Registration and Reporting Requirements for Corporations in New Jersey

If you set up your business in New Jersey as a corporation, you need to register with the State of New Jersey. You can do this through the Online Business Entity Filing system. This same online registration applies for out-of-state (foreign) corporations that want to register to do business in New Jersey. The filing fee is $125 for all domestic and foreign for-profit businesses.

Before you set up and register your corporation, you can check for the availability of the name you are planning to use. You can browse the business names registered with the State of New Jersey online through the Business Records Service. There is no charge for this service.

Prior to registering your corporation, you could also reserve the name you have chosen. For this you need to file a paper Form UNRR-1, Application for Reservation of Name. The fee is $15 for checking the availability of the name and $50 for reserving and registering the name. The name is reserved for 120 days for a domestic corporation and until the end of the calendar year for a foreign corporation.

Once you are ready to register your corporation, the online registration system will ask you to provide specific information according to the legal structure of your business. The same online system is used for corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships. All business entities must provide information on the registered agent and registered office address.

For domestic corporations, at least one person is required to sign the online registration as an incorporator. Registrations for foreign corporations must be signed by the President, Vice President, or Chief Executive Officer.

All businesses in New Jersey must register for tax and employer purposes. If you have employees you will need a federal employer identification number, which you can apply for online on the IRS website. Generally, your federal employer identification number is used as your New Jersey tax identification number. This registration for New Jersey tax and employer purposes can be done online.

All corporations in New Jersey must file an annual report. You can use the On-line Corporate Annual Report Service to meet this requirement. You are also required to pay a $50 annual filing fee.

Corporations in New Jersey must file an annual state business tax return. The tax rate is 9.0% for corporations with net income greater than $100,000, 7.5% for net income greater than $50,000 and less than or equal to $100,000, and 6.5% for net income of $50,000 or less. The corporation business tax is filed on Form CBT-100.

Sources:

Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online, IRS

Business Name Reservation / Registration, New Jersey Division of Revenue

Business Records Service, New Jersey Division of Revenue

Check Business Name Availability, New Jersey Division of Revenue

Corporation Business Tax, New Jersey Division of Taxation

File Certificates of Business Formation, New Jersey Division of Revenue

Form CBT-100, Corporation Business Tax Return

Forming a Corporation in New Jersey, Citizen Media Law Project

Getting Registered, New Jersey Division of Revenue

On-line Corporate Annual Report Service, New Jersey Division of Revenue

Online Business Entity Filing, State of New Jersey

Online Tax / Employer Registration, State of New Jersey