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Module 1 · New Jersey

How to Start an LLC in New Jersey (2026): 7 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services

New Jersey Registered Agent.co ($199), Registered Agent NJ.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199) are our 2026 picks, in that order, for starting an LLC in New Jersey. Below the picks you will find 7 steps in order, starting with the name and ending with the yearly upkeep (filing fee $100).

The Founder Classroom teaching team ·

The short version

State fee
$100Official: pub.njleg.gov, October 2026
Annual report
$75 a yearFiled and paid last day of the LLC's anniversary month
Three years of state fees
$250Formation, reports and any minimum tax
Lesson steps
7From start to finish

By the end you will know

  • The official New Jersey fee and form
  • How to meet the registered agent rule
  • What comes after formation
  • Who we would hire to file

Teacher's pick

New Jersey: our recommended services

Ranked by our grading rubric, which puts steps handled and three-year cost first.
Start here

1. New Jersey Registered Agent.co: best for founders staying in New Jersey

$199 in year one, $99 after

New Jersey Registered Agent.co gets the top grade here. Why: $199 up front with a free first agent year, $99 yearly from year two.

Lower three-year cost than Mainstay Filing puts it first; cost carries 30% of the rubric.

Its prices do not include the annual report, so plan to file that yourself every year.

What you get

  • New Jersey formation filed for you
  • First year of agent service

What we like

  • $199 over the state fee
  • $99 a year after that
  • Agent included for year one

Watch out for

  • Annual report left to you
  • EIN application not included ($99)
Visit New Jersey Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Local choice

2. Registered Agent NJ.org: best for another New Jersey option

$199 in year one, $99 after

Registered Agent NJ.org is a solid second choice: $199 up front with a free first agent year, $99 yearly from year two.

Its prices do not include the annual report, so plan to file that yourself every year.

Its prices match New Jersey Registered Agent.co, so either is a fine choice.

What you get

  • New Jersey formation filed for you
  • First year of agent service

What we like

  • Agent included for year one
  • $99 a year after that
  • $199 over the state fee

Watch out for

  • Annual report left to you
  • EIN application not included ($99)
Visit Registered Agent NJ.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Works in every state

3. Mainstay Filing: best for first-time founders who want it handled

$199 a year, $299 with the state fee

In third, Mainstay Filing: formation, registered agent service and the annual report sit under one $199 yearly price.

On three-year cost it trails New Jersey Registered Agent.co by $200.

The annual report is part of the service, with the $75 state fee passed through.

What you get

  • Filing with the state
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Annual report filed each cycle
  • EIN application
  • Official fee at cost

What we like

  • EIN step in the price
  • Same $199 each year
  • $199 yearly, all in one

Watch out for

  • Renews $100 higher than New Jersey Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The 3 picks side by side

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1New Jersey Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit New Jersey Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Registered Agent NJ.org$199$99/yr$397Visit Registered Agent NJ.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read from each company's pricing on November 12, 2026. Add New Jersey's $100 fee to each row.

The steps

  1. Step 1: Pick the LLC's name

    Pick a name, then check it against the records at the New Jersey Secretary of State so no other company already holds it.

    TipKeep a backup name handy.

  2. Step 2: Name a registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. 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.

    The address has to be a New Jersey street address. A P.O. box can be listed only together with the street address.

    TipEvery service in our picks can act as your registered agent.

    Official source: Official: pub.njleg.gov, October 2026

  3. Step 3: Choose between doing it yourself and a service

    You can do this on your own for $100, or hand it to a service we picked for $199 on top.

  4. Step 4: Submit the Certificate of Formation

    File the Certificate of Formation with the New Jersey Secretary of State; the fee is $100 (N.J.S.A. 42:2C-18).

    Official source: Official: pub.njleg.gov, October 2026

  5. Step 5: Apply for an EIN

    When the approval arrives, apply to the IRS for the EIN. Your bank will want it for the business account. Mainstay Filing's yearly price includes the EIN application.

  6. Step 6: Draft the operating agreement

    Write down who owns the New Jersey LLC and how decisions are made. This operating agreement stays with your records, not with the state.

  7. Step 7: Stay in good standing with New Jersey

    Mark the annual report in your calendar: every year, due last day of the LLC's anniversary month, fee $75.

    Official source: Official: njportal.com, August 2026

What each step costs in New Jersey

WhatPaid toAmount
Forming the LLCPaid to the state$100
Annual reportPaid to the state$75 every year
A service, if you use oneService$199 up front
Three-year state totalPaid to the state$250
State amounts come from New Jersey's official schedules (see References). The three-year state line adds the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax.

How the grade worked out

What decided it: three-year cost, 30% of our rubric.

A founder paying New Jersey Registered Agent.co spends $397 by the end of year three, keeping $200 that Mainstay Filing would cost.

Quick answers

What does it cost to form an LLC in New Jersey?

The official fee: $100. With a service, add $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

The New Jersey Secretary of State takes the Certificate of Formation; that filing creates the LLC.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does New Jersey require each year?

The annual report: $75, every year, due last day of the LLC's anniversary month.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

You can: send the filing and the $100 fee yourself, and you still need a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

New Jersey Registered Agent.co, Registered Agent NJ.org and Mainstay Filing, ranked in that order.

Related lessons

Reading list: official sources

  1. njportal.com. New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Confirmed August 2026.
  2. njportal.com. New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Confirmed August 2026.
  3. njleg.state.nj.us. New Jersey report due date. Confirmed August 2026.
  4. nj.gov. New Jersey DORES, Getting Registered. Confirmed October 2026.
  5. pub.njleg.gov. New Jersey formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Confirmed October 2026.
  6. pub.njleg.gov. New Jersey registered agent statute. Confirmed October 2026.
  7. November 12, 2026: New Jersey Registered Agent.co, pricing page
  8. November 12, 2026: Registered Agent NJ.org, pricing page
  9. November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, New Jersey service page