If you're establishing a business in New Jersey, you must appoint a registered agent to maintain business compliance with the state. A registered agent in New Jersey serves as your liaison between your business and the state, ensuring that your company abides by state law and acts on legal or business issues promptly. It's nonnegotiable for most legal entities in the Garden State, but after you learn about the benefits of having a registered agent, you’ll learn just how helpful they can be for your business.
This comprehensive guide covers why you need a registered agent, when and how to get or change your agent in New Jersey, the costs involved, and how to decide between serving in the role yourself and choosing a professional service.
What is a registered agent in New Jersey?
A registered agent in New Jersey is an individual or a corporation appointed to receive legal notices and official government correspondence on behalf of your business. According to New Jersey Revised Statutes § 14A:4-1, every formal business entity that registers with the Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), must designate a registered agent in the state. The purpose of a registered agent is to ensure that businesses receive important paperwork in a timely manner and stay in compliance with state law.
If you own any of the following entity types, you’ll need to get a registered agent in New Jersey to be able to operate in the state:
- For-profit corporation
- Nonprofit corporation
- Professional corporation
- Limited liability company (LLC)
- Limited partnership
- Limited liability partnership
- Foreign entity authorized to transact business in New Jersey
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships do not need a New Jersey registered agent because they don’t formally register with the state.
What are the New Jersey registered agent requirements?
Your registered agent must:
- Be either an adult New Jersey resident or a domestic or foreign corporation authorized to transact business in the state of New Jersey that is in good standing
- Maintain a physical street address in New Jersey (a P.O. box may only be used as a mailing address if they can also provide a physical street address)
- Be available during regular business hours (typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) to accept service of process
Whether you’re forming a domestic business in New Jersey or are hoping to expand your New York or Pennsylvania company into the state, you’ll need a registered agent with an office in New Jersey.
Who can serve as a registered agent in New Jersey?
When choosing a registered agent in New Jersey, you have three options:
- Yourself
- Another individual, such as a business partner, employee, friend, or family member
- A professional registered agent service, such as LegalZoom
Remember that you or another person designated as your New Jersey registered agent must meet the state residency and age requirements, have a street address in the state, and always be available during normal business hours.
Can I be my own registered agent in NJ?
Yes, you can be your own registered agent, provided you meet the state's requirements. This option can be desirable for a few reasons:
- Cost savings. You won’t have to pay annual New Jersey registered agent service fees, which could be up to $300 per year.
- Direct control. You’ll receive all official correspondence and service of process yourself.
- No third-party dependency. There’s no risk of service interruption from an external provider.
But, it’s also important to consider the potential downsides of taking the DIY route:
- Privacy concerns. The registered agent's address will become part of the public record with DORES. Anyone will be able to view this information using DORES’ Business Record Service. That means that if you run a home-based business, your home address becomes part of the New Jersey public record.
- Availability requirements. You need to be available during business hours at your registered address. If you travel frequently or are away from the office for any reason during business hours, you won’t be in compliance with state law.
- Compliance risks. Missing important deadlines or legal notices could result in penalties or loss of good standing.
Consider hiring a professional registered agent, such as LegalZoom’s New Jersey registered agent service, if you:
- Value privacy and don't want your personal address in public records
- Travel frequently or maintain irregular business hours
- Want professional assistance with compliance deadlines and document management
- Operate multiple businesses across different states
What does a registered agent do for your business?
A registered agent receives legal documents, such as lawsuit papers and subpoenas, tax forms, and government correspondence. They stay on top of all communication, forward your critical mail, and alert you when they receive documents on your behalf.
Here are the foundational tasks that your New Jersey registered agent will do:
- Accept service of process and legal notices. If your business is sued or receives other legal notices, these documents will be delivered to your registered agent's physical address during regular business hours. The registered agent must then promptly notify you of any legal documents received.
- Receive government correspondence. Your registered agent will receive government mail, such as billing requests, tax documents, and other business-related mail.
- Send time-sensitive mail alerts. Your registered agent should alert you when you receive urgent mail that requires immediate action.
In addition to collecting your important mail and legal notices, a New Jersey registered agent service may perform other duties to help keep your business affairs in order, such as:
- Document scanning. Your registered agent might scan important documents to cloud services, providing you with digital access wherever and whenever you need it.
- Cloud storage. They may offer secure, unlimited cloud storage where your scanned documents will live. This way, you can access documents 24/7.
- Deadline tracking. Your registered agent may keep track of important compliance milestones for your business, like New Jersey annual report due dates, tax deadlines, and court appearances.
How do you appoint a registered agent in New Jersey?
When forming a new business or registering a foreign entity in the Garden State, you must file a business formation document—such as a certificate of formation for LLCs or certificate of incorporation for corporations—with DORES. Part of this process involves appointing a registered agent and listing their contact information on the business formation document. DORES will not accept applications that are missing registered agent information.
Here’s how to appoint a New Jersey registered agent on your formation paperwork, which must be filed online:
- Navigate to the DORES Business Formation portal. Click the green “Get Started” button.
- The system will walk you through all the required information, such as type of business (e.g., corporation or LLC), business name, business address, and more.
- Once you get to the registered agent section, fill out all of the required fields, including the registered agent's full legal name (individual or business entity), office street address (not a P.O. box), city, and zip code.
- Confirm the registered agent's consent to serve in this capacity. (This is a checkbox on the application, not an official consent form.)
- Move through the remainder of the application, and pay the required filing fee.
When you use LegalZoom’s business formation service, we’ll help you complete your New Jersey formation paperwork and file it with the state.
How do you change your registered agent in New Jersey?
If you need to change your registered agent after your business is formed, you have a few options. You can either update this information when your annual report is due or by filing a separate change of registered agent:
- Annual report. Navigate to DORES’ Annual Reports and Change Services portal, then click “File an Annual Report.” Enter your NJ Business Entity Identification Number, select your business type from the drop-down menu, and enter your formation date. This should bring up your business profile, where you can update your company’s details, including your registered agent information. Once complete, pay the filing fee ($75 for New Jersey LLCs, for-profit corporations, and limited liability partnerships; $30 for nonprofits).
- Change of registered agent. Visit DORES’ Annual Reports and Change Services portal, then click “Change Registered Agent/Office.” Enter your business information, then update your registered agent information, including current registered agent, new registered agent, and effective date of change. Pay the filing fee of $25.
Note that if you are changing your registered agent, you should not wait until your annual report to notify the state. Failing to maintain a registered agent could result in administrative action or lead to legal consequences.
How much does a New Jersey registered agent cost?
Professional registered agent services in New Jersey may cost anywhere from $99 to $300 per year. The more services they offer, the higher the cost will be. But, these additional offerings such as mail forwarding, document scanning, compliance alerts, and digital storage, can be beneficial to businesses, depending on their needs.
When selecting a registered agent service, it’s important to assess your company’s needs. Pay attention to the following potential hidden fees to avoid any unwanted surprises:
- Setup fees. Some providers charge initial setup costs.
- Mail forwarding fees. Sometimes physical mail forwarding comes with an additional fee.
- Document retrieval fees. Check if there are extra costs for accessing older documents.
- Cancellation fees. These include penalties for terminating service before a certain date.
What should you look for when choosing a New Jersey registered agent service?
While total annual costs are important in your New Jersey registered agent search, choosing the cheapest service isn’t necessarily the best option, as it could have hidden fees. To help with your decision, here are some features to look for in the best registered agent service in New Jersey:
- Prompt document handling, including timely alerts, same-day scanning, and mail forwarding
- Digital document storage, with a secure online portal for 24/7 document access
- Multistate capabilities so that your company can expand beyond New Jersey state lines with ease
- Compliance support, including annual report deadline tracking
- Stellar customer service that answers your pressing questions quickly
- Transparent pricing, with clear annual costs and no surprise fees
- Junk mail filtering, where all your mail is sorted through and only the important documents are sent your way
What happens if you don't have a registered agent in New Jersey?
Operating without a registered agent in New Jersey can result in the following:
- Rejection of your business formation documents
- Loss of good standing with the state, which can affect your ability to enter into contracts, seek business funding, and expand to other states
- Potential administrative dissolution of your business entity
- Delays in receiving state documents and important legal notices, which could lead to default judgments in legal procedures
It’s crucial to designate and maintain a New Jersey registered agent in order to stay in compliance with state law and avoid negative consequences.
Why choose LegalZoom as your New Jersey registered agent?
LegalZoom’s Pine Brook-based registered agent service provides comprehensive solutions that go beyond basic compliance requirements:
- Privacy and public records protection. Your personal address remains private—only LegalZoom's business address appears in public records. Service of process is handled professionally at our business location so that you maintain separation between your personal and business affairs.
- Alerts and deadline tracking. We’ll track your compliance due dates and send timely compliance reminders for things like your annual report, taxes, license renewals, and more, plus tips for maintaining good standing with DORES.
- Document scanning and secure online delivery. We’ll scan any official mail we get and upload it to your unlimited cloud storage account. Plus, we’ll send you an email alert to notify you of the correspondence.
- Multistate coverage. LegalZoom has registered agent services in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia. If you are registered in multiple states, you can access all of your registered agents in one online account.
- Attorney network access. Sign up for our business attorney plans for access to experienced legal professionals, legal templates, and more.
Appoint LegalZoom as your registered agent service today so that you can focus on what you do best: growing your business.
New Jersey registered agent FAQs
Will my registered agent address appear on public records?
Yes, your New Jersey registered agent address will appear on public records in New Jersey. This can be cause for concern for business owners who operate out of their home and serve as their own registered agent, as their residential address will become part of the public record. Using a professional registered agent service keeps your personal home address private.
Do foreign LLCs or corporations need a registered agent in New Jersey?
Yes, any foreign LLC or corporation conducting business in New Jersey must register with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) and appoint a New Jersey registered agent. This includes filing a certificate of authority and maintaining continuous registered agent service while doing business in the state.
Can I change my registered agent at any time?
Yes, you can change your registered agent at any time by filing a Change of Registered Agent/Office form with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) and paying the required filing fee. The change becomes effective once DORES processes and approves the filing. You can also update this information on your annual report.
It's important to ensure that your new registered agent is prepared to receive official correspondence before the change takes effect.
What is the difference between a registered agent and a registered office?
In New Jersey, the registered agent is the person or corporation designated to receive official government correspondence and legal service of process, while the registered office is the physical address where the registered agent can be found during business hours. Some states use these terms interchangeably, but New Jersey law specifically requires designation of a registered agent who maintains a registered office address.
What happens if my registered agent moves or resigns?
If your registered agent moves or resigns, you must file a Change of Registered Agent/Office form with DORES and pay the filing fee. In either case, you must appoint a new registered agent immediately to avoid losing good standing. Professional services provide continuity and eliminate this risk.
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