In New Jersey the LLC document is called a Certificate of Formation. It is filed with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services in the Department of the Treasury, which also keeps the business register. The fee is $100.
If you searched for New Jersey articles of organization, this is the filing you want. The guide describes the process and is not legal advice. The office itself is covered in the New Jersey office guide.
Where do you file a New Jersey certificate of formation?
Online, in the business formation service on the NJ portal. The Division also offers over-the-counter service, which is the only way to buy expedited handling. Check the Division's formation pages for the filing steps that fit your entity type.
| LLC form | Certificate of Formation (nj.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Corporation form | Certificate of Incorporation (nj.gov, checked ) |
| State filing fee for an LLC | $100 (nj.gov, checked ) |
| State filing fee for a corporation | $100 (nj.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | Expedited service is over-the-counter only, so it cannot be bought for online or mailed filings (nj.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | A name already in use gets the filing denied. Spacing and punctuation count when you check a name. (nj.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing (all filings) | Over-the-counter only: 2-hour $500 per document; 1-hour $1,000 per document; same day (fax filing, LLC/LLP) $50; standard expedite $15 to $25 depending on entity type. Annual reports cannot be expedited. (nj.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file online | njportal.com/DOR/BusinessFormation/Home/Welcome (nj.gov, checked ) |
What does it cost and how fast is it?
The state fee is $100 for the LLC certificate of formation. Other entities are close. A for-profit certificate of incorporation is $100 and a nonprofit one is $50. A foreign LLC that registers in the state pays $100 too.
The Division does not publish a processing time on the pages we read, so we do not give one. Speed is bought only in person. Expedited service applies to over-the-counter transactions: 2-hour service is $500 per document and 1-hour service is $1,000 per document, on top of the filing fee.
Checking and reserving the name
A new entity needs a name that is not the same as, or similar to, another active entity. The name look-up service on the Division's site tells you if a name is free. Be exact. The spacing of letters and punctuation changes the result.
If the name is already in use when you file, the registration is denied. You carry the cost of correcting it.
Reserving costs $50 and lasts 6 months. The state calls it optional and not recommended, because a reserved name cannot be used to sign up in the online system. Cancelling is a long process that also costs a fee.
Registered agent
An LLC must designate and continuously maintain a New Jersey office and an agent for service of process. The agent is an individual who lives in New Jersey or another person authorized to do business in the state. The LLC pays $25 to change its registered office or agent later. If no agent is in place, the filing office becomes an agent for service of process.
After the certificate is filed
The LLC owes an annual report, and the fee is $75. Two consecutive years of missed reports can lead to a voided charter. Our guide on how to file an annual report explains the idea, and the New Jersey annual report page gives the detail. For how formation filings work in general, see the articles of organization guide.
You can file at the state yourself, and state fees are separate. If you want help, you can ask our private filing service.
Sources
- www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/fees.shtml: LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/gettingregistered.shtml: online filing. Checked .
- www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/fees.shtml: llc form, corporation form, faster processing. Checked .
- www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/checkbusiness.shtml: worth knowing. Checked .