How to Form an LLC in New Jersey
Reliable registered agent coverage for New Jersey entities. Flat $99/year for the office address, same-day scanning of court papers, and reminders before state deadlines.
An LLC in New Jersey is established through a single formation filing, the Certificate of Formation, submitted to the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) under N.J.S.A. 42:2C-18. The official state filing fee is $125, an agent for service of process must be on file at all times, and a short list of annual obligations follows. What's next: the document, the dollar amounts, the official steps, and where we come in.
Build Your New Jersey LLC — $199
The full filing service is $199. We prepare the Certificate of Formation, submit it through DORES, and track the filing until the state approves it.
The Case for a New Jersey LLC
The LLC structure exists so small operations get corporate-grade asset protection without corporate-grade overhead. In New Jersey, independent contractors, real estate investors, e-commerce operators, and freelance professionals gravitate toward it because formation is one filing and upkeep is light.
New Jersey LLC Filing Fee: $125
The official New Jersey filing fee is $125 for the Certificate of Formation. DORES's own instructions state it plainly: "Filing fee for all domestic entities, except non-profits, is $125 per filing."
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee (Certificate of Formation, DORES) | $125 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every New Jersey LLC) | $99/year |
| State annual report | $75/year |
$199 is the filing service. The $125 goes to the state. RA is $99/year on its own.
The Certificate of Formation, New Jersey's Formation Document
New Jersey has no numbered state form for LLC formation. The Certificate of Formation is filed online through the DORES Business Formation portal, or on paper using the unnumbered Public Records Filing for New Business Entity pages of the state's business registration package. Any site quoting a form number for a New Jersey LLC certificate is guessing.
The filing itself is short. It states the company's legal name, the street and mailing addresses of the initial registered office, the agent for service of process, and the organizer's signature. Statutory authority is N.J.S.A. 42:2C-18 of the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act.
How New Jersey LLC Formation Works: Official Steps
- Choose your LLC name. Include an LLC designator and clear the state's records first; DORES keeps a searchable database of registered entities. Words implying you are a bank, insurer, trust company, or government agency get rejected without separate authorization.
- Appoint your New Jersey registered agent. The agent needs a New Jersey street address (a PO Box can only ride along with one, never replace it) and presence during business hours. The agent's details sit on the public record for the life of the LLC. List us and your own address never appears.
- File the Certificate of Formation and pay the $125 fee. Submit online through the DORES Business Formation portal or by paper through the Public Records Filing pages. New Jersey does not publish a guaranteed turnaround, so check the portal for current processing times before you plan around a date.
- Put together an operating agreement. The state never sees it, but it decides ownership splits, profit flow, decision rights, and member exits. Without one, the default rules of the LLC Act decide those questions for you.
- Obtain the federal EIN. Free from the IRS at IRS.gov, issued at the end of a short online application. Never pay a third party for one.
- Stay compliant. Keep an agent on file continuously, file the $75 annual report by the last day of your formation anniversary month (online only, through the DORES annual report service), keep company and personal finances strictly separate, and stay current on federal and state taxes. Two consecutive missed annual reports can end in administrative dissolution.
Let us file? $199 once, we handle preparation and submission for the New Jersey LLC.
The Registered Agent Piece
Every LLC formed in New Jersey carries a continuous registered agent obligation, no carve-outs. The agent's job:
- Keep an in-state New Jersey street address on file (a PO Box alone will not do)
- Be present during the business day to take in court service
- Move legal mail and state notices along fast enough that the LLC keeps its full response time
Naming yourself works if you are a New Jersey resident, but it publishes your address in the state's records, where anyone with a browser can find it.
$99 per year covers our RA service in New Jersey. Our address takes the public exposure so yours stays private.
New Jersey LLC FAQ
How much does it cost to form an LLC in New Jersey?
The state charges $125 for the Certificate of Formation. After that, plan on the $75 annual report every year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in New Jersey?
New Jersey does not commit to a fixed turnaround. Check the DORES Business Formation portal for current processing times; online submissions enter the state's queue the moment you pay.
Does New Jersey require an annual report?
Yes, annually. The state fee is $75, due by the last day of your formation anniversary month, filed online.
Do I need a registered agent for my New Jersey LLC?
Yes. The requirement is continuous from formation through dissolution.
Can I form an LLC in New Jersey if I live in another state?
Yes. New Jersey does not restrict ownership to residents, but a New Jersey registered agent is still mandatory, and we cover that.
Get Your New Jersey LLC Filed
DIY filing remains open through the DORES Business Formation portal, with $125 as the state's share. Prefer to hand it off? Our filing service prepares and submits everything.
Sign up for our agent product and list us on your New Jersey LLC's filing: your agent address handled, same-day document scans, and compliance alerts before every deadline.
Want the agent product without the LLC formation? The registered agent product is $99/year.
Need help with New Jersey LLC formation or our agent service? Browse our FAQ or email us Monday through Friday.
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