How to search and claim an LLC name in New Jersey
- Search New Jersey's official entity records (free to search names; $5 per status report), leaving “LLC” off the name.
- Make sure the name ends with one of New Jersey's accepted endings, such as “Limited Liability Company” or “Limited Liability Co.”
- Hold the name with a $50 reservation if you need time before filing.
- File the Certificate of Formation with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services for $100.
- Note the recurring report so the LLC stays in good standing: $75 each year.
What a New Jersey LLC name must include
New Jersey accepts these endings for a limited liability company:
- Limited Liability Company
- Limited Liability Co.
- Ltd Liability Company
- Ltd Liability Co.
- L.L.C.
- LLC
Any word or abbreviation that another New Jersey law prohibits or restricts can appear in an LLC name only when that law's conditions are met (N.J.S.A. 42:2C-6). The endings New Jersey accepts include the long forms “Limited Liability Company” and “LTD Liability Co.” as well as “L.L.C.” and “LLC”, and the Division supplies one if your filing leaves it off.
How New Jersey decides two names are the same
Your LLC's name has to be distinguishable on the filing office's records from every non-individual entity that New Jersey has incorporated, organized or authorized, plus every name held in reserve (N.J.S.A. 42:2C-6). This comes from the statute as quoted in search results; the statute page itself couldn't be loaded.
Where the rules are written. N.J.S.A. 42:2C-6 (Revised Uniform LLC Act, P.L.2012 c.50).
Searching for an LLC name in New Jersey
Searching names is free on the Division's portal. If you need proof, an official status report is $5 (plus a $1.25 online fee), and the Division sells an LLC name availability certificate for $50.
Open the official New Jersey entity search
Leave the ending off when you search, so every version of the name shows up, then compare each result word by word. If one matches apart from spacing, punctuation or a plural, change a real word in your name.
Live from New Jersey's records. Pick New Jersey in the LLC name check and it runs your words through the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services's Business Name Search when you submit, then lists the registered names that share them, longer ones that open with them, and those starting with the same two words.
Holding the name: New Jersey LLC name reservation
$50 holds an LLC name, and the same $50 renews or transfers the reservation. Apply online through the business portal, or send the form by fax or post; the listed hold is 120 days, a figure we couldn't confirm on an official page.
File a New Jersey name reservation
Forming the LLC in New Jersey
The Certificate of Formation costs $100. Faster handling is optional: $25 for 8.5 business hours, $50 for same day, $500 for two hours or $1,000 for one hour.
File the Certificate of Formation online
A New Jersey LLC files a $75 annual report each year, due by the last day of the month in which it was formed. There's no franchise tax at the Division and no newspaper notice. A Certificate of Standing is $50 in short form or $100 in long form.
When the LLC trades under another name
An LLC that uses another name has to register it as an alternate name with the Division before using it, for $50; an unregistered alternate name costs a $50 penalty for each year it's used. The registration can be renewed for $50 in the three months before it expires.
Sources
- Fees, nj.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Altname, nj.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- Nj public records filing (PDF), nj.gov, checked 2026-10-07
- pub.njleg.state.nj.us, checked 2026-10-07
- Filings and accounting, business.nj.gov, checked 2026-10-07
These are the official pages behind every fact above. If one of them now says something different, it's right and this page is out of date.
A few were read from search results, not the page itself, because the site refused direct requests; treat the facts they back as provisional until the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services confirms them.
Common questions
Can two LLCs in New Jersey have the same name?
No. New Jersey accepts a new LLC name only if it can be told apart from every name on its record.
How long can I hold an LLC name in New Jersey?
For a limited time (the official length couldn't be confirmed), for $50.
Does a new New Jersey LLC have to publish a notice?
No. New Jersey has no newspaper publication requirement for LLCs.
How much is the New Jersey LLC filing fee?
$100, paid when you file the Certificate of Formation.