New Jersey doesn’t run business registration through a Secretary of State office. The Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), part of the Treasury, handles it, and its free Business Name Availability search is the fastest way to check a name. A separate business entity search shows registered companies by name, keyword or entity ID.
If the availability search says your name is available, you can file. It doesn’t hold the name, though. A 120-day reservation costs $50 for an LLC, and as of the July 2026 fee schedule, an LLC Certificate of Formation costs $100.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in New Jersey (2026)
Our ranked picks for forming your LLC once your name is clear in New Jersey are below, starting with Mainstay Filing. Each entry lists the yearly price and what the service covers.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | New Jersey Registered Agent.co | New Jersey registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Registered Agent NJ.org | New Jersey registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in New Jersey. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. New Jersey Registered Agent.co
New Jersey Registered Agent.co is a New Jersey registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Registered Agent NJ.org
Registered Agent NJ.org is a New Jersey registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
New Jersey business name search at a glance
| Item | New Jersey details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), Department of the Treasury |
| Search tools | Business Name Availability and business entity search (free) |
| LLC Certificate of Formation | $100 |
| Name reservation | $50 for an LLC; 120 days (N.J.S.A. 42:2C-10) |
| Alternate name (DBA for entities) | $50 for an LLC, filed with DORES (Business Amendments portal) |
| DBA for sole proprietors | Trade name certificate filed with the county clerk |
| Annual report | $75, due by the end of the LLC’s anniversary month |
Fees are from the DORES registry fee schedules. New Jersey recently lowered its formation fee, so older guides citing $125 are out of date. For a full budget, see Mainstay Filing’s New Jersey LLC cost guide.
How to check business name availability in New Jersey
Step 1: Use the Business Name Availability search
Open the availability search and type the name without LLC, Inc. or other designators. According to the help page, the search ignores capitalization, spaces, punctuation, a leading “A,” “An” or “The,” a trailing “s,” and the words “and,” “or” and “of.” Enter at least four characters.
Step 2: Read the result
The tool tells you whether the name is available. Reserved names show as unavailable. Names with special characters or accented letters can’t be checked or filed online and need a paper application.
Step 3: Look for near-matches
Use the business entity search to see similar names. It searches by name (exact match with an automatic trailing wildcard), by up to five keywords, or by a 10-digit entity ID, and it returns up to 500 results.
Step 4: Watch for restricted words
The availability search flags words that need special clearance, including Bank, Banking, Insurance, Trust, Savings, Realtor, Cemetery, Olympic and related terms, Little League, Urban Renewal, USPS and Zip Code. To use one, contact the DORES corporate filing unit; if cleared, the filing must be made on paper.
If your first choice is taken, Namechk’s business name generator can suggest alternatives.
New Jersey business name rules
- LLC designator: include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC” or “L.L.C.”
- Corporate designator: include a word such as Corporation, Incorporated or Company, or an abbreviation.
- Availability: the name must not match an existing or reserved name once the ignored words and characters above are stripped out.
- Restricted words: terms on the DORES restricted list need clearance before filing.
Because the availability tool already applies New Jersey’s comparison rules, an “available” result is a strong sign your name will be accepted, though DORES still reviews every filing.
How to reserve a business name in New Jersey
- Where: online through the Business Amendments portal (“File a Business Name Reservation”) or with the UNRR-1 application.
- Fee: $50 for an LLC; renewal and transfer are also $50. Corporate reservations cost $50, with $25 renewals and transfers.
- Term: 120 days (N.J.S.A. 42:2C-10). The reservation can be renewed, transferred or cancelled.
Since an LLC filing costs only $100, a reservation is mainly useful if you need several months before forming the business.
Check trademarks, domains and social handles
DORES searches cover entities, not federal trademarks. Search the USPTO trademark database. New Jersey also registers state marks through DORES (trademark page): $50 plus $50 for each additional class, for a five-year term.
Then confirm your online presence. Namechk checks domain availability and social usernames together, and the domain name generator suggests close alternatives.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
How to file a DBA in New Jersey
New Jersey has two DBA paths, depending on who is filing:
| Filer | Filing | Where | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLCs and corporations | Alternate name registration | DORES, through the Business Amendments portal | $50 (LLC or corporation) |
| Sole proprietors and general partnerships | Trade name certificate (N.J.S.A. 56:1-1) | County clerk where you do business | Set by the county |
Entities should file the alternate name before using it on contracts, invoices or a website. Sole proprietors should contact the county clerk for the current fee and form, then register with the state for taxes through NJ-REG.
After the search: forming your New Jersey business
Once your name is clear, our New Jersey LLC guide explains each step.
- File a Certificate of Formation through the DORES Business Formation service. The fee is $100.
- Name a registered agent with a physical New Jersey address. Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service in its formation package (New Jersey costs); our New Jersey registered agent guide explains the rules.
- Register for taxes with NJ-REG (Online Business and Employer Registration) and get an EIN from the IRS.
- File the $75 annual report (online) by the last day of your anniversary month. Missing two years in a row can lead to revocation. Our New Jersey start-a-business guide covers licenses.
FAQs
Who handles business name searches in New Jersey?
The New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), part of the Department of the Treasury. New Jersey has no Secretary of State business registry. DORES offers a free Business Name Availability search and a business entity search on njportal.com, and it also handles formations, reservations, alternate names and annual reports.
How does the New Jersey name availability search work?
Enter at least four characters without LLC or Inc. The search ignores capitalization, spaces, punctuation, a leading A, An or The, a trailing s, and the words and, or and of, then tells you whether the name is available. Reserved names show as unavailable. Names with special or accented characters need a paper application.
How much does it cost to reserve a name in New Jersey?
An LLC name reservation in New Jersey costs $50 and lasts 120 days under N.J.S.A. 42:2C-10. It can be renewed, transferred or cancelled; LLC renewals and transfers are $50 each. You can file online through the DORES Business Amendments portal or on the UNRR-1 application.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in New Jersey?
As of the July 2026 DORES fee schedule, a New Jersey LLC Certificate of Formation costs $100, down from the long-standing $125. Amendments are $100 and the annual report is $75, due by the last day of the LLC’s anniversary month. A name reservation ($50) is optional.
How do I register a DBA in New Jersey?
It depends on the business. LLCs and corporations register an alternate name with DORES for $50 through the Business Amendments portal. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file a trade name certificate with the county clerk where they do business, and the county sets the fee. Both should be filed before you use the name.
How do I change my LLC’s name in New Jersey?
File an amendment to the Certificate of Formation with DORES through the Business Amendments portal. The DORES fee schedule lists $100 for any LLC amendment. Run the new name through the Business Name Availability search first, and if your business also trades under an alternate name, update that registration so your records match.
When is the New Jersey annual report due?
A New Jersey LLC’s annual report is due by the last day of the month in which it was formed, each year after formation. The fee is $75, and you file online through the DORES annual reports service. An entity that fails to file for two consecutive years can have its certificate revoked.
Does a New Jersey business search check trademarks?
No. DORES searches show entities and their names, not federal trademarks. Search the USPTO database for federal marks; New Jersey registers state trademarks separately at $50 plus $50 per additional class. Also make sure the domain and social media handles you want are available.
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