LLC NJ Cost: Average Fees Explained

New Jersey's most striking line is the expedite menu, which runs from a modest fax fee to a four-figure one-hour option. The formation fee itself was recently changed, so the first thing to do is check the state's current number.

The amounts below come from the sources named in each table and were checked on Oct 11, 2026. Confirm current fees with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services before you pay.

The Certificate of Formation creates the LLC. The rest are situational.

Holding a name for 120 days costs $50. Registering an alternate name, New Jersey's term for a DBA, costs $50. If you need to rename the LLC after formation, a certificate of amendment costs $100.

Standing certificates come in two sizes. The short form costs $50 and the long form costs $100. A lender or another state usually specifies which version it wants, so ask before you order. An LLC formed elsewhere pays $125 for a Certificate of Authorization.

New Jersey's rush options are steep. A same-day fax expedite costs $50. A two-hour turnaround costs $500, and a one-hour turnaround costs $1,000, according to LegalZoom. One source also lists a small additional per-filing charge, so confirm which charges apply to your submission.

Most new businesses do not need any of these. The one-hour fee alone is many times the formation fee.

The annual report costs $75/yr and is due by the last day of your LLC's anniversary month. That is a yearly cost that begins the year after formation, so a first-year budget can leave it out while a two-year budget cannot.

A registered agent is required too. You can serve in the role yourself with a New Jersey address, or hire a commercial service at about $125/yr.

Two sources agree on the filing fee. ZenBusiness lists a figure a few dollars higher, which may include a processing fee. If you notice a different number somewhere else, check whether it reflects the older state fee, since the schedule recently changed.

For a typical founder, the numbers are short. Pay the formation fee. Skip the expedite. Name yourself as agent or pay for one. In the following year, pay the annual report. Add a name reservation if you want certainty over the name, and an alternate name if you will trade under a different brand.

Everything beyond that is a case-by-case decision. A standing certificate matters only when someone asks for it. A certificate of amendment matters only if you rename the LLC.

Two items in the fee table matter mainly to owners who change course. If you trade under a brand that differs from the LLC's legal name, you register the alternate name. If you rename the LLC itself, you file an amendment. Both are cheap compared with the cost of printing new signs and contracts, but both are easy to miss when you first sketch a budget. Decide on the name you want before you file and you may never pay either.

New Jersey's filing is manageable without help, and filing yourself costs only the government fee. A service charges its own fee on top of the state's, sometimes in exchange for an agent plan or templates. If the LLC has several owners, a licensed attorney can help draft the operating agreement.

A service quote can bundle state fees, its own fee, and an agent plan into one number. Ask which part is the state's. Ask whether the quote reflects the current state fee, given the recent change. Ask what the agent plan costs after the first year, and whether any rush option is included by default. A clear answer to those four questions lets you compare quotes fairly.

New Jersey ties the annual report to the month your LLC was formed, so the due date moves with you. An LLC formed in March files by the end of March each year. Write the date down on the day the Certificate of Formation is approved, because a missed deadline can cost more than the report itself.

The costs on this page are fees paid to the state and to agent providers. They are not tax figures. New Jersey has its own tax rules for businesses, and the federal rules apply too. A licensed CPA can explain what applies to your LLC.