New Jersey made forming an LLC a little cheaper in 2026: the state filing fee for a Certificate of Formation dropped to $100 on July 1, 2026. After that, the main ongoing obligation is an annual report costing $75, due in the month your LLC was formed each year. Skip it for two years running and the state can revoke the LLC. If your LLC has more than two owners and is taxed as a partnership, also plan for New Jersey’s per-owner partnership filing fee.
New Jersey LLC at a glance
Fees and deadlines from official state sources| Formation document | Certificate of Formation (filed through the Public Records Filing for a new business entity) |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $100 |
| Processing / expedite | Standard processing time not published. Expedited service $25 (over the counter), same-day $50 (fax filing), 2-hour $500, 1-hour $1,000 |
| Annual report | $75, due each year in your formation anniversary month |
| State LLC tax | No separate annual LLC franchise tax for a typical LLC; LLCs taxed as partnerships with more than two owners pay a partnership filing fee of $150 per owner |
| Registered agent | Required, with a New Jersey street address |
| Newspaper publication | Not part of DORES’s LLC formation instructions |
| Where to file | NJ online business formation service |
Step 1Pick a name the state will accept
Under New Jersey’s LLC law, your name has to include “limited liability company,” “LLC” or “L.L.C.” You can shorten “Limited” to “Ltd.” and “Company” to “Co.” The name also has to be distinguishable from other names already on the state’s records, and it can’t use a word that another New Jersey law restricts unless you meet that law’s conditions. If you leave the designator off your filing, DORES adds one for you.
Check availability with the free Business Name Availability search. If you are not ready to file, you can reserve a name for $50. The statute holds a reserved LLC name for 120 days.
Step 2Name a registered agent in New Jersey
Every New Jersey LLC must keep a registered office and an agent for service of process in the state at all times. The agent can be a New Jersey resident or a business authorized to operate in New Jersey. You list one agent only, and the registered office must be a New Jersey street address. A PO box is allowed only if you also give the street address. You can serve as your own agent if you live in New Jersey and are willing to have legal papers delivered to that address, which becomes public record.
Step 3File the Certificate of Formation
Most people file online through the state’s business formation service. The filing asks for:
- the LLC’s name and entity type
- a business purpose
- the registered agent’s name and the registered office address
- a main business address
- the duration, which you leave blank if the LLC is meant to last indefinitely
- the signature of an authorized representative
The fee is $100. DORES does not publish a standard turnaround time. If you need it faster, the state offers paid tiers: expedited handling at $25 per filing (returned within 8.5 business hours), same-day service at $50 for requests received by noon on a workday, and 2-hour or 1-hour service at $500 or $1,000 per document. Paper filings can also go by mail to DORES in Trenton.
Step 4Register for New Jersey taxes
Once the LLC exists, New Jersey expects you to file Form NJ-REG to register for tax and employer purposes. The state’s filing packet says to submit it within 60 days of forming the entity. Registration is done online, and you get a Business Registration Certificate, which you must display at your place of business. DORES also tells LLCs to get an EIN before registering. The EIN is free from the IRS.
Step 5File the annual report every year
New Jersey LLCs file an annual report in the anniversary month of their formation. Business.NJ.gov puts the deadline at the last day of that month. The fee is $75, filed through the online annual report service. Paying by credit card adds a $3 service fee per filing (electronic check costs less). The report lists the LLC’s address, its registered agent, and its managing members or managers.
The state sends a reminder to your registered agent about 60 days ahead, but the duty to file is yours even if no notice arrives. If you miss two consecutive years, the state can revoke the LLC. Reinstating an LLC costs $75 plus every unpaid annual report, and a tax clearance certificate may be required if the revocation is more than two years old.
Step 6Finish the setup
Write an operating agreement. New Jersey doesn’t ask you to file it, but it sets out who owns what and how decisions get made. Open a business bank account under the LLC’s name and EIN. Then check with your town or county for any local permits or licenses your type of business needs.
What a New Jersey LLC costs
| Certificate of Formation (one time) | $100 |
|---|---|
| Name reservation (optional, one time) | $50 |
| Expedited processing (optional) | $25 to $1,000 |
| EIN | Free from the IRS |
| Annual report (yearly) | $75, plus $3 if paid by card online |
| Partnership filing fee (yearly, if it applies) | $150 per owner, for partnership-taxed LLCs with more than two owners and New Jersey income or loss |
How New Jersey compares
State filing fee to form an LLC, next to neighboring states. The national median is $100.
National median · Fees from each state's official sources; some states charge a different amount online or by mail. If you live and run your business in New Jersey, forming your LLC in another state usually means also registering it here as a foreign LLC, so you pay both states' fees.
New Jersey taxes to know about
An LLC treated as a partnership for federal tax purposes files New Jersey’s partnership return, Form NJ-1065, when it has a New Jersey resident owner or New Jersey-source income or loss. If it has more than two owners and New Jersey-source income or loss, it also owes a filing fee of $150 for each owner, capped at $250,000. For a calendar-year LLC, the return and fee are due April 15. The Division of Taxation’s instructions don’t plainly address single-member LLCs, so if you own one alone, confirm your filing duties with the Division or a tax professional. Sales tax, payroll and income tax obligations depend on what you sell and whether you hire. Your NJ-REG registration covers these.
File it yourself or use a formation service?
New Jersey’s online filing is short, and if you file it yourself you pay only the state fee. A paid formation service can handle the paperwork, act as your registered agent and remind you about annual reports. That helps if you don’t have a New Jersey address or prefer not to track deadlines yourself. You still pay the same state fees on top of what the service charges, so compare what’s included before you pay.
What changed in 2026
On June 30, 2026, Governor Sherrill signed A-5325/S-4534, a law that lowers business formation fees by $25. For LLCs, the Certificate of Formation fee went from $125 to $100, effective July 1, 2026. The annual report fee did not change.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in New Jersey?
The state fee is $100 for the Certificate of Formation. Name reservation and expedited processing are optional extras.
When is my first New Jersey annual report due?
Annual reports are due in your LLC’s formation anniversary month. Business.NJ.gov sets the deadline at the last day of that month.
Does New Jersey require LLCs to publish a newspaper notice?
No. DORES’s LLC formation instructions don’t include a publication step.
What happens if I don’t file the annual report?
After two consecutive years without a report, the state can revoke the LLC. Reinstatement costs $75 plus all overdue reports.
Can I be my own registered agent in New Jersey?
Yes, if you live in New Jersey and can receive legal papers at a New Jersey street address.
Sources
- NJ DORES: Filing fees
- NJ DORES: Getting registered
- NJ online business formation service
- NJ DORES: Business registration packet (PDF)
- NJ DORES: Check business name availability
- NJ Business Name Availability search
- NJ Online Annual Report: FAQ
- Business.NJ.gov: Taxes and annual report
- NJ DORES: Reinstate a revoked or voided business
- Business.NJ.gov: Register for taxes
- NJ online business registration (NJ-REG)
- NJ Division of Taxation: NJ-1065 instructions (PDF)
- NJ Legislature: Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (P.L. 2012, c.50)
- NJ Legislature: A-5325 (reduces business formation fees)
- Office of the Governor: Bill action, June 30, 2026
- IRS: Get an Employer Identification Number