Business Under Your Own Name
If you intend to do business under your own name, you are not required to register a trade name. If trading under any name other than your own, registration with the County Clerk is required by law.

Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership
If you are starting a sole proprietorship or a general partnership and intend to operate under a trade name or a name that includes the designation "and Company" or "& Co.," you are required to register your business's name with the County Clerk of the county or counties in which you intend to conduct or transact business.

Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Limited Partnership, or Limited Liability Partnership
If you are starting a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership, you are required to file an original business certificate with the state, which will include the name under which your business will operate. You may wish to check if a business name is available for use by clicking on the name availability link. If desired, you can also reserve an available business name for use prior to filing your original business certificate.

How to Reserve and Register Your Business's Name with the State of New Jersey
You may elect to reserve or register a business name prior to registering a new business entity. This service is for business entities other than sole proprietorships and partnerships, and is optional.

First you must determine that the business name is available, and then file to hold the name by submitting a paper form. Foreign corporations must also submit by FAX a standing certificate from their home state within 21 days of filing for the name registration. The standing certificate must be current and issued no more than 30 days prior to the name registration filing.

Domestic corporations will have the name reserved for 120 days. The name registration for foreign corporations will last until the end of the calendar year.

Remember - reserving a business name does not register the business entity. You will still need to register your business either online or by submitting the paper forms. It is important to note that online business registration is not available if you have reserved or registered the business name.

Fees:
      $15.00 per name for Name Availability.
      $50.00 per name for Name Registration / Reservation.

Service Options:

Check name availability

How to File Your Business Certificate
To file online with the NJ Division of Revenue, choose the Online Business Entity Filing Service. This service is not available if you have reserved your business name.

To view, download, and/or print the paper form for filing, choose New Jersey Complete Registration Package with Instructions [pdf 2mb]. The Public Records Filing for New Business Entities can be found on pages 21- 24.

By mail or phone, contact

NJ Division of Revenue
PO Box 308
Trenton, NJ 08625-0308
609-292-9292