Get a New Jersey LLC Registered Agent in Place
Your NJ LLC must assign a New Jersey Registered Agent. This is a formally recognized person or business who can receive business correspondence and other documents from the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Assigning a Registered Agent is a legal requirement.
Your LLC must have a New Jersey Registered Agent at all times. You can appoint a Registered Agent when you first start your business. You can also replace your existing NJ Registered Agent at a later date, provided there is a smooth transition between the old and new Registered Agent service.
NJ Registered Agents: The Rules You Need to Follow
There are certain rules that you must follow when you’re appointing a New Jersey Registered Agent service for your business. They are:
- If the Registered Agent is a person, they must reside in New Jersey
- If the Registered Agent is a business, they must be able to conduct business in New Jersey
- The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in New Jersey, not a P.O. Box
- The NJ Registered Agent must be available in person during normal business hours to sign for any correspondence
Note that the NJ Registered Agent address does not need to be the same as your New Jersey LLC business address.
The Purpose of a New Jersey Registered Agent
What can you expect from your New Jersey Registered Agent? Their main function is to accept official documents and correspondence from the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. This may include:
- Correspondence from the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
- Service of process notices (e.g., if your NJ LLC is sued or required to appear in court)
- Official New Jersey state and federal government correspondence and notifications
- Tax forms and requests to complete permits, company filings and reports
The Incfile Registered Agent Service for New Jersey LLCs
If you have an LLC that’s incorporated in New Jersey and you need a NJ Registered Agent, we can help. Incfile provides a complete Registered Agent service for any New Jersey business. If you form your business through Incfile, we’ll act as your Registered Agent free for your first year (normally a $119 annual cost).
We are authorized to conduct business in New Jersey and can legally act as your Registered Agent. Here’s what you need to know about Incfile’s NJ Registered Agent service:
- The Registered Agent will always be available to accept documents and letters on your behalf
- We automatically notify you whenever we receive correspondence for your business from the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services or anyone else
- We scan your correspondence and upload it to a dashboard, so you can review it when convenient
- We forward all correspondence to an address you choose
Your Options for Appointing a New Jersey Registered Agent
You can appoint a Registered Agent when you first incorporate your New Jersey LLC or at any point after that. Here’s how to go about it.
Assign Your New Jersey Registered Agent When You Form Your NJ LLC
Your business needs to have a New Jersey Registered Agent Service as soon as it’s formed. You can achieve this through one of the following methods.
File Business Registration Application with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
You will need to include details on your Registered Agent in your Business Registration Application. This is the form that you file with the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services to formally create your business.
Incorporate Through Incfile and Get a Free New Jersey Registered Agent
When you incorporate through us, we complete and file your Business Registration Application based on the information you’ve provided. Additionally, we give you a free New Jersey Registered Agent Service for the first year, and we’ll include details of your NJ Registered Agent in the form that we file.
Incorporate Your Business Through IncfileAssign a Different New Jersey Registered Agent Service After Incorporation
You can also change your NJ Registered Agent service after you’ve formed your LLC. There are a couple of ways to achieve this.
Choose a Registered Agent Service and File a Form with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
Once you’ve chosen a new New Jersey Registered Agent, you can complete a form. Once you’ve filled it out, send it to the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services so they can update your records. The New Jersey DORES may charge a nominal fee to assign or change a Registered Agent.
Sign up for Incfile’s New Jersey Registered Agent Service and We’ll File the Change on Your Behalf
When you choose to use our NJ Registered Agent service, we take care of all the form filling and filing for you. We’ll collect important information about your business, complete the form on your behalf and send it to the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. We’ll let you know once we officially become your Registered Agent.
Order Incfile's New Jersey Registered Agent ServiceNew Jersey Registered Agent Search
In some situations, you might want to know the name of the Registered Agent that represents another New Jersey LLC. If you do, you can search the business database of the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, which will often provide details of a specific business’s Registered Agent.
If the NJ Registered Agent isn’t available from the searchable business registry, contact the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services requesting the information.
The Problems Caused When You Don’t Appoint a New Jersey Registered Agent Service
What happens if you choose not to assign or provide details of a Registered Agent to the New Jersey DORES? There are several possible ramifications, including:
- Getting served or sued and not finding out about it: If your LLC is sued and you don’t know about it, you could lose to a default judgment in your absence.
- Falling out of good standing with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services: If you don’t respond to certain correspondence (like the request for your annual report), certain states may revoke your right to do business.
- Losing your status as a New Jersey LLC: A NJ Registered Agent “proves” to the state that your business exists. Without it, you could lose your business entity protections and your New Jersey LLC may be dissolved.
Acting as Your Own Registered Agent for Your NJ LLC
If you have an address in New Jersey, you can choose to be the Registered Agent for your LLC. We don’t recommend this approach as there can be some drawbacks:
- The NJ Registered Agent must have a physical street address in New Jersey. If you’re forming an LLC outside NJ, you will need to use an in-state Registered Agent.
- You always need to have someone on hand during business hours at the New Jersey address to sign for important documents.
- The NJ Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Service's website. If you would prefer your name and address aren’t published, you might choose a Registered Agent service.
- If you change your New Jersey business address or move out of state, you would need to file additional documentation with the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services for the new address if you act as your own Registered Agent. This would not be the case if you use a Registered Agent service, making a move or address change much simpler.
FAQs About New Jersey Registered Agents
Yes. All NJ LLCs are required to have a Registered Agent. This is mandated by the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services.
You can either do it when you incorporate your New Jersey business through paperwork filed with the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services or afterward by filing the correct form. If you form your business through Incfile, we will file all necessary forms on your behalf.
Yes, but we don’t recommend it for the reasons listed above. If you still want to be your own Registered Agent, you just need to fill in the correct forms and pay a fee to the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services.
Yes. Additionally, if they are a business providing Registered Agent services, they must be legally able to conduct business in your state.
Useful Resources for New Jersey Registered Agent Services
You might find these resources helpful:
