Start an LLC in New Jersey with Inc Authority for Free

The name you choose for your New Jersey LLC should be unique and not in use by any other business entity within the state. To ensure this you will need to check the state’s business database or use the free name search tool by Inc Authority.

Your LLC name should be relevant and represent your business, without misleading. Lastly, choose a business name that is short and easy to remember and spell. This will help you with building a strong and distinct brand, which is memorable.

Choosing the best business name will not do you much good if someone else registers it before you do. Since government filings and LLC formation could take time, you should ensure that your chosen business name is secure till you’re ready to file.

You can reserve your chosen LLC name for 120 days by filing an application and paying $50 as filing fee to the New Jersey State Treasurer’s Office. Meanwhile, you should also find and reserve a matching domain name for your future business website.

A registered agent is a person or firm willing to receive all legal documents and correspondence on behalf of your business. You will need to appoint a local resident agent, with a physical address in the state, for your LLC in New Jersey.

You or one of your LLC members could choose to be the company’s registered agent. However, note that the registered agent must be present at the official registered address during normal business hours on all working days.

The first choice that you must make is to determine whether you need to register a dometic LLC or a foreign LLC. This will depend on whether you have an established business in another state or if you’re establishing your first business.

If you have an established business and just want to expand your operations to New Jersey, then

Though the state of New Jersey doesn’t mandate it, we recommend that you form an LLC operating agreement anyway. It’s a formal business document that details the rules of governance for your business, mutually agreed upon by all LLC members.

Essentially, members discuss how they want the business to operate, how decisions will be made within the organization, and how conflicts will be resolved, among other things. Whatever rules they agree upon are laid down in this document for future reference.

This is the most important step in the process of forming an LLC in New Jersey. To legally register your NJ LLC, you need to file the Certificate of Formation, which is commonly known as Articles of Organization in most other states.

This is a mandatory document that you must file with the New Jersey Department of Treasury, Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services Commission. You can file it online, via mail, or in-person over the counter, based on your convenience.

Once you submit your LLC formation documents, you’ll need to wait a couple of weeks for it to get approved. After approval, the state of New Jersey will send you a certificate for your new, legally registered limited liability company in the state.

This certificate is proof that you have officially registered your LLC in New Jersey and are allowed to conduct business within the state. To get a physical certified copy of your filed documents, you will need to pay a one-time fee of $125 to the state.

Employer Identification Number (EIN) is similar to a social security number, but is meant for businesses rather than individuals. It helps the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the government identify your business for tax and other official purposes.

An EIN is an important identifier that every business should have, even if it’s not mandatory. You will need it to secure funding from investors, open a business banking account, and even hire employees and pay employment taxes for the same.

You probbaly know this, but we still want to emphasize the importance of keeping your business and personal finances completely separate. This will help you keep your personal assets safe and secure, in case the business fails or faces a lawsuit.

Opening a separate bank account for your business is a necessary first step in that direction. Additionally, it also helps your business build a banking relationship and credit history, which will be useful if and when you want to secure a business loan.

While some businesses just need a general business license to start operations, many types of businesses require specific licenses and permits. Food and beverage businesses, for instance, may require food permits and liquor licenses.

Find out the exact requirements for your specific business at federal, state, and local levels. You may need to obtain permits at all levels, depending on your business. Once you have all the required permits and licenses, you can start operations.

The best prt about forming an LLC in New Jersey is that you get a lot of flexibility on how you want your business to be taxed. A New Jersey LLC can be taxed as a sole proprietorship, partnership, c-corporation, and even an s-corporation.

If your LLC is a single-member LLC, it will be taxed as a sole proprietorship. Multi-member LLCs in New Jersey are taxed as partnerhsips by default. However, if you want a different tax classification for your business then you can do that.

A DBA (doing business as) is used to register a fictitious name or assumed name for a business, which is different from its official name. Since LLC names are often long and include terms like “limited” and “LLC”, they are not good for marketing purposes.

That’s why many LLCs in New Jersey and elsewhere choose a shorter, more marketable name as the name they use for day-to-day business. To register this assumed neame you need to file for a DBA with the state of New Jersey.

In today’s digital world, it’s almost impossible for a business to be successful without some kind of an online presence. A website is often the first place where people come to find information about a business and is a must for every business.

Therefore, you should invest in professional web design and marketing services to get an SEO-friendly and user-friendly website for your business. Make sure you provide all relevant information about your business a potential customer will need.

Forming an LLC in New Jersey is a short and straightforward process. However, your job as a business owner only begins when you form an official business entity as you need to meet ongoing compliance requirements to keep your business.

Follow all the laws and regulations laid down by the state of New Jersey. Two most important ones include paying taxes on time and filing your LLC’s annual report without fail. Find out any other requirements and comply with them consistently.

You will get the following services and features with the free plan offered by Inc Authority:

• LLC formation services: Inc Authority is known for its free business formation services for different types of business entities, including an LLC. Its team of experts will review your application and file it with the state.
• Unique LLC name search: Quickly search for your chosen LLC name and find out if it’s available for use or whether some other business is using the same name. You can use it only if no other business is using the name. 
• 1-year resident agent services: Even with the free plan, Inc Authority offers complimentary registered agent services for the first year. After the year is over, you can either upgrade to a paid service or find another local agent.
• Online document storage: With every Inc Authority plan, you get access to an online document storage and management facility. It allows you to store important business documents online and access them from anywhere.
• Tax planning advice: If you want expert advice on how to best manage your taxes and get the most tax savings, Inc Authority can help. With the free plan, you get a brief consultation with a tax specialist who’ll help you out.
• S-Corp election and filing: Sometimes, it makes sense to file for the s-corp tax status to get more tax benefits for your business. If you wish to do so, Inc Authority’s team of experts will help you with that, at no cost to you.

To put it simply, select the free plan if you just want to register your LLC in New Jersey, without any bells and whistles. However, if you do want extra services, opt for one of the paid plans that are detailed below.

Price: Free

With the Starter plan, you get everything in the free plan along with the following additional services:

• Operating agreement: As we’ve already discussed, drafting an LLC operating agreement is an important step, if not a mandatory one. Inc Authority can help you create a comprehensive operating agreement for oyur LLC in New Jersey. Alternatively, you can use one of its free templates to create it internally.
• EIN or Tax ID: Every business, small or large, could benefit from an employer identification number, so you should definitely get one. If you opt for this plan, Inc Authority will help you with the process, including filing the application.
• Corporate forms and documents package: You will need to draft numerous types of documents for your day-to-day business operations. With this plan, you’ll get ready-to-use, customizable templates for various types of documents.
• Timely compliance notifications: The team at Inc Authority will keep you informed of any upcoming compliance requirements and deadlines. This will ensure you don’t miss anything and stay in good standing with the state.
• Detailed tax planning consultation: While you get a brief consultation with a tax specialist with the free plan, with this plan, you will get more detailed advice. You can ask as many questions as you like and get comprehensive assistance.
• Domain name and business email addresses: As discussed, every business needs a domain name and a website. Inc Authority will help you with this as well and get you a domain name, along with five business email addresses.

Price: Custom

Here are the additional services that you will get with this plan, over and above what you get with the Starter plan:

• Customer success advisor: Every entrepreneur or new business owner struggles with keeping their business afloat and building a strong foundation for future business growth. Inc Authority will assign you a dedicated success advisor who will help you start and grow your business and advise you on various business aspects, way beyond LLC formation.
• Private banking expert: Selecting the right banking partner is crucial for any new business venture. That’s why Inc Authority helps its top-tier clients find the right banking solutions by assigning a private banking specialist to them. They will help you choose the right bank and business banking account, based on your specific business requirements and preferences.
• Personalized business advisory: If you’re a first-time entrepreneur who would appreciate any guidance you can get on how to launch and scale your business, then this plan is for you. You will get access to Inc Authority’s entire team of experts and get personalized business advice on various business aspects, from tax planning to anything and everything else.
• Expedited preparation & filing: Now, let’s talk about the best part of this plan—the expedited filing of business formation documents. Clients on this plan get first priority and their applications go straight to the top of the queue. Inc Authority’s team will prepare, review, and file your LLC application on the same day, probably even within a few hours.