New Jersey LLC Formation Service

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How to Form an LLC in New Jersey

Order your LLC Formation online. It's easy to follow the screens which guide you through the decisions to customize your LLC the way you want.

  • Trusted formation services. We serve the compliance needs of 40,000 companies (and counting).
  • Immediate online access to your formation wizard, project status, and powerful integration with the secretary of state database to detect when your LLC has been approved.
  • Affordable investment starting at $99 to set up your limited liability protection.
- Rated 4.4/5 by 104 clients on Google
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This guide to starting an LLC in New Jersey provides step-by-step instructions on filing formation documents, obtaining tax IDs, and setting up company records.

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Overview

LLCs are the most popular business structure because they are inexpensive to form, provide flexibility to the owners, and are easy to run. Forming your LLC legally establishes your business, limits your personal liability, and gains tax flexibility. The following step-by-step will help you as you undertake this process.

Fast Facts: Your Budget and Timeline

Here is an overview of the total paperwork, cost, and time it takes to form an LLC in New Jersey. Be sure to read the final step in this guide - "Ongoing Filings" - to understand your ongoing costs to maintain a compliant New Jersey LLC.


Paperwork
Cost
  • Formation: $125 + optional $25-$1,000 expedite fee + optional $.10/page for a return fax
Time
  • Formation: ~4 weeks. ~8.5 hours for $25 expedited fee. Same-day for $50 expedite fee. ~2 hours for $500 expedite fee. ~1 hour for $1,000 expedite fee.

Step-by-Step New Jersey LLC Instructions

  1. Check Name Availability

    The legal name of your LLC may not conflict with any other registered name. Check availability of your desired name by conducting a name search.

    Name Search: New Jersey Department of the Treasury
    Name search
    Name Reservation: Optional
    Suffix:

    The name of a limited liability company shall contain the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "L.L.C." or "LLC". "Limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd.", and "company" may be abbreviated as "Co.". 
    New Jersey Statutes 42:2C-8

  2. Appoint a Registered Agent

    Before you officially file to create your New Jersey LLC, you will need to decide who your New Jersey registered agent will be. A registered agent is a business's legal appointee to receive notice of lawsuit and other legal or government notices.

    State law requires every LLC to have a registered agent. The registered agent is designated when you file New Jersey articles of organization with the New Jersey Department of the Treasury.

    Our reliable registered agent service fulfills this requirement. You get:

    • Same-day documents from our local office in Marlton
    • Immediate online access to state forms with our address and, where required, our signature
    • Annual fees from $89 to $99 per state with no additional charges

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  3. File New Jersey Certificate of Formation

    File the articles of organization to create your limited liability company.

    Agency:New Jersey Department of the Treasury
    Form:

    Public Records Filing for New Business Entity

    Filing Method:

    Mail, in-person, fax, or online

    Agency Fee:

    $125 + optional $25-$1,000 expedite fee + optional $.10/page for a return fax

    Turnaround:

    ~4 weeks. ~8.5 hours for $25 expedited fee. Same-day for $50 expedite fee. ~2 hours for $500 expedite fee. ~1 hour for $1,000 expedite fee.

    Law:

    New Jersey Statutes - 42:2C-1: Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act

    Notes:

    Include cover letter or self-addressed stamped envelope for return

  4. Establish Company Records

    Your LLC must keep correct and complete books and records. Your filed articles of organization are the first documents for your LLC’s records. Your LLC will generate many other official records such as:

    • Meeting minutes
    • Operating agreement
    • EIN verification letter
    • Amendments and other filings made to the LLC throughout its lifetime

    Organizations need a secure, centralized tool for managing and accessing sensitive records. Our Records Manager software offers a simple, efficient way for LLCs to store records, track members and managers, and customize meeting notifications.

  5. Create the Operating Agreement

    Draft an Operating Agreement (potentially using a template) which is the governing document for the LLC. It defines the formalities of how the LLC will run itself such as holding an annual meeting. You will review and adopt the agreement at your organizational meeting.

  6. Hold the Organizational Meeting

    The first meeting of the members of the LLC is the organizational meeting. You will need your filed articles of organization and your operating agreement in order to conduct this meeting. Keep minutes of this meeting and store them in your company record book.

  7. Get a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)

    If your LLC has more than one member or will hire employees, it must obtain an EIN. An EIN is also often required to open a bank account.

    Agency:Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
    Form:

    IRS Form SS-4

    Instructions:

    Applying for an EIN without a SSN/TIN:

    • Online applications are not accepted if an individual does not have a SSN/TIN.
    • Form SS-4 must be completed, signed, and faxed to the IRS, leaving the SSN/TIN field blank or adding the terminology "foreign" to that line item.
    • To follow up on the application, call the IRS and ensure they received the application. 
      • Depending on the agent you speak with, you may be able to obtain the EIN over the phone. The IRS may then fax the EIN documentation back to you.
    Filing Method:

    Mail, phone, fax, or online.

    IRS fee:

    $0

    Turnaround:

    Immediately online or by phone. 4 business days by fax. 4-5 weeks by mail.

    Notes:

    The IRS website is only available during certain hours. Print your EIN before closing your session. For additional guidance, see IRS Pub 1635: Understanding Your EIN.

  8. Get New Jersey State Tax Identification Numbers/Accounts

    This filing registers your LLC for applicable taxes.

    Submit to:
    State of New Jersey - Department of the Treasury
    http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/index.shtml
    Form:
    Form NJ-REJ: Business Registration Form
    Guidance:
    Registration Forms and Information
    Fee:
    $0
    Filing Method:
    Mail or online
    Notes:
    • Submit within 60 days of filing business entity.
    • If the LLC will collect sales tax, submit NJ-REG at least 15 days prior to the date of your first sale. You will receive a Certificate of Authority for sales tax and 12-digit identification number.
  9. Report Beneficial Ownership Information to FinCEN

    As of January 1, 2024, millions of entities in the US need to report beneficial ownership information (BOI) to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as part of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). LLCs formed before that date must submit BOI before January 1, 2025, while those formed after must submit it within 30 days of formation.

    Our BOI reporting service completes the initial filing and provides support for updating your information going forward. We will:

    1. Submit your beneficial ownership filings to FinCEN
    2. Handle initial filing, updates, and changes as needed
    3. Ensure compliance with BOI reporting requirements for $149 per year

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  10. Consider Electing S-Corp or C-Corp Taxation

    By default, your LLC receives pass-through taxation and the vast majority of LLCs keep this tax classification. Some LLCs benefit from electing S-Corp or C-Corp tax treatment:

    • S-Corp treatment can help owner-employees who earn more than ~$75,000 per year save on self-employment taxes. File Form 2553: S-Corp Election.
    • C-Corps suffer from double taxation: the corporation pays taxes on profits then members pay taxes on their distributions. If profits exceed $250,000 per owner, you provide employee benefits, or you will re-invest most of your profit in the business, you may benefit from the low tax rates on retained earnings under C-Corp treatment. File Form 8832: C-Corp Election.
  11. Obtain Business Licenses & Permits

    To run your business legally, you must obtain applicable licenses and permits. The easiest way to navigate the wide range of federal, state, and local requirements is to search by your business type and locality using the Small Business Administration Business License & Permit look-up tool.


    New Jersey Business License

    Not required



    General Business License licensure is not required on the State level in New Jersey.

    New Jersey does not have a general business license at the state level, but local licenses are often required.

  12. Ongoing Filings to Maintain Your LLC

    You must file federal and state tax returns.

    Many states also require business entities to file an annual report to maintain good standing with the secretary of state. If an annual report is required for LLCs formed in New Jersey, view the table below.


    New Jersey Corporation Annual Report Requirements:

    Agency:New Jersey Department of the Treasury
    Filing Method:

    Online

    Agency Fee:

    $75 + $3 credit card fee

    Due:

    • Annually by the end of the month prior to the registration anniversary month. If you incorporated or foreign-qualified on April 15, then your annual report is due every year by March 31.
    • Reports may be filed up to 30 days before or up to 30 days after the due date without penalty.
    Law:

    NJ Stat. § 14A:4-5

    Original Ink:Not required
    Notarize:Not required
    Penalties:

    No late fee. Your business can be dissolved or revoked if you fail to file 2 annual reports in a row.

    Notes:
    • Either the registered agent or a corporate officer may file.
    • Changing the registered agent or registered office is an additional $25 fee.

    For more details, see our New Jersey annual report information center page.

    As your LLC grows, you will need to demonstrate your company’s good standing to banks, customers, and other state agencies. After all the work involved in forming your New Jersey LLC, don’t let a missed annual report filing cause your new business to fall out of compliance.

    Tracking and filing annual reports on your own can be time consuming and lead to accidental lapses. Protect your LLC’s good standing with Managed Annual Report Service, which tracks and automatically files reports on time, every time, so you can focus on your business.

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I couldn’t have asked or even imagined such an incredibly smooth process in getting all the licenses I need for my business. Both Cliff and John were such an incredible support to me. They made this process “cake!” I couldn’t be happier with their knowledge and patience with me through this super fast process (less than a week). They leave nothing to chance and make sure twice or more that all is correct. I’d recommend this company strongly in that they are very competent as well as hard workers. And they are very kind people. I can’t thank you enough! Very, very pleased. You are good at what you do.
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Starting from scratch to create a sole proprietor LLC was easy with help from Harbor Compliance. They saved me time, money, and confusion. Along the way they gave me pointers that helped me correct earlier errors. I am most pleased.
DanDan Rosenblum Biomedical Consultant, LLC
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DouglasDouglas Thomas Limited
I set up my LLC on my own and did not do as thorough a job with all of the details required in making a new business compliant. Harbor has helped me to understand what's needed and why, and they pointed out the details that I didn't bother to pay attention to!

In addition to Harbor's help completing the details of my LLC they also helped me set up my first employee on a payroll. I had tried to do this in my own but became overwhelmed by the details and the process. It was not overwhelming to Harbor and they took care of the whole thing.
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I was in need of having my LLC on record in Tennessee as fast as possible. I went to Harbor Compliance and spoke to Alexa, an account executive, and then my compliance support specialist, John, forwarded me the required document to be signed. In less than 48 hours, Harbor had my certificate of good standing from West Virginia and had my LLC filed with the Tennessee secretary of state. I now plan to do business in Tennessee right away. Both John and Alexa were very responsive and quick to reply to any questions I had. I look forward to doing business again with Harbor Compliance in the near future!!
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Professionalism. Courtesy. Promptness. In order to create a fantastic company, you need to partner with fantastic organizations to help guide you through unfamiliar terrain. Not only did Harbor Compliance assist our company in completing all necessary paperwork for our LLC, they proactively offered a time-effective strategy for completing all documentation so we could get back to business. In this day and age, companies need things done right-the first time. Harbor Compliance exceeded all expectations and is extremely easy to do business with. We couldn't have found a better partner.
AbdulSajiton, LLC
In today’s business world I often find what I am told will happen and when it will happen often doesn’t. However, with Harbor Compliance I am so pleased and surprised at the turnaround on the Certificates so far. What Cliff said would happen is almost complete once we receive the Certificate for New York. So, thank you!!!! I would highly recommend your service!!
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The Harbor Compliance team (Cliff and John) were invaluable in setting up my new LLC in a timely and efficient manner. Their knowledge, experience and quick responses to my questions provided me with peace of mind and allowed me to focus my energy where it was needed most. They continue to be highly responsive and helpful as questions arise. After looking at many other alternatives to set up my new LLC, I feel confident I made the right choice selecting Harbor Compliance for my business compliance needs.
AngelaThe Impact Collaborative, LLC
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I am an architect and was looking to set up an LLC. Being new to the state of Pennsylvania, I had a few questions about the process. After hearing Mike talk about Harbor Compliance, I jumped at the chance to have them walk me through it. Harbor Compliance set up everything for me. As a licensed professional, I needed to complete additional registration about the firm with the State Architects Licensure Board. Harbor took that on as well - plus they informed me of other requirements, like CROP, that I had not heard about. Mike kept in touch by email throughout - all for a fraction of the cost of hiring a lawyer. Nice work, Mike!
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Harbor Compliance's expertise allowed me to quickly register my LLC and start my Private Investigation business. They quickly and efficiently answered all of my questions. I would use Harbor Compliance again!
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LLC Formation Service   * Protect yourself form business liabilities   * Make it easy to run your business (compared ot a corporation)   * Save on taxes by selecting to be taxed as a partnership, S-Corp, or C-Corp  Order Now