New Jersey · Start a business
How to start a business in New Jersey
New Jersey requires every business to register through Form NJ-REG, filed online.
See the checklistShort answer
To start a business in New Jersey, pick a structure and file with the Division of Revenue: $129 for an LLC, $100 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.
Last checked .What do you file before you open in New Jersey?
Pick a structure
Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See New Jersey LLC guide, New Jersey corporation guide, S corp or C corp in New Jersey. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.
Check and register the name
Search the Division of Revenue records before you pick a name: state name search. New Jersey sole proprietors and general partnerships that do not want to use a personal name register a business name at the local clerk's office, while LLCs and corporations register an alternate name with the state after formation. 1 See New Jersey name search guide.
File with the state
New Jersey charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $129 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $100 3. See LLC cost.
Name a registered agent
A New Jersey filing names one registered agent and a New Jersey street address for the registered office; a P.O. box can be used only if the street address is also listed. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See New Jersey registered agent rules.
Which accounts do you open after you file in New Jersey?
Get an EIN
An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. 5
Open your state tax accounts
The New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services takes tax and employer registration through Form NJ-REG, which is filed online after the business has an employer identification number. 6 See Sales tax permit.
Register as an employer
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development treats a business as an employer once it employs one or more individuals and pays wages of $1,000 or more in a calendar year, after which it files quarterly wage reports on Form WR-30. 7 Federal and state law has New Jersey employers report newly hired and rehired employees to the New Jersey State Directory of New Hire within 20 days of hire, using the New Jersey Child Support Employer Services Portal. 8 The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development says all New Jersey employers not covered by federal programs need workers' compensation coverage or approval for self-insurance, and that corporations need it once any individual, including an officer, performs services for pay. 9
What keeps your New Jersey business in good standing?
Check licenses and permits
All individuals or companies doing business in New Jersey must be registered with the Department of the Treasury's Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, through the NJ-REG form. 10
Calendar the yearly filings
New Jersey annual report: $75, due the last day of your formation anniversary month. 11 See New Jersey annual report.
Use free local help
Small business advising in New Jersey runs through the New Jersey Small Business Development Center. 12 Business.NJ.gov is the State of New Jersey's one-stop business portal, offering a personalized business starter kit, funding opportunities, tax obligations and applications for required business licenses. 13
What it costs to start a business in New Jersey
Do you need a business license in New Jersey?
It depends on the trade and the place. The U.S. Small Business Administration says most small businesses need a combination of licenses and permits from federal and state agencies, and that requirements and fees depend on the business activity and the issuing agency. 15 New Jersey's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: Business.NJ.gov.
How to register a business name in New Jersey
| Question | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Where it is filed | With the county 1 |
| Office | local clerk's office |
| What it is called | business name |
Check that the name is free first: state name search.
Also in New Jersey
- Register before opening. New Jersey asks a new business to register with the State at least 15 business days before opening, so the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services can send the forms needed for state tax compliance. 16
- RetireReady NJ retirement program. New Jersey requires employers with 10 or more employees that have been in business in the state for at least two years and offer no qualified retirement plan to register with RetireReady NJ. 17
More for New Jersey
Start your New Jersey business
We file it, and the state fee shows before you pay.
Start my LLCCommon questions
What are the steps to start a business in New Jersey?
Pick a structure, file with the Division of Revenue, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.
What does it cost to register a business in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, an LLC filing is $129 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $100. The annual report is $75 each year.
Can I start a business in New Jersey with no money?
New Jersey charges $129 to file an LLC, and the annual report is $75 each year. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. The New Jersey Small Business Development Center network is administered and funded in part by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and offers no-cost, 1-on-1 consultation with business experts.
Are there small business grants in New Jersey?
The State of New Jersey's Business.NJ.gov funding page says opportunities for startup capital or expansion loans are available through various lenders and programs, with a filter for grants, loans and tax credits.
What is the New Jersey SBDC?
The New Jersey Small Business Development Center network is administered and funded in part by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and offers no-cost, 1-on-1 consultation with business experts.
Sources 18 links, checked Nov 13, 2026
- DBA or trade name registration business.nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Official state fee schedule for LLC filings nj.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
- Corporation filing nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Registered agent rule nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- State tax registration nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Unemployment insurance registration nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- New hire reporting njchildsupport.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Workers' compensation coverage nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- General business license nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- New Jersey annual report njportal.com, checked Sep 1, 2026
- Small Business Development Center njsbdc.com, checked Nov 13, 2026
- State business portal business.nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Register before opening nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- RetireReady NJ retirement program nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- State small business funding business.nj.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.