File your New Jersey LLC yourself for $100.
Every step, in the order New Jersey actually wants them, using only the state and federal portals. No filing agency, no markup, no upsell. Most people finish in one sitting.
Written for single-member and multi-member LLCs formed in New Jersey. If you already filed, jump to ongoing compliance.
Multi-member LLCs may owe an additional NJ‑1065 partnership filing fee. See the full cost picture →
What you'd pay someone else to do this
Filing services bundle the state fee with their own charges. Here is a typical package priced against doing it yourself.
Typical online filing service
Composite of advertised mid-tier packages
- Formation package $299
- State fee, passed through $100
- EIN retrieval service $99
- Operating agreement add-on $125
Filing it yourself
State and federal portals only
- Certificate of Formation $100
- Federal EIN from IRS.gov $0
- NJ‑REG tax registration $0
- Operating agreement template $0
Service pricing shown is an illustrative composite of publicly advertised packages as of July 2026, not a quote from any named company. Providers change prices often and bundle differently; check current rates directly before comparing. The $100 state fee is fixed by New Jersey and is the same regardless of who files.
New Jersey wants your EIN before you file
Most states have you form the company first and get the federal EIN afterward. New Jersey's Division of Revenue instructs the opposite: clear your name, get the EIN from the IRS, then file the Certificate of Formation, then file NJ‑REG. The steps below follow the state's order. If you've read a guide that puts the EIN last, that guide was written for a different state.
Decide whether an LLC is the right structure
An LLC is the default choice for most New Jersey freelancers, contractors and small operators, because it separates your business from you personally without the paperwork load of a corporation. Three things it gives you:
A wall around your personal assets
Business debts and claims stop at the company. Your home, car and personal savings sit on the other side of that wall — as long as you keep the finances separate.
Profits pass straight through
No federal corporate tax layer. Income lands on your personal return. You can elect corporate or S-corp treatment later if the numbers justify it.
Banks and clients take you seriously
An entity ID and a Business Registration Certificate unlock business banking, net-30 vendor terms and public contracting work.
The complete cost picture
Formation is cheap. The recurring items are what people miss, and one of them scales with how many owners you have.
| What it is | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services |
Once, at formation | $100 |
| Federal EIN IRS — free from IRS.gov, always |
Once, before filing | $0 |
| Tax registration, Form NJ‑REG Required within 60 days of formation |
Once, after filing | $0 |
| Annual report + $3.00 card or $0.50 eCheck processing |
Every anniversary month | $75/yr |
| NJ‑1065 partnership filing fee Partnership-taxed LLCs with 3+ members and NJ-source income. Capped at $250,000. |
Annually, if it applies | $150 per partner |
| Registered agent change Only if you swap agents later |
As needed | $25 |
Three or more owners changes your annual math
A single-member LLC pays $100 to form and $75 a year after that. An LLC taxed as a partnership with three members and New Jersey-source income also owes the NJ‑1065 filing fee of $150 per partner — $450 a year on top of the report. Two-member LLCs are not subject to it. Worth knowing before you add a partner for a small equity slice.
New Jersey has no franchise tax and no minimum gross-receipts fee for LLCs, which keeps it cheaper to hold an entity here than in several neighbouring states.
Clear your name and name a registered agent
Your name has to be distinguishable from every entity already on New Jersey's register, and it must contain "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company". Check the state database before you get attached to anything.
Availability in the state register is not the same as availability everywhere. Before you spend the $100, check two other places: whether the matching domain is free, and whether the name collides with a live federal trademark in your class.
Advertising disclosure — the two links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We are not paid to rank them and you do not need either one to form your LLC. Every government link on this page is unpaid.
Buy the domain before you file, not after
Domains cost about $10 to $15 a year and take thirty seconds to secure. A state filing is $100 and a name change afterward means a Certificate of Amendment (Form L‑102) at another $100. Lock the cheap, reversible thing first.
Your registered agent
Every New Jersey LLC must list a registered agent with a physical street address in New Jersey to accept legal service and state mail. PO boxes are not accepted.
- Be your own agent — $0. Allowed if you're 18 or older with a physical NJ street address. The address becomes public record, which for home-based businesses means your home address is searchable.
- Hire a commercial agent — roughly $100 to $150 a year. Keeps your home address off the public register and means you won't miss service of process while you're away.
Get your federal EIN from the IRS
An EIN is the tax ID for your business. New Jersey's Division of Revenue tells LLCs to obtain it before filing the Certificate of Formation, so do this now rather than after.
Never pay for an EIN
The EIN is free from IRS.gov and takes about five minutes. Once your filing hits public record you will receive letters and ads offering to "process" your EIN for $75 to $300. These are not government notices. There is no expedited tier, no processing fee, and no reason to enter a payment card on any EIN application.
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Choose Limited Liability Company as the entity type
You'll be asked how many members. Answer honestly — it sets your default tax classification.
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Enter the responsible party
This is a real person, usually you, with a Social Security Number or ITIN. Not the company itself.
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Select "Started a new business" as the reason
Straightforward, but selecting the wrong reason can route you into a different form path.
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Choose "Receive letter online" and save the CP 575
This PDF is your EIN confirmation letter. Banks ask for it by name. The IRS will not reissue it — you can only request a substitute letter later, so download it now and back it up.
One EIN per responsible party per day, and no online path for non-residents
The IRS limits each responsible party to one EIN per day. If you're forming several entities, plan for several days.
The online application requires an SSN or ITIN. If you're a non-US resident without either, you cannot use it — file Form SS‑4 by fax or mail instead. Allow several weeks and file it well before you need the EIN for banking.
File the Certificate of Formation
This is the filing that creates your company. New Jersey calls the submission a Public Records Filing for New Business Entity; once approved it becomes your Certificate of Formation. File it online — mail filings take five to seven business days plus postal time, and cost the same.
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Open the business formation portal
Go to
njportal.com/DOR/BusinessFormationand select Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC). "Domestic" here means formed in New Jersey, regardless of where you live or hold citizenship. -
Enter your name, EIN and registered agent
The name must match what you cleared in step 2 and must include LLC or Limited Liability Company. Your registered agent needs a physical New Jersey street address.
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Write a broad business purpose
Unless a licensing board requires specific wording, keep it general: "To engage in any lawful activity for which a limited liability company may be organized under New Jersey law." A narrow purpose means an amendment — and another $100 — if you pivot.
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Pay $100 and download everything
Online filings are typically approved within one business day. Save the stamped Certificate of Formation PDF and write down your 10-digit Entity ID — that number is what NJ‑REG, the annual report and your bank will all ask for. The filing fee is non-refundable, so check the name spelling before you submit.
Draft your operating agreement now anyway
New Jersey doesn't require you to file one, and there's no fee. But banks routinely ask for it to open a business account, and for multi-member LLCs it's the document that settles ownership splits, profit distribution and what happens when someone wants out. Without it, state default rules decide those questions for you.
Register for New Jersey taxes with Form NJ‑REG
Formation and tax registration are two separate filings. Having a Certificate of Formation does not register you with the Division of Taxation. NJ‑REG is due within 60 days of formation, and at least 15 business days before you make any taxable sales.
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Enter your Entity ID and EIN
The 10-digit number from your Certificate of Formation, plus the federal EIN from step 3.
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Declare your tax obligations
Say whether you'll collect New Jersey sales tax (6.625%) and whether you'll have employees, which triggers payroll withholding registration.
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Download your Business Registration Certificate
The BRC usually issues within one to two business days. You need it for public contracting, state grants and tax credits — and most banks will ask to see it.
Bank account, FinCEN status and staying in good standing
Open a dedicated business account
Running business money through a personal account is called commingling, and it is the single most common way owners lose the liability protection they just paid for. If a court can't tell where you end and the company begins, it can decide there's no separation to respect. Open the account before your first client payment.
Bring all four documents — most banks want the full set:
- Stamped Certificate of Formation
- IRS EIN confirmation letter (CP 575)
- New Jersey Business Registration Certificate
- Operating agreement, signed
FinCEN beneficial ownership reporting
Your New Jersey LLC does not currently file a BOI report
Under the interim final rule FinCEN published on 26 March 2025, all entities created in the United States — including New Jersey LLCs — are exempt from beneficial ownership information reporting. Only companies formed under the law of a foreign country and registered to do business in a US state still have to file. Note that this turns on where the company was formed, not who owns it: a New Jersey LLC owned entirely by non-US citizens is still a domestic entity, and still exempt.
Two caveats. This is an interim rule and FinCEN has said it intends to issue a final one, so the position can change — re-check FinCEN's site before assuming you have no obligation. And FinCEN never charges a filing fee or mails demand letters, so any invoice you receive about BOI is a scam.
Your annual report
Every New Jersey LLC files an annual report by the last day of its anniversary month, starting the year after formation. It's $75 plus a small processing charge, filed online only. New Jersey charges no late fee — but miss two consecutive years and the state revokes your entity.
Getting reinstated after revocation costs considerably more than staying current: a $75 reinstatement fee, $75 for every delinquent report, and a $20 tax clearance certificate.
Work out your filing deadline
Enter the date your Certificate of Formation was approved and we'll calculate your recurring deadline and when the first report is due.
Set a repeating calendar reminder for two weeks before the deadline. New Jersey sends a courtesy notice, but the obligation is yours whether or not it arrives.
The things people ask after step 6
I formed my LLC before 1 July 2026 and paid $125. Can I get the difference back?
No. The reduced fee applies to filings submitted on or after 1 July 2026. Filings before that date were correctly charged at the rate then in effect, and there's no refund mechanism.
Should my LLC elect S-corp taxation?
It can reduce self-employment tax once profit is high enough to justify paying yourself a reasonable salary, but it adds payroll filings, more complex returns and accountant fees. The crossover point depends on your actual numbers. This is a question for a CPA with your figures in front of them, not a rule of thumb from a website.
I live in New York but want a New Jersey LLC. Does that work?
Yes. You can form a New Jersey LLC from anywhere. You still need a registered agent with a physical New Jersey street address, which usually means hiring a commercial agent. If you're actually operating in New York, you may also need to register there as a foreign LLC — operating in a state without registering carries its own penalties.
My business is already formed in another state. What do I file in New Jersey?
Not a Certificate of Formation. You file an application for authority as a foreign entity, which is also $100 following the July 2026 reduction. You'll then file NJ‑REG the same way a domestic LLC does.
How do I change my LLC's name or address later?
A Certificate of Amendment, Form L‑102, filed online for $100. If you've amended several times and want one clean document, a restated certificate (Form L‑112) is also $100. A registered agent change made through the annual report costs $25.
Do I need a business licence on top of all this?
Possibly. Formation and tax registration are state-level; licensing is often municipal or industry-specific. Contractors, food businesses, childcare, salons and many professional services need additional permits, and some towns require a mercantile licence for any business operating within their limits. Call your municipal clerk — it's a five-minute conversation that saves a lot of trouble.
What happens if I stop using the LLC?
Nothing good, if you just walk away. The annual report obligation continues, and two missed years trigger revocation. If you're finished with the entity, dissolve it properly — file a Certificate of Dissolution and obtain tax clearance, so the obligations actually end.
The offline toolkit
Everything above is free and always will be. This is for people who'd rather work from printed pages and editable files than a browser tab.
- PDF25-page playbook — the full guide with annotated portal screenshots, formatted to print.
- DOCXOperating agreement template — fillable, for single-member and multi-member LLCs.
- XLSXStartup expense tracker — categorised for Schedule C deductions.
- PDFCompliance one-pager — agency contacts, form numbers and your deadline dates on a single sheet.
One payment. Instant download.
Buy the toolkit — $19The operating agreement is a general-purpose template, not legal advice, and it has not been reviewed for your circumstances. We are not a law firm or a CPA firm, and buying this does not create an attorney–client relationship. If your ownership arrangement is unusual or contested, have a New Jersey attorney review it. See refund policy and terms.
This guide is maintained by Kensiyon LLC, a New Jersey company. We built it after going through the formation process ourselves and finding that most of the guides ranking on the first page were out of date, written for a different state, or quietly selling a $300 filing service.
Every fee and deadline on this page is checked against the Division of Revenue and IRS sources directly, and each section carries the date it was last reviewed. When New Jersey changed the formation fee on 1 July 2026, this page changed the same week — the struck-through $125 at the top of the page is deliberate, so you can see exactly what moved.
Found something wrong or out of date? Tell us at corrections@ and we'll verify and fix it.