New Jersey · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in New Jersey
New Jersey will fix a missing designator for you, but the annual report date is yours to track.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in New Jersey, file a Certificate of Incorporation with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. At checkout that is $104 for New Jersey plus $123.75 for our formation, $227.75 before card processing. The state fee is $100. Each year after that you file an annual report for $75, due the last day of your formation month.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in New Jersey, step by step?
If you leave the corporate designator off the name, the Division of Revenue adds one for you. Choose your own so the name on your paperwork is the one you picked.
Choose and check the name
End the name with Inc., Corp., Corporation, Ltd., Co. or Company. The Division checks availability when it reviews your filing. See the New Jersey name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File certificate of incorporation
File the Certificate of Incorporation with New Jersey. The fee at our checkout is $104. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
A New Jersey certificate of incorporation lists the initial board of directors, with a minimum of 1, and at least 1 incorporator. 5 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Before you pay wages, open a payroll withholding account with the state’s tax department, and a sales tax account if you sell taxable goods or services.
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the New Jersey annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in New Jersey?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $104 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $227.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $282.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $326 | At filing |
| Annual Report (each year) | $75 6 | last day of the month in which you formed the business |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. State fees: the state's published fee for the Certificate of Incorporation is $100; our checkout charges $104 on the state side, and the state's fee schedule does not itemize the other $4. You see it before you pay.
New Jersey at a glance
| Question | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Certificate of Incorporation, $100 1 |
| Expedited filing | expedited, per filing (over-the-counter) $15, 2 hour, per document $500, 1 hour, per document $1,000 2 |
| Name rule | Name followed by an acceptable designator such as Inc., Corp., Corporation, Ltd., Co. or Company; the Division adds one if you leave it out 3 |
| Registered agent | One registered agent (individual or registered business) and a New Jersey street address; a P.O. box only if the street address is also listed 4 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director 5 |
| Annual report | Annual Report, $75, due last day of the month in which you formed the business 6 |
| Corporate income tax | 6.5%, 7.5% or 9% on all income, by income level, minimum $500 7 |
Do I need a registered agent in New Jersey?
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 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. New Jersey registered agent rules.
What goes in the New Jersey certificate of incorporation?
File a Certificate of Incorporation with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. It names one registered agent, a New Jersey street address for the registered office, the initial board and an incorporator.
New Jersey adds $15 per filing for expedited over-the-counter service on corporations, $500 for 2-hour service and $1000 for 1-hour service, each in addition to the filing fee. 2
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a New Jersey corporation owe?
The annual report confirms your registered agent and address. Expedited service is not available for it, and missing it can lead to loss of your charter.
- New Jersey's annual report costs $75 and is due every year on the last day of the month in which you formed the business. 6
- For 2026, the New Jersey Corporation Business Tax is 9% of allocated net income, 7.5% if net income is $100,000 or less and 6.5% if it is $50,000 or less, with a gross-receipts minimum tax of $500 to $2,000. 7
How do I start an S corp in New Jersey?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 9. New Jersey follows the federal S election for federal approval letters dated on or after December 22, 2022, with no separate state S election, but the business must be registered with the state as a corporation (an 1120 filer). 8
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read New Jersey: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in New Jersey?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in New Jersey.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in New Jersey as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in New Jersey?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your New Jersey corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($104), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in New Jersey?
$100 for the Certificate of Incorporation. Expedited service is extra: $15 per filing over the counter, $500 for 2 hours, $1000 for 1 hour.
Do I have to put Inc. or Corp. in the name?
You should. The Division adds a designator if you leave it out.
How many directors does a New Jersey corporation need?
At least one, plus at least 1 incorporator.
Can a New Jersey registered agent use a P.O. box?
Only if you also list a street address.
Sources 9 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- New Jersey's Division of Revenue lists $100 as the filing fee for a for-profit certificate of incorporation. nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- New Jersey adds $15 per filing for expedited over-the-counter service on corporations, $500 for 2-hour service and $1000 for 1-hour service, each in addition to the filing fee. nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A New Jersey corporation's name should end with a designator such as Inc., Corp., Corporation, Ltd., Co. or Company, and the Division adds an appropriate one if you leave it out. nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- 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. nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A New Jersey certificate of incorporation lists the initial board of directors, with a minimum of 1, and at least 1 incorporator. nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- New Jersey's annual report costs $75 and is due every year on the last day of the month in which you formed the business. business.nj.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- For 2026, the New Jersey Corporation Business Tax is 9% of allocated net income, 7.5% if net income is $100,000 or less and 6.5% if it is $50,000 or less, with a gross-receipts minimum tax of $500 to $2,000. nj.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- New Jersey follows the federal S election for federal approval letters dated on or after December 22, 2022, with no separate state S election, but the business must be registered with the state as a corporation (an 1120 filer). nj.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.