Start an LLC in New Jersey with Tailor Brands for Free
Trusted by over 500k businesses, Tailor Brands is a leading provider of business formation services in the United States. Use it to start your LLC in New Jersey, without paying a buck.
$0 + State Filing Fee
Free LLC formation in New Jersey or anywhere in the US with detailed document review and filing.
Free 30-day trial of Tailor Brands’ invoicing and bookkeeping tools and services with the Lite plan.
Access to over 20 different potent business tools and services for your growing LLC in New Jersey.
Things to Know Before Forming a New Jersey LLC
When you start an LLC in New Jersey, you don’t just pay a one-time fee and be done with it. You need to meet ongoing compliance requirements and pay recurring charges for things like annual report filings.
Let’s discuss some of the important requirements briefly.
- It costs $125 to form a limited liability company in New Jersey and get a certificate of formation.
- You will need to pay an extra $100 if you want to make any amendments to the LLC documents.
- LLCs in New Jersey need to file an annual report, the filing fee for which is $75 for every filing.
- Expedited services are only available for over-the-counter filings and cost from $15 to $1000.
- New Jersey is not the cheapest or the best state to form an LLC but it’s not bad either. If you live in New Jersey and want to do business in the state, you can surely opt for starting an LLC in the state.
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How to Form an LLC in New Jersey
Starting an LLC in New Jersey is a simple and straightforward process. However, filing government documents could be tedious for first-timers.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, you need to follow these steps after you’ve come up with a unique business idea.
1. Select a Unique Name for Your LLC
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 to find out if the business name is already in use.
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.
2. Reserve a Business Name and Domain
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 a 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.
3. Appoint a New Jersey Registered Agent
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.
4. Choose the Type of LLC You Want to Form
The first choice that you must make is to determine whether you need to register a domestic LLC or a foreign LLC in New Jersey. 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 you need to register a foreign LLC in New Jersey. You will also need to choose between a single-member and multi-member LLC in New Jersey.
5. Create an LLC Operating Agreement
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.
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.
6. File Your New Jersey Certificate of Formation
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 the 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 at the counter, based on your convenience.
7. Receive a Certificate From the State
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 legal documents, you will need to pay a one-time fee of $125 to the state.
8. Obtain a Tax ID or EIN
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.
A tax ID is an important identifier that every business should have, even if it’s not mandatory. You will need to get an EIN to secure funding from investors, open a business bank account, and even hire employees and pay employment taxes for the same.
9. Open a Business Banking Account
You probably 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 you need a loan for your LLC in New Jersey.
10. Find Out the Permits Needed and Get Them
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 legal requirements for your LLC in New Jersey at the federal, state, and local levels. You may need to obtain permits at all levels, depending on your business. Once you have all the required licenses, you can start operations.
11. Choose Your LLC’s Tax Structure
The best part 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 in New Jersey, it’ll be taxed as a sole proprietorship. Multi-member LLCs in New Jersey are taxed as partnerships by default. However, if you want a different tax classification, then you can do that.
12. File for a Doing Business As
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 name, you need to file for a DBA with the state of New Jersey.
13. Design an SEO-Friendly Business Website
In today’s digital world, it’s almost impossible for a business to be successful without some kind of 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 customers will need.
14. Stay Compliant with New Jersey’s Laws
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. The two most important ones include paying taxes on time and filing your LLC’s annual report without fail. Find out any other legal requirements and comply with them consistently.
Why Is Outsourcing LLC Formation a Great Idea?
Starting an LLC in New Jersey requires a lot of work, which is best handled by professionals who do it day in and day out. Here are some reasons why you should consider outsourcing LLC formation to a professional or agency.
Convenience
Let experts take care of the tedious paperwork and application filings, while you focus on more important aspects of starting a successful new business. Outsourcing makes your life easier and the process more convenient.
Accuracy
Mistakes in your application could be costly as it may get rejected because of a seemingly trivial error. When you let professionals handle the process, the chances of error are practically zero, making the process more accurate and efficient.
Speed
Forming an LLC requires tons of paperwork, documentation, and filings. For a first-timer, it could be overwhelming and time-consuming. If you outsource the process, things will get done quickly, without much effort from your side.
Key Advantages of Starting an LLC in New Jersey
Limited liability companies are probably the most popular business entities, especially among small and mid-sized businesses.
In this section, we’ll cover the reasons why you should opt for an LLC when starting a business in New Jersey.
Liability Protection
First and foremost, the main reason why businesses choose LLCs is that it offers limited personal liability protection for members. This means that if your business fails or is not able to pay its debts, your personal assets won’t be seized to pay for it.
The business’s liabilities can only be paid by seizing business assets, members’ assets remain safe. This reduces the risk of starting a new business because the financial liability is low and you’re not personally responsible for your business debts.
Flexible Tax Structure
As we’ve mentioned, LLCs in New Jersey can choose how they want to be taxed. This is a flexibility that most other business entities do not enjoy and is something unique to LLCs, making them a superior choice for most new entrepreneurs.
You can go with the default tax classification, which uses pass-through taxation. This means that business profits and losses pass to the LLC members, who then pay personal income taxes on their income from the business and other sources.
Affordable
Starting a limited liability company in New Jersey is quite affordable and requires just a $125 one-time fee. There are no other costs associated with registering an LLC in New Jersey unless you hire the services of a professional or agency for LLC filing.
The ongoing costs of running an LLC in New Jersey are also quite nominal and comparatively lower than those of a corporation. The only recurring compliance cost is that associated with annual report or public records filing, which is just $75.
Minimal Paperwork
Forming an LLC in New Jersey requires much less paperwork than you’d need for forming a more formal business entity like a corporation. Forming a corporation has additional steps and is a more complicated process, requiring more documentation.
Moreover, unlike corporations, New Jersey LLCs don’t need to keep detailed records of member meetings, such as meeting minutes. Overall, the paperwork required for forming and running a limited liability company in New Jersey is minimal.
Easy to Run and Manage
Limited liability companies are easier to manage than corporations, which have strict rules and regulations they need to follow. There are no mandatory shareholder meetings and the decision-making process is decided by the LLC members.
LLC members can decide among themselves how they want to run their company and who will be responsible for what. They are not limited by any external guidelines and create their own rules of management and guidelines for running the company.
Ownership Flexibility
Some business entities, such as s-corporations, have limits on the total number of shareholders they can have. Unlike s-corps, which can have only 100 shareholders, LLCs in New Jersey can have as many LLC owners as are required.
S-corps also have limitations on who can be a shareholder. For instance, non-residents of the United States are not allowed to own an S-corp within the country. There are no such restrictions on LLCs in New Jersey.
Ability to Hold Assets
A New Jersey LLC is a legal entity in and of itself, for all intents and purposes, except for taxation, where it becomes a pass-through entity. This means that an LLC can buy and hold business assets in its name, without members’ help.
These assets could be anything from real estate and equipment to intangible assets or intellectual property. This helps keep business assets clearly separated from members’ personal assets, which provides added liability protection to members.
Ability to Enter into Contracts
Being a legal entity has certain other advantages as well. To start with, it allows New Jersey limited liability companies to enter into legal contracts and business agreements with various stakeholders, such as investors, vendors, and others.
Basically, this allows you to enter into contracts in the name of the business, instead of being personally liable for fulfilling the contracts. Again, this provides further personal liability protection for you and other LLC members, which is really great.
Tailor Brands New Jersey LLC Formation Services: Free + Paid Plans
There are several business incorporation services out there, but Tailor Brands is a popular brand that has been in operations for over a decade now. Over 500K entrepreneurs across the country have received support to launch their LLC.
Here’s what each plan offers:
Lite Plan
If you’re launching your business and just need the fundamentals, the Lite Plan is a smart place to begin. Here’s what’s included:
- Complimentary LLC Filing: This plan takes care of drafting and submitting your Certificate of Formation to the New Jersey Secretary of State at no charge (you only pay the state filing fee).
- Startup Coaching Access: The Lite Plan also comes with entry to a business coaching program designed to guide you through setting up your LLC in New Jersey with clarity and confidence.
- 30-Day Free Trial for Invoicing & Bookkeeping: Get an early handle on your business finances with a complimentary 30-day trial of bookkeeping and invoicing tools by Tailor Brands.
Though this plan comes with a limited set of services, it’s perfect for new business owners who want to cover the essentials without overspending. You can always upgrade later as your business expands.
Price: $0 + New Jersey state filing fees
Essential Plan
If you want to move a little faster and get extra support along the way, the Essential Plan is a solid next step up from the Lite version. It comes with everything in the basic plan, plus these added perks:
- Quick Two-Day Filing: If you want to form an LLC in New Jersey quickly, this is a lifesaver. Tailor Brands’ team will file your application within two business days.
- Expedited processing: Your LLC in Wisconsin formation gets bumped to faster review, usually two business days faster for swift launch.
- Friendly Deadline Reminders: If you want to manage ongoing compliance for your LLC in New Jersey, Tailor Brands’ team will remind you of upcoming deadlines.
- Guided Operating Agreement: It will also help you form a detailed operating agreement for your LLC in New Jersey. This will ensure the company works smoothly.
- $30 Amazon Gift Card: As a bonus, you’ll get a $30 Amazon gift card to pick up supplies or whatever else your business needs. This is a nice perk for any business owner.
Price: $199/year plus New Jersey state filing fees.
Elite Plan
The Elite Plan includes everything from the Essential and Lite tiers, plus a complete set of tools to help you build your brand and grow your online presence. Here’s what you’ll get:
- Free Domain: No need to pay for a domain right away. Tailor Brands gives you one free for the first year, so you can focus on building a brand.
- Website and Store Builder: You don’t need to hire a web developer — just pick a layout, drop in your content, and your site’s ready to go.
- Business Card Maker: This useful tool lets you design a professional business card for your new LLC in New Jersey without hassle.
- Social Media Tools: Stay active online with ready-to-edit post templates that help your New Jersey business show up across social platforms.
- Logo Creator with Pro Features: Create up to eight logo designs using advanced tools that help you create something that fits your brand perfectly.
- $50 Amazon Gift Card: This plan also includes a $50 Amazon gift card to help you stock up on business tools or supplies.
Price: $249 per year + New Jersey state filing fees.
Additional Services Offered by Tailor Brands
Starting your LLC in New Jersey is just the beginning. Running a business comes with a lot of moving parts, and Tailor Brands offers helpful add-ons to make that journey smoother. Here’s what you can tap into.
Tax Filing
Tailor Brands makes tax filing easier by giving you step-by-step guidance so you know what to submit and when. From income reporting to finding potential write-offs, they help you keep things clear and compliant.
EIN Application
Need an EIN to open a business bank account or hire employees? Tailor Brands makes the application process simple, giving you clear instructions and support to help your New Jersey LLC get its federal tax ID quickly.
Bookkeeping and Accounting
Let’s be honest — accounting and bookkeeping aren’t the fun part of running a business. But ignoring it can create a mess fast. Tailor Brands can help keep your books in order and ensure your finances are audit-ready.
Trademark
If you want to protect your business name or logo, Tailor Brands can help. Tailor Brands helps you figure out how to register a trademark so no one else can use it. It’s not just about paperwork — it’s about ownership.
BOI Reporting
Some businesses have to file Beneficial Ownership Information, and missing that can come with serious penalties. If you need help, Tailor Brands can help you figure out what you need to file and when, so you don’t face fines later.
Business Insurance
Accidents and unexpected risks are part of running a business. Tailor Brands will help ensure your business is protected. Its team will help you understand what coverage makes sense so your LLC doesn’t get caught off guard.
Why Choose Tailor Brands to Start Your New Jersey LLC
Plenty of platforms offer LLC formation services, but Tailor Brands stands out for good reason. Here are six strong benefits of choosing them when setting up your LLC in New Jersey.
No-Cost LLC Formation
If you’re looking to register your LLC in New Jersey without paying service fees, Tailor Brands has you covered. You only pay the state filing fee — no hidden costs for the formation itself.
Fast Turnaround Times
In a rush? Tailor Brands offers expedited processing, so your paperwork can be filed in as little as two business days. This helps you form an LLC in New Jersey as quickly as practically possible.
Great Customer Support
Starting an LLC is just step one; knowing what to do next is where most people get stuck. Tailor Brands gives you real support, whether you need help writing an operating agreement or growing your business.
FAQ
To register your LLC in New Jersey, you need to pay a $125 filing fee along with your Certificate of Formation and all required documents. There are, of course, numerous costs associated with starting a new business, but this is the only official cost charged by the state.
Also, if you hire a third-party service provider to register your LLC in New Jersey, that might also cost you hundreds of dollars. Tailor Brands offers this service for free, so it’s a great choice if you want to save some money and still get things done professionally.
Single-member LLCs in New Jersey are treated as individuals for tax purposes and do not file a business tax return. Instead, the sole owner of the LLC files income tax returns on their income from the business or any other sources.
Similarly, multi-member LLCs in New Jersey are treated as partnerships and business income passes to the LLC members. They then pay income tax on their respective incomes.
However, you can choose a different tax structure and be taxed as a corporation or S-corporation as well. Consider the tax benefits of each and then choose how you want your LLC in New Jersey to be taxed.
An LLC offers numerous advantages over other business structures. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Liability Protection: Members of an LLC are protected from any business liabilities in case it fails to fulfill its obligations or pay its debts. If the business is sued, members will not be held personally responsible.
- Flexible Tax Structure: An LLC is probably the most flexible business structure that allows you to choose exactly how you want your business to be treated for federal tax purposes. It can be taxed as a partnership, c-corporation, or s-corporation.
- Affordable: Limited liability companies are cheap to form and run, with not many recurring costs. Overall, it’s much more affordable to start an LLC in New Jersey than to start a corporation.
- Minimal Paperwork: You need minimal documentation and paperwork for both forming and running an LLC in New Jersey or anywhere in the country. Unlike corporations, which have detailed record-keeping requirements, LLCs don’t need to keep such detailed records.
- Easy to Run and Manage: LLCs are easy to manage, unlike corporations, which have strict and formal rules of governance. LLC members can decide among themselves how to want to run their business and make strategic business decisions.
- Ownership Flexibility: LLCs can have any number of members and there are very few limitations on who can be a member. Both individuals and companies can be members, only a few types of organizations are allowed to be members of an LLC in New Jersey.
- Ability to Hold Assets: A New Jersey LLC is a legal entity that has legal rights that include the ability to buy and hold assets. This means that all business assets can be bought in the name of the business, without the involvement of LLC members.
- Ability to Enter into Contracts: Being a legal entity, a New Jersey LLC has the right to enter into business contracts with vendors, suppliers, and any other stakeholders. This provides liability protection for members, in case the business fails to meet a contract’s terms.
Overall, LLC is a great choice for small and midsized New Jersey businesses because it offers the best of both worlds—the flexibility of sole proprietorship and the liability protection of a corporation.
Follow this step-by-step process of forming an LLC in New Jersey:
- Select a Unique Name for Your LLC: Choose a name that’s not being used by any other business within the state and ensure that it’s relevant to your business.
- Reserve a Business Name and Domain: If you think it’ll take you some time to register your New Jersey LLC, reserve your chosen business name for 120 days. You should also secure a matching domain name for your website.
- Appoint a New Jersey Registered Agent: Find and appoint a reliable local registered agent to receive your legal and business correspondence and forward it to you in a timely manner.
- Choose the Type of LLC You Want to Form: You can choose between a domestic or a foreign LLC in New Jersey, depending on whether you are starting a new business or expanding an existing one.
- Create an LLC Operating Agreement: Draft a comprehensive operating agreement detailing how your business will be run, who will make strategic business decisions, and how conflicts will be resolved.
- File Your New Jersey Certificate of Formation: This is the step that will officially register your LLC in New Jersey, if it gets approved. Make sure you don’t make any mistakes in your application and submit all the required documents.
- Receive a Certificate From the State: Once your LLC application is reviewed and approved by the state, you can get a certificate that proves that your LLC is registered and approved for conducting business in the state of New Jersey.
- Obtain a Federal Tax Identification Number: Get a federal EIN for your business, as you will need this for payroll taxes and various other business purposes.
- Open a Business Banking Account: Open a bank account in the name of your LLC to start a banking relationship and build a credit history. This will be useful when you want to get a business loan or get business funding.
- Find Out the Permits Needed and Get Them: Identify the specific requirements for your business and acquire the required permits you need to operate within the area where your business is located.
- Choose Your LLC’s Tax Structure: Select how you want your LLC in New Jersey to be taxed. Compare the tax benefits of various business entities and then make a decision.
- File for a Doing Business As: Get a DBA if your LLC name is too long and you want a short and memorable name for branding and marketing purposes. File an application with the New Jersey Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services to do this.
- Design an SEO-Friendly Business Website: Hire a professional to design a website that creates a great first impression on your potential customers.
- Stay Compliant with New Jersey’s Laws: File annual reports, pay state taxes on time, and follow the state’s rules and regulations to stay compliant and in good standing with the state.
Typically, it takes 2-3 weeks for LLC applications to be reviewed and approved. However, if you opt for expedited processing, then you can get it done faster.
The expedited processing fee for same-day service is $100, two-hour service is $500, and one-hour service is $1,000. The rates, as you can see, are higher than what most states charge, so if you have the time, it’s better to wait for your application to get processed organically.
Form an LLC in New Jersey for Free with Tailor Brands
Remove all the hassle from LLC formation by outsourcing the service to experts at Tailor Brands. They’ll get your New Jersey LLC registered while you focus on how to grow your new business.
$0 + State Filing Fees