In brief
New Jersey creates an LLC when the New Jersey Secretary of State accepts the Certificate of Formation. The state fee is $100[2]. A registered agent in New Jersey is named on the filing.
Mainstay Filing does the New Jersey filing for $199 a year; the state's $100 is added at cost[1].
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
6 steps, in order
The order below is the order most filers follow. The state filing is the only step with a New Jersey fee attached.
- Search the register. Before filing, look the name up on the New Jersey Secretary of State site[3]. A name too close to an existing New Jersey entity will be rejected.
- Line up the registered agent. The filing lists who receives legal papers for the company. New Jersey allows A New Jersey resident, or a business with authority to do business in New Jersey, such as a corporation registered and in good standing with the State Treasurer.[4]
- File the Certificate of Formation. Submit it to the New Jersey Secretary of State with the $100 fee[2].
- Draft the operating agreement. This internal document covers ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. It is kept with the company, not filed.
- Apply for an employer identification number. The IRS issues it free; it is needed to open a business bank account or hire.
- Calendar the first Annual Report. It is filed every year with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Department of the Treasury for $75[5]. It is due last day of the LLC's anniversary month each year[6].
New Jersey formation costs
New Jersey's $100 filing fee is equal to the 50-state median of $100: 16 states charge less and 24 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $100 | [2] nj.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Report | $75 every year | [5] njportal.com, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Registered agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $596 first year elsewhere | 7 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as registered agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $110 | $400 yearly |
| New York | $200 | $9 every 2 yrs |
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7 yearly |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
How many new businesses New Jersey sees
The Census Bureau counted 161,138 applications for new employer ID numbers tied to New Jersey business addresses in 2025, the 10th most of any state. That count is up 43.4% from 112,347 in 2019.
An application is a request for an EIN, not a state LLC filing. The Census series counts every legal form, so it measures start-up activity rather than New Jersey LLC formations.
The Certificate of Formation filing
New Jersey calls its formation filing the Certificate of Formation. The New Jersey Secretary of State accepts it[7].
From the statute:
One or more persons may act as organizers to form a limited liability company by signing and delivering to the filing office for filing a certificate of formation.
N.J.S.A. 42:2C-18 (Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, P.L.2012, c.50 — Formation of Limited Liability Company[7].
Acceptance puts the company on the New Jersey register. Anything listed on the filing, such as the registered agent's address, becomes part of the public record.
Two ways to file
Mainstay Filing files New Jersey LLCs for $199 a year, with the $100 state fee added at cost[1]. Included: the registered agent for the year, the EIN application, and the Annual Report whenever it falls due.
Anyone can also file the Certificate of Formation directly with the New Jersey Secretary of State; the state charges the same $100 either way.
Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in New Jersey?
The state fee is $100 for the Certificate of Formation[2]. After that, the Annual Report costs $75 every year.
Do I need a registered agent to form an LLC in New Jersey?
Yes. The formation filing names one. Owners who live in New Jersey qualify as individuals and can take the registered agent role themselves.
Can a service file the New Jersey LLC for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files New Jersey LLCs for $199 a year plus the $100 state fee[1]. That also covers its registered agent service, the EIN application and the Annual Report, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in New Jersey?
The New Jersey Secretary of State. Its website: www.njportal.com/dor/businessrecords/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- New Jersey DORES, Getting Registered (Certificate of Formation $100 since July 1, 2026). www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/gettingregistered.shtml. Updated October 29, 2026.
- New Jersey Secretary of State. www.njportal.com/dor/businessrecords/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- N.J.S.A. 42:2C-14 (Office and agent for service of process); change filings under N.J.S.A. 42:2C-15 (Change of designated office or agent for service of process). pub.njleg.gov/bills/2012/PL12/50_.PDF. Updated October 29, 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Department of the Treasury: Annual Report rules and fee. www.njportal.com/DOR/AnnualReports/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- N.J.S.A. 42:2C-26 (Revised Uniform LLC Act annual report); N.J.S.A. 42:2C-25. www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-statutes. Updated October 29, 2026.
- N.J.S.A. 42:2C-18 (Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, P.L.2012, c.50 — Formation of Limited Liability Company; Certificate of Formation). www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/pdf/NJ_Public_Records_Filing.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.