed twice.
Having said that, readers should keep in mind that LLCs are very flexible when it comes to how they can be taxed, and — depending on the specifics — they can choose to be taxed as a pass-through entity, a C corp, and an S corp.
For more information, see our How Is an LLC Taxed guide.
What are the tax benefits of an LLC?
The tax benefits of an LLC will depend on how you choose to be taxed, as well as on whether you are operating as a single or multi-member LLC.
Generally speaking, LLCs can choose to be taxed in several different ways, including:
- As a sole proprietorship or general partnership
- As a C corporation
- As an S corporation
See our Single-Member LLC Taxes guide for a detailed overview of the tax benefits of having an LLC as a small business.
Do I need to open a business bank account for my LLC?
Even though you do not necessarily “need” to open a bank account for your LLC, this is generally highly recommended for several reasons.
For one, having a separate bank account can allow you to maintain your LLC’s corporate veil — meaning that you will not risk losing your limited personal liability under the law. A business bank account also offers financial benefits, including the ability to build business credit more quickly and access to larger business loans.
Interested in opening a business bank account? See our review of the best banks for startups in 2024.