New Jersey Secretary of State
Form your New Jersey LLC, Corporation, or Nonprofit with chat-first AI business formation. State filing, registered agent, EIN, and ongoing compliance workflows — connected from the start.
New Jersey Business Filing Overview
The Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services — Business Formation is the state authority responsible for registering LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, and other business entities in New Jersey. The standard LLC formation fee is $125 with a processing time of 5-7 days. Online filing is available.
New Jersey Entity Requirements
State-specific governance rules for New Jersey LLCs, Corporations, and Nonprofits.
Members
| Minimum required | 1 |
|---|---|
| Residency required | No |
Management Structure
| Default | Member Managed |
|---|
Member-managed unless the operating agreement expressly provides manager management; managers need not be members.
Operating Agreement
| Required to file | No |
|---|
Optional and may be oral, in a record, implied, or any combination thereof.
Annual Meeting
| Required | No |
|---|
No statutory annual meeting requirement for LLCs.
Formation Filings in New Jersey
These are the primary documents filed with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services — Business Formation to create a new legal entity. Each entity type has different requirements, fees, and processing times.
Articles of Incorporation
Corporation| Agency: | Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $125 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
| Expedited: | Yes — $25 for 24 hours processing |
What to know
- Includes authorized shares and par value
- Names the registered agent
- Sets the corporation's purpose
Articles of Organization
LLC| Agency: | Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $125 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
| Expedited: | Yes — $25 for 24 hours processing |
What to know
- Names the registered agent and required filing contact information
- Sets the registered office address
- May include an optional effective date
Articles of Incorporation (Nonprofit)
Nonprofit| Agency: | Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $75 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
What to know
- Public benefit purpose statement required
- Asset dedication language for IRS
- Members or directors structure
Foreign Qualification
LLCCorporation| Agency: | Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $125 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
What to know
- Required when operating, hiring employees, or owning property in another state
- Needs Certificate of Good Standing from home state
- Creates registered agent and annual report obligations in the new state
Ongoing Compliance in New Jersey
After formation, New Jersey entities must maintain ongoing filings to remain in good standing. Missing deadlines can result in late fees, administrative dissolution, and loss of liability protection.
Annual Report
LLCCorporationNonprofit| Agency: | Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $75 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | Immediate |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
| Due Date: | Anniversary month |
| Filing Period: | Annual |
What to know
- Due date varies by state (often anniversary date or fixed month)
- Filing fees range $10–$825 by state
- Failure to file results in administrative dissolution
Amendment to Formation Documents
LLCCorporationNonprofit| Agency: | Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $50 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
What to know
- Board or member approval typically required
- Certified copy may be needed for banks and contracts
- Most states allow online amendment filing
Articles of Dissolution
LLCCorporationNonprofit| Agency: | Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $95 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
| Tax Clearance: | Required |
What to know
- May require tax clearance before filing
- Assets must be distributed before dissolution
- Protects against future liability claims
Change of Registered Agent
LLCCorporationNonprofit| Agency: | Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $25 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 5-7 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
What to know
- Must be maintained at all times
- Registered agent must be available during business hours
- Can be an individual or registered agent service
Document Retrieval in New Jersey
Certified documents from the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services — Business Formation are often required by banks, investors, lenders, and for foreign qualification in other states.
Certificate of Good Standing
LLCCorporationNonprofit| Agency: | Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $25 + processing fee if filing online |
| Processing Time: | 1-2 days |
| Filing Method: | Online or Mail |
What to know
- Required by most banks when opening accounts
- Needed for foreign qualification in other states
- Typically valid for 30–90 days
Apostille
LLCCorporationNonprofit| Agency: | Treasury - Division of Revenue |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee: | $25 |
| Processing Time: | 3-5 days |
| Filing Method: | Mail Only |
What to know
- Required for international business expansion
- Issued by Secretary of State office
- Attaches to formation documents and good standing certificates
New Jersey Tax Snapshot
Understanding New Jersey's tax environment is critical for choosing the right formation state and planning your entity's ongoing obligations.
New Jersey individual income tax rates range from 1.4–10.75%. Corporate Business Tax rates up to 9%. State sales tax 6.625% (reduced from 7% in 2018); some municipalities have Urban Enterprise Zones at half rate.
New Jersey Agency Directory
Key government agencies for New Jersey business formation, tax registration, and employer compliance.
Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services — Business Formation
Primary filing authority for New Jersey business entities
Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
Entity formation, annual reports
NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Unemployment insurance, employer registration, NJ-927
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