Key Takeaways

  • The New Jersey registered agent search allows you to verify who represents a business for legal and tax notices.
  • Every LLC or corporation in New Jersey must designate and maintain a registered agent with a physical NJ address.
  • You can perform a New Jersey business entity search online through the Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services.
  • A registered agent ensures your business receives legal documents like service of process, annual report reminders, and tax notices promptly.
  • Failing to maintain an active registered agent can lead to administrative dissolution or loss of good standing.
  • Many business owners hire professional registered agent services for privacy, compliance, and reliability.

NJ LLC Search

You’ll want to conduct a New Jersey LLC search if you are forming a new business. Such searches are generally conducted for a number of reasons, including finding out if the name is available for your own business, if a company is in good standing, if you need to identify the address of a registered agent, or if you need to find the address of a certain business. It can also be used to perform administrative tasks for your LLC, i.e. pay franchise tax, showing proof of good standing, etc.

How to Use the New Jersey Registered Agent Search Tool

The New Jersey registered agent search is part of the state’s online business database provided by the Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services (DORES). This public lookup tool helps users find key details about a company, such as:

  • The business’s legal name and entity type (LLC, corporation, partnership, etc.)
  • The registered agent’s name and address, where legal documents are delivered
  • The company’s filing date and registration number
  • The current status (active, dissolved, or revoked)

To perform a search:

  1. Visit the New Jersey Business Records Service on the DORES website.
  2. Enter the business name, registered agent name, or the 10-digit business ID number.
  3. Review the results for matching entities.
  4. Click on the correct entity name to view detailed information, including the registered agent’s contact data and filing history.

This search helps verify compliance with New Jersey law, confirm whether an LLC is in good standing, and ensure your business information is accurate and publicly up to date.

Name Search: How To

First and foremost, you will need to choose a business name. This could take some time as you will need to choose a name that is not currently in use. When you conduct the business name search, you’ll want to search by the exact name to ensure that it is not already being used. After the exact name search, you should search similar names, and even name variations.

Keep in mind that you might want to choose an identical website address for your LLC. If so, you’ll want to see if your business name is available as a URL. Furthermore, you might want an e-mail address that matches with your business name. Therefore, you should also check to see if the e-mail address is available for use to keep business uniformity for your LLC.

There are also specific guidelines that must be followed when choosing a name. Such requirements are as follows:

• Your LLC must contain the words ‘Limited Liability Company,’ ‘LLC,’ or ‘L.L.C.’

• Certain words can only be used if you receive specific approval by the state beforehand, including terms like: blind, cemetery, funeral homes, handicapped, little league, Olympia, Olympic, and urban renewal.

• Other terms can be used in an LLC name in the State of NJ, including: cemetery, D.C., District of Columbia, little league, metropolitan, Olympia, Olympic, postal, realtor, trust, and underwriters.

Understanding Registered Agent Requirements in New Jersey

All formal business entities in New Jersey—including LLCs, corporations, and limited partnerships—must maintain a registered agent. The agent acts as the official contact between your business and the State of New Jersey.

According to the New Jersey Division of Revenue, the registered agent:

  • Must have a physical street address (not a P.O. box) in New Jersey.
  • Must be available during regular business hours to receive documents.
  • Can be an individual resident or a business entity authorized to operate in New Jersey.

Typical documents received by a registered agent include:

  • Service of process (lawsuits or legal claims)
  • Tax notices from the NJ Division of Taxation
  • Annual report reminders and compliance correspondence

A professional registered agent service ensures consistent compliance, protects privacy by keeping personal addresses off the public record, and helps avoid missing critical legal deadlines.

How to Form a NJ LLC

The State of NJ is popular for incorporation and LLC formation. Notably, LLCs in NJ (and in most states) are very easy and cheap to form. As previously noted, you will first need to choose a business name. Once you have chosen a name, you can reserve your business name up to 120 days before filing. In order to reserve your name, you will have to file an Application for Reservation of Name with the NJ Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services. Included in this filing will be your name, title, signature, address, type of business, and the date in which you are filing.

After you reserve your name, by or before 120 days, you will need to complete the public records filing. This is how a NJ LLC is actually formed. This filing includes your company’s name and address, the name/address of your registered agent, the purpose of your LLC, the dissolution date (if applicable), and the name/address of the members and managers.

Be mindful that your LLC must have one or more members or managers. While you must choose at least one manager or member, the only requirement is that this individual be at least 18 years old. There is no residency requirement.

When submitting your application, you can choose to file in one of three ways: filing online on the Division of Revenue Business Formation web portal, faxing the application, or mailing it. The filing fee is $125. There is an additional $3.50 fee if you file online with a credit card. It generally takes one to three business days to receive a response regarding your LLC formation. You could always elect to have the application expedited for an additional fee.

As previously noted, you will need to include information regarding your registered agent. This is a requirement, as you will need someone who will act as an agent for the purpose of accepting and sending important documentation relating to your LLC, i.e. potential lawsuits. The registered agent can be a NJ resident, or a foreign or domestic corporation authorized to do business in the State of NJ.

Another important consideration is drafting an operating agreement. While this is not required in the State of New Jersey, it is important to have. There is no requirement to file this document with the state. This agreement can help prevent potential lawsuits or even prevent potential problems among members of the LLC.

Why the Registered Agent Matters for Your NJ LLC

Your registered agent plays a vital role in maintaining your LLC’s legal standing and reputation in New Jersey. The agent’s address becomes part of your public record, meaning anyone can locate it through a New Jersey registered agent search. This is essential for transparency and due process but may raise privacy concerns for home-based business owners.

If your registered agent resigns or changes address, you must file a Certificate of Change – Registered Agent/Office with DORES to update your records promptly. Failing to maintain a valid agent can result in penalties, suspension, or even dissolution of your LLC.

Many entrepreneurs in New Jersey use professional registered agent services for benefits such as:

  • Continuous compliance monitoring and timely document delivery
  • Protection of personal privacy (using the service’s address instead of your own)
  • Statewide availability for legal correspondence
  • Convenience for out-of-state business owners operating in New Jersey

When forming an LLC, you’ll list your registered agent’s details on the Public Records Filing for New Business Entity form. You can later verify that listing through the New Jersey business entity search to confirm accuracy.

Changing or Updating Your Registered Agent

If your business changes its registered agent or office address, New Jersey law requires prompt filing of an update with the Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services. To do so:

  1. File a Certificate of Change – Registered Agent/Office online or by mail.
  2. Include your business name, business ID, and the new registered agent’s details.
  3. Pay the small filing fee (typically $25 for LLCs).

It’s important to ensure that the new registered agent consents to the appointment. Once the filing is processed, the updated information will appear in the public registered agent search results, ensuring transparency and compliance with N.J.S.A. 42:2C-14.

Privacy and Compliance Tips for NJ Businesses

When you conduct a New Jersey registered agent search, remember that the registered agent’s address is publicly accessible. For entrepreneurs operating from home, this can create unwanted exposure. Many business owners opt for third-party registered agent services to:

  • Keep personal addresses off the public record
  • Receive and store legal notices securely
  • Maintain compliance across state and federal requirements

Using a professional service helps maintain anonymity while ensuring your business never misses critical legal or tax notifications.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How can I find a company’s registered agent in New Jersey?
    You can look up the registered agent through the NJ Business Records Service by searching the company name or business ID number.
  2. Can I be my own registered agent in New Jersey?
    Yes. Any New Jersey resident or business owner with a physical NJ address can act as their own registered agent, but this may expose your personal address publicly.
  3. What happens if my LLC doesn’t have a registered agent?
    The State may mark your business as non-compliant, suspend your registration, or dissolve the entity administratively.
  4. How do I change my registered agent in New Jersey?
    File a Certificate of Change – Registered Agent/Office with the Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services and pay the applicable fee.
  5. Is the registered agent information publicly available?
    Yes. Registered agent details are listed in the state’s public database and can be found using the New Jersey registered agent search tool.

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