How to Start an LLCin New Jersey
You start an LLC in New Jersey with two State filings: the Certificate of Formation, then Form NJ-REG to register for state taxes. Wasserman Accounting CPAs registers new LLCs on NJ-REG and sets up their taxes, books and payroll. Call 609-281-8096.
New Jersey LLC filings, fees and deadlines
You form a New Jersey LLC by appointing a registered agent and filing a Certificate of Formation ($100 since July 1, 2026), then get a free EIN from the IRS.
New Jersey then requires Form NJ-REG, its tax registration, within 60 days of formation and at least 15 business days before you start doing business.
Budget $75 a year for the annual report; miss two years in a row and the State moves your LLC to its inactive list.
How to start an LLC in New Jersey in seven steps
1. Choose and check your LLC name
Put “LLC” or “L.L.C.” in the name, and confirm through the State’s business name search that the name is available. If you are not ready to file, you can reserve the name for a fee.
2. Appoint a registered agent
Your registered agent receives legal papers and State notices for the LLC and must have a New Jersey street address; the State does not accept a P.O. box. You can be your own agent if you live in New Jersey, or hire a registered agent service and keep your home address off the public record.
3. File your Certificate of Formation
File the certificate online with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Your LLC exists once the Division files the certificate.
4. Get an EIN from the IRS
Apply to the IRS for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), your LLC’s federal tax ID, after the Division files your certificate. You use the EIN to open a business bank account, hire employees and file the LLC’s returns.
5. Register for New Jersey taxes on Form NJ-REG
File Form NJ-REG within 60 days of forming the LLC, and at least 15 business days before you start doing business in New Jersey. If you register for sales tax, New Jersey issues a Certificate of Authority, your permit to collect sales tax, which you display at your place of business.
6. Create an operating agreement
In the operating agreement, you set out who owns the LLC, who manages it (the members, or managers they appoint), and what happens when a member leaves. New Jersey does not require you to file it; sign it and keep it with your records, including for a single-member LLC.
7. Open a business bank account
Open the account in the LLC’s name with your EIN, and pay business costs only from it, so you keep the LLC’s liability protection.
How much does an LLC cost in New Jersey?
$100 to form and $75 a year after that, at 2026 fees; the State cut the formation fee from $125 on July 1, 2026. An LLC taxed as a partnership with three or more owners also pays $150 per owner each year (2025 NJ-1065).
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Formation (State filing) | $100 |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
| NJ-REG tax registration | $0 |
| Annual report (each year) | $75 |
| Partnership filing fee, three or more owners | $150 per owner each year |
New Jersey has no newspaper publication requirement for a new LLC. File the annual report each year through the State’s annual reports portal; after two missed years in a row, the State moves the LLC to its inactive list.
How to set up taxes for a new LLC in New Jersey
We set up the new LLC’s taxes and books:
NJ-REG registration for New Jersey taxes, including sales tax and payroll withholding
S corporation analysis: we model whether you pay less self-employment tax on the LLC’s profit with an S election, before you file it
New Jersey S corporation status: there is no separate New Jersey S election, but you prove federal S status and file the Shareholder Jurisdictional Consent (Schedule SJC). New Jersey charges an S corporation a minimum tax of $375 or more a year (2025 rates), based on its New Jersey gross receipts
Quarterly estimated tax payments, federal and New Jersey (NJ-1040-ES)
Bookkeeping, payroll, and accounting software selection and setup
Business plans and loan application preparation
Federal and New Jersey business tax returns
Pricing for LLC tax setup
We price the setup on the work your LLC needs:
- How many owners the LLC has
- Whether you run payroll
- Whether you collect sales tax
- Whether you want the S corporation analysis
- Your monthly transaction volume, if we keep the books
A single-member LLC with no employees and no sales tax is at the light end. These are the factors, not a quote.
Register your LLC for New Jersey taxes
Reviewed by April Moore, EA, Practice Manager at Wasserman Accounting CPAs. Enrolled Agent with 20 years in business tax, payroll, and quarterly and annual regulatory filings.
Set up your New Jersey LLC for tax
Call once the Division files your certificate, and we start the NJ-REG registration. A CPA or EA takes the call.