How to Name a Nonprofit in New Jersey

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Truic Team

Choosing a name for your 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization is the first step in our complete guide, How to Start a Nonprofit in New Jersey. One of the most important decisions any founder will make is selecting the right name. We’re here to help with our full guide to choosing, validating, and registering a New Jersey nonprofit name in four easy steps.

Check out our other guides for a look at How to Start a Nonprofit Organization or How to Name a Nonprofit in other states.

Recommended: Use our Business Name Generator to brainstorm hundreds of catchy names (with available URLs) for your nonprofit. 

Name Your Nonprofit in 4 Easy Steps

Naming your New Jersey nonprofit is easy. Just follow these four simple steps to secure the best name for your 501(c)(3).

SKIP AHEAD
Step 1: Choose the Right Name for Your Nonprofit
Step 2: Follow the Nonprofit Naming Rules in New Jersey
Step 3: Check if Your Business Name is Available
Step 4: Register Your Nonprofit Name

Use our 501(c)(3) Lookup Table to see if your nonprofit’s name is already in use.

Step 1: Choose the Right Name for Your Nonprofit

Selecting the right name for your organization is an important task. In order to choose the name that best represents your nonprofit’s mission and purpose, we recommend following these guidelines:

  • Be specific. A nonprofit’s name should be direct and specific enough to convey its mission. Avoid using vague words or terms that could confuse donors and prospective clients about your organization’s purpose.
  • Make it memorable. Memorability is essential when selecting a name for any business. For nonprofits, selecting a name that will stick in the minds of those who come across it will not only improve your organization’s exposure among donors and volunteers but also make it easier for potential clients to find your services.
  • Keep it professional. Nonprofits rely heavily on their public image in order to attract donors or clients who may use their services — and their first impression will stem from your organization’s name. For this reason, your nonprofit needs a professional name that communicates a serious dedication to its mission and purpose.
  • Make it emotional. Whether your organization provides services for animals, displaced persons, or any other community, emotion and charity have a strong bond. Selecting a name that appeals to the emotions of both donors and clients will help build trust as well as your organization’s credibility.

We recommend selecting at least four to five names that fit your criteria before you start researching their availability. This approach will increase your chances of securing a unique and available name.

Recommended: Use our Business Name Generator to help you find an available and unique name in your state.

Step 2: Follow the Nonprofit Naming Rules in New Jersey

Corporation Name Requirements

Your New Jersey nonprofit name must adhere to the guidelines laid out in Section 15A:2-2 of the Nonprofit Corporation Act:

  1. The corporate name of a domestic corporation or of a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this State:

(1) Shall not contain any word or phrase, or abbreviation or derivative thereof, which indicates or implies that it is organized for any purpose other than one or more of the purposes permitted by its certificate of incorporation;

(2) Shall not be the same as, or confusingly similar to, the corporate name of any domestic corporation, including a corporate name set forth in a certificate of incorporation filed in the office of the Secretary of State for which the effective date is subsequent to the date of filing, as authorized by subsection b. of section 15A:2-8 or of any foreign corporation authorized to conduct activities in this State or any corporate name reserved or registered under this act, or any corporate name in use, reserved or registered under the New Jersey Business Corporation Act, unless the written consent of the other domestic, foreign corporation or corporate entity, or holder of a reserved or registered name to the adoption of its name or a confusingly similar name, is filed in the office of the Secretary of State with the certificate of incorporation or with the application for an original or amended certificate of authority to conduct activities in this State; or, in lieu of that consent, there is filed a certified copy of a final judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the prior right of the corporation to the use of the name in this State;

(3) Shall not contain any word or phrase, or any abbreviation or derivative thereof, the use of which is prohibited or restricted by any other statute of this State, unless the restrictions have been complied with; and

(4) Shall contain one of the following: “a New Jersey nonprofit corporation,” “incorporated,” “corporation,” “inc.,” or “corp.” unless it is a corporation which could organize pursuant to the provisions of Title 16 of the Revised Statutes.

Putting It Into Practice

Most nonprofits in New Jersey are organized as corporations, but you can choose to organize a nonprofit in four other ways: an unincorporated association, a trust, an association, or a limited liability company (LLC). Each option has specific naming requirements you must follow.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the requirements for naming a nonprofit corporation.

Incorporating is the most common way to organize a nonprofit. While naming rules for corporations vary by state, some requirements apply nationwide. State requirements in New Jersey include:

  • Your corporation’s name must be distinguishable from any other name on record within the state of New Jersey, including any reserved names.
  • Your corporation’s name must include “a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation,” “incorporated,” “corporation” or “corp.”
  • Your corporation’s name can’t imply the organization’s purpose is anything other than what is stated in the Articles of Incorporation.

Tax Exemption Requirements

If you plan to file for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), pay close attention to the wording you use in your nonprofit’s name. Any words that imply a political or lobbying affiliation may hinder your ability to file for 501(c)(3) status.

Step 3: Check If Your Business Name Is Available

After you chose one or several name options for your nonprofit, you’ll need to make sure it’s available. Every nonprofit must have a distinguishable name so it’s helpful to confirm the availability of your desired name prior to incorporation.

The top four searches you should perform include:

New Jersey Business Name Search and Business Name Availability Search

To operate a nonprofit corporation in New Jersey, its name must be unique. Unlike other states, New Jersey provides a New Jersey Business Name Search as well as a New Jersey Business Name Availability Search — both of which can be easily used to confirm the availability of your chosen name.

Domain Name Search

We strongly recommend that you also check to see if your business name is available as a web domain (URL). Even if you don’t plan to create a business website today, you may want to buy the web address to prevent others from acquiring that domain name. It’s a free search.

Federal Trademark Search

You can easily check if someone already trademarked your chosen nonprofit name by using the federal Trademark Electronic Search System. This is important even if you don’t plan to incorporate your nonprofit right away.

Once you confirm that no one else already trademarked your chosen name, you can apply for a trademark for your nonprofit.

If you need help with getting a logo for your nonprofit, try branding your business with our Free Logo Generator! Get a unique logo in minutes and start building your nonprofit’s brand immediately.

Web and Social Media Search

A strong social media presence will play a key role in expanding your reach to potential donors or clients that will use your services. That makes it important to search the web and popular social media platforms for your desired name before registering it to ensure it’s available on all the platforms where you plan to promote your organization.

Step 4: Register Your Nonprofit Name

After you choose your nonprofit’s name and confirm its availability, the next step involves registering the organization’s name. You have a few options to achieve a name registration:

Recommended: Read our full, step-by-step guide on How to Register a Business Name in New Jersey.

File for a Name Reservation

In New Jersey, domestic nonprofit corporations are not required to file for a name reservation before incorporation. However, reserving a name can prove beneficial — especially if you aren’t ready to incorporate, but want to ensure the availability of your chosen name.

To file a corporate name reservation in the state of New Jersey:

  • File a business name reservation online with the New Jersey Business Charter Amendment Service and pay the $50 filing fee.
  • Or, submit a completed Application for Reservation of Name by mail to the New Jersey Department of Revenue along with a $50 filing fee.

Name reservations for nonprofit corporations in New Jersey last 120 days and can be renewed once it expires by submitting an Application for Renewal of Name Reservation to the Department of Revenue.

Form a Corporation

Incorporating is the most common way to organize a nonprofit and, once you select a name, it’s the next step in making your nonprofit official. Forming a corporation in New Jersey involves a few easy steps:

  1. Name Your Corporation
  2. Choose a Registered Agent
  3. Choose Your Corporation’s Initial Directors and Share Structure
  4. File the Formation Documents
  5. Get an EIN

File for a DBA Name

Filing an alternate name or trade name, also called a doing business as (DBA) name, in New Jersey allows your nonprofit to operate using a different name than its legal, registered business name. This can prove especially helpful if you want to change the name of an existing organization without filing an amendment to your Articles of Incorporation. 

To learn how to file a DBA, alternate name, or trade name in New Jersey, check out our step-by-step guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I start a nonprofit corporation in New Jersey?

To officially incorporate a nonprofit in New Jersey, you must register your nonprofit online or by submitting a Public Records Filing for New Business Entity (page 23) by mail with the New Jersey Department of Treasury, Division of Revenue. You also must complete several other essential steps before you file that formation document, which you can find in our step-by-step guide to starting a nonprofit in New Jersey.

How do I become tax-exempt in New Jersey?

You can file for tax exemption in the state of New Jersey prior to being approved by the Internal Revenue Service by completing an Application for ST-5 Exempt Organization Certificate and submitting it to the New Jersey Division of Taxation.

How do I find nonprofits in New Jersey?

Use our handy New Jersey 501(c)(3) Lookup Table to find nonprofits in New Jersey. You can use this tool to see if your preferred nonprofit name is in use or not.

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