[0:00] The short answer Dan: To start an LLC in New Jersey, you file a Certificate of Formation with the state's Division of Revenue, through its online Business Formation service, and pay the $100 filing fee. Maya: A hundred dollars. I thought it was higher than that. Dan: It used to be. The fee dropped from $125 on July 1, 2026. Maya: This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, New Jersey for 2026, in six steps, with the full cost picture and the three best ways to have it filed for you. What's first? [0:31] Step 1: Choose a name Dan: New Jersey wants limited liability company, LLC, or L.L.C. in the name, and the name has to be distinguishable in the state's records. Maya: Where do I look? Dan: The Business Name Search on the state's portal is free. Maya: Can I lock a name in? Dan: A reservation lasts 120 days and costs $50. [0:52] Step 2: Name a registered agent Maya: Who can be my registered agent? Dan: A New Jersey resident, or a business in good standing with the state, at a New Jersey street address. You list them on the Certificate. Maya: What about a P.O. box? Dan: A P.O. box only works alongside a street address, not instead of one. Maya: And the details are public? Dan: The agent's name and address are, yes. That's why many owners use a commercial agent. If you change agents later, it costs $25. [1:21] Step 3: File the Certificate, then NJ-REG Maya: How does the filing work? Dan: Use the Division of Revenue's online Business Formation service. Have your business name, the registered agent's details and email, and a credit card or an eCheck ready, then pay the $100. Maya: Is there anything after that? Dan: One more thing. Within 60 days, you file the tax and employer registration, Form NJ-REG. It's free. Maya: I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan. Dan: Good to have you, Maya. And if you want to move faster on paper, expedited filings are $25 for 8.5 business hours, or $50 for same day. Maya: Why is there a second form? Dan: It registers your new company with the state for taxes and for employees. The formation filing alone doesn't do that. [2:08] Step 4: Write an operating agreement Maya: Is the operating agreement filed with the state? Dan: No. You keep it, and there's no state fee. Maya: Does it have to be written? Dan: New Jersey law counts oral agreements and even implied ones. So please write yours down. Who owns what, how profits are split, who makes decisions, and what happens if a member leaves. [2:27] Step 5: Get a free EIN Maya: Then the federal side. Dan: Apply for your EIN free with the IRS at IRS.gov, after the state files your Certificate. Maya: Instant? Dan: If the online application is approved, the number is issued right away. Have the Social Security number or ITIN of the responsible person on hand. Maya: Do I owe a beneficial ownership report? Dan: No. FinCEN no longer requires it from U.S. companies. [2:51] Step 6: File the annual report Maya: What's recurring? Dan: An annual report, filed online every year by the end of the month your LLC was formed. The fee is $75. Maya: Seventy-five is a lot more than some states. Dan: It is. It's the main ongoing cost here, so build it into your budget. Maya: What if I miss it? Dan: Miss it two years in a row, and the state can void the LLC's charter. Its name also opens up to others. Maya: Can that be undone? Dan: Reinstating costs $75, plus every report you missed. [3:23] What it costs Maya: Do-it-yourself total? Dan: $100 to form. Then $75 a year for the annual report. Form NJ-REG and the EIN are free. Maya: How would that look over the first two years? Dan: $100 plus $75 is $175 in state fees, assuming your first annual report falls in the following year. Maya: And the optional extras? Dan: A name reservation is $50. Same-day paper filing is $50. Each is optional. [3:55] Why NJ-REG gets missed Maya: Which step do people forget? Dan: Form NJ-REG. The formation filing feels like the finish line, but the 60-day clock starts at formation. Maya: What do I need to fill it out? Dan: The details of your LLC. And remember, it's free. So there's no reason to delay it. Maya: Anything else on the calendar? Dan: The annual report, which is due by the end of your formation month. Put that date in your phone the day you form. [4:20] The fee cut, explained Maya: Let's go back to the fee. What changed on July 1? Dan: The certificate fee went from $125 to $100 for a for-profit LLC. That's $25 less than it was. Maya: Does it matter if I file now? Dan: Not at all. If you file today, you pay $100. The old number only matters if you're reading an older guide. Maya: Is that a thing? Old guides saying $125? Dan: Quite a few do. If a page says $125, it's out of date for 2026. Maya: Good to know. And the annual report? Dan: That's $75 on the state's current fee page. [5:02] Paper or online Maya: Should I file online or on paper? Dan: Online, for most people. You pay by card or eCheck inside the Business Formation service, and you don't have to mail anything. Maya: When would paper make sense? Dan: When you want an expedited paper filing. It's $25 for 8.5 business hours, or $50 for same day. Maya: So paper is the fast lane here. Dan: For expedited requests, yes. If you aren't in a hurry, use the online service. [5:33] Missing the annual report Maya: Back to the annual report. What happens in year one if I forget? Dan: One missed report isn't the cliff. Two in a row is. After two consecutive missed years, the state can void the charter, and your name opens up to others. Maya: And reinstating? Dan: $75, plus every report you missed. So after two missed years, you'd owe $75 plus two reports at $75 each, which is $225. Maya: Versus filing on time? Dan: Two on-time reports are $150. Late is more expensive, and you risk the name. [6:11] The 3 best ways to file in New Jersey Maya: If I don't want to handle this myself? Dan: Here are the three best ways to file in New Jersey. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With the $100 state fee, checkout comes to $299. Maya: What's in that price? Dan: Your Certificate filed, your EIN application, and your registered agent every year. It renews at the same $199. Maya: And the annual report? Dan: In New Jersey, it's prepared and filed on time every year. You pay only the $75 state fee. Maya: Number two? Dan: Registered Agent NJ.org. It prepares and files your Certificate for $199 plus the state fee. Your first year of agent service is free, then it's $99 a year. Maya: And three? Dan: New Jersey Registered Agent.co. It has the same offer: $199 plus the state fee, a free first year of agent service, then $99 a year. Maya: How should I choose? Dan: If you'll file your own annual report, numbers two and three cost less from year two, at $99 a year for the agent alone. The $75 state fee is the same either way. If you want it all handled at one steady price, that's Mainstay. [7:40] Three years of service fees Maya: Three-year number? Dan: Mainstay is $199 a year, which is $597. The other two are $199 in year one, then $99 and $99, for $397. Maya: Two hundred dollars apart. Dan: Yes. In New Jersey, that gap is what pays for your annual report being taken care of. [8:04] Recap Maya: From the top, one more time. Dan: Choose a name with LLC in it, name a registered agent at a New Jersey street address, file the Certificate of Formation for $100, register with Form NJ-REG, write an operating agreement, get your free EIN, and file your $75 annual report every year. Maya: The links to all three services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new New Jersey LLC.