How To Incorporate In New Jersey
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1. Choose a Name for Your New Jersey Corporation
Check on Available Names in New Jersey: If you want to incorporate your small business in the state of New Jersey, you will need to choose a unique name for your corporation. Before you file to incorporate, you should search online and other records to determine that the name that you have chosen is not already in use by another corporation. You can find information on determining name availability as well as a link to an online database of corporations that are registered in the state of New Jersey at New Jersey Corporation.
Reserve a Corporate Name: It is not a requirement to reserve a name before you file a Certificate of Incorporation in New Jersey, but if you are not planning to file a Certificate of Incorporation right away and you want to reserve a particular name until the time that you can file, you may submit a name reservation application to the office of the New Jersey Division of Revenue. The name reservation application form can be found online at Reserve a New Jersey Corporation Name.
There is a fee of $50.00 to reserve a name. The name that you indicate will be reserved for a period of 120 days.
Filing Trademarks and Doing a Corporate Name Search: It is possible that the name that you choose for your corporation is available in New Jersey, but in use by another corporation in another state. You might find that there are some legal restrictions on your use of the name that you have chosen for your corporation. You should consult an attorney so that you can be informed about what these restrictions are and learn how you can trademark the name that you have chosen for your corporation.
New Jersey Corporate Name Requirements: In the state of New Jersey the name of a corporation must include the word “corporation,” “incorporated,” “limited,” or an abbreviation of one of these words.
2. Find a Registered Agent in New Jersey
After you have decided on the name of your corporation, you will need to choose a registered agent for your corporation. The registered agent that you choose will act as an agent for service of process. The registered agent for your corporation will receive all legal and tax documents on behalf of your corporation. You may indicate an adult resident of New Jersey or a corporation as your registered agent. Your corporation may not act as its own registered agent.
3. File Certificate of Incorporation with the New Jersey Secretary of State
Minimum Requirements: You will need to file a Certificate of Incorporation with the New Jersey Division of Revenue in order to incorporate your small business in New Jersey. You can file online at New Jersey Corporation Set Up. You should be prepared to provide the name of your corporation, the name and address of the registered agent for your corporation, the number of shares authorized by your corporation, and the name and address of each incorporator. The Certificate of Incorporation must be signed by the incorporators.
Other New Jersey Legal Provisions: You can choose to include additional provisions when you file a Certificate of Incorporation. You should consult an attorney when you are preparing to file a Certificate of Incorporation so that you make sure to include the additional legal provisions that are relevant to your corporation.
Where to Submit Form: You should submit the Certificate of Incorporation online at File a New Jerey Corporation. If you choose not to file your Certificate of Incorporation online, you can contact the New Jersey Division of Revenue by mail at NJ Division of Revenue, Corporate Filing Unit, PO Box 308, Trenton, NJ 08646.
Filing Fee: The filing fee for a Certificate of Incorporation in New Jersey is $125.00.
4. Create Other New Jersey Incorporation Documents (Corporate Kits)
After filing a Certificate of Incorporation with the New Jersey Division of Revenue, you can begin to take other actions in your corporation like appointing officers and directors, adopting corporation bylaws, issuing stock certificates, obtaining a tax ID number, and acquiring a business license. You should also consider creating other types of corporate documents like buy-sell agreements, shareholders agreements that determine when stock can be sold, and documents that describe what will happen if an owner decides to leave the company. These types of corporate documents may be very useful to you, especially if your corporation has multiple owners. You should consult an attorney when you are drafting these documents so that you can be sure to comply with legal requirements. You could also consult one of the various corporate service companies that work with corporations to create these important corporate documents.
5. Qualify Your New Jersey Corporation to Do Business in Other States
When you are taking other actions in your corporation, remember that if the main office of your corporation is located in another state, you must qualify your corporation to do business in that state and you most likely will be required to pay taxes in your home state. You can find more information on how to qualify your corporation to do business in other states online at Doing Business in other states.
6. Make Annual Filings and Pay Annual Fees and Taxes in New Jersey
If you have a corporation that is registered in the state of New Jersey, you will need to file an annual report. All annual reports for corporations in New Jersey must be filed online. The filing fee is $50.00. You can file online at New Jersey Corporate Fee.
All corporations registered in New Jersey are subject to New Jersey state income taxes. You will be required to file a corporate income tax form with the state and pay the required taxes each year. You can find more information about the corporate tax in New Jersey online at official website of the New Jersey Division of Taxation at New Jersey Corporate Tax. You should consult a professional accountant when it is time to prepare your tax documents. An accountant can help you to avoid costly mistakes in the preparation of your tax documents.
When you are in the process of incorporating your small business, you will face many decisions. These decisions can often be very complex, especially if your corporation has multiple owners. You should consult an attorney and an accountant during this process so that you can feel more confident that your paperwork is being prepared correctly.
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This site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advise. The information on this site should not be relied upon as an official source of information and should be independently verified.
