Foreign corporation registration
New Jersey Foreign Corporation Registration
A corporation formed in another state registers with New Jersey on the Public Records Filing for New Business Entity (foreign authorization). The $100 filing fee goes to New Jersey; our $199 covers preparing and filing it plus the first year of New Jersey registered agent service, for $299 at checkout. New Jersey also wants a certificate of good standing from the home state.
New Jersey corporation registration at a glance
- Filing
- Public Records Filing for New Business Entity (foreign authorization) (no form number)
- State fee
- $100 filing fee
- Total with us
- $299, first year of New Jersey registered agent service included
- Home-state certificate
- Required
- New Jersey yearly filing
- Annual Report, $75, every year
- Filed with
- New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), Department of the Treasury
What the New Jersey filing asks for
New Jersey's Public Records Filing for New Business Entity (foreign authorization) asks for name, entity type code, business purpose, duration, state of formation, date of formation, the registered agent and registered office, and the main business address. In practice, that means:
- The exact name of your corporation as formed, or an alternate name if that name is taken there
- The state it was formed in and its date of formation
- A New Jersey registered agent with a street address there; we fill in ours
- A principal office address
- A certificate of good standing from the home state
Corporation into New Jersey, by home state
The first-year total adds the home state's certificate fee to the $299 checkout total; the certificate is ordered from that state.
| Formed in | Certificate New Jersey asks for | First year |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Certificate of Existence, $25 | $324 |
| Alaska | Certificate of Compliance, $10 | $309 |
| Arizona | Certificate of Good Standing, $10 | $309 |
| Arkansas | Certificate of Good Standing, $25 | $324 |
| California | Certificate of Status, $5 | $304 |
| Colorado | Certificate of Good Standing, free | $299 |
| Connecticut | Certificate of Legal Existence, $80 | $379 |
| Delaware | Certificate of Good Standing, $50 | $349 |
| Florida | Certificate of Status, $8.75 | $307.75 |
| Georgia | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| Hawaii | Good Standing Certificate, $5 | $304 |
| Idaho | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| Illinois | Certificate of Good Standing, $25 | $324 |
| Indiana | Certificate of Existence, $15 | $314 |
| Iowa | Certificate of Existence, $5 | $304 |
| Kansas | Certificate of Good Standing, $7.50 | $306.50 |
| Kentucky | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| Louisiana | Certificate of Good Standing, $25 | $324 |
| Maine | Certificate of Existence, $30 | $329 |
| Maryland | Certificate of Status, $20 | $319 |
| Massachusetts | Certificate of Good Standing, $12 | $311 |
| Michigan | Certificate of Good Standing, $10 | $309 |
| Minnesota | Certificate of Good Standing, $5 | $304 |
| Mississippi | Certificate of Good Standing / Certificate of Existence, $25 | $324 |
| Missouri | Certificate of Good Standing, $10 | $309 |
| Montana | Certificate of Existence, $5 | $304 |
| Nebraska | Certificate of Good Standing, $6.50 | $305.50 |
| Nevada | Certificate of Existence, $50 | $349 |
| New Hampshire | Certificate of Good Standing, $5 | $304 |
| New Mexico | Certificate of Good Standing and Compliance, $50 | $349 |
| New York | Certificate of Status, $25 | $324 |
| North Carolina | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| North Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing, $20 | $319 |
| Ohio | Certificate of Good Standing, $5 | $304 |
| Oklahoma | Certificate of Good Standing, $20 | $319 |
| Oregon | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| Pennsylvania | Subsistence Certificate, $40 | $339 |
| Rhode Island | Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing, $22 | $321 |
| South Carolina | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| South Dakota | Certificate of Good Standing/Existence, $20 | $319 |
| Tennessee | Certificate of Existence, $20 | $319 |
| Texas | Certificate of Fact - Status, $15 | $314 |
| Utah | Certificate of Existence, $12 | $311 |
| Vermont | Certificate of Good Standing, $25 | $324 |
| Virginia | Certificate of Good Standing, $6 | $305 |
| Washington | Certificate of Existence, $20 | $319 |
| West Virginia | Certificate of Existence, $10 | $309 |
| Wisconsin | Certificate of Status, $10 | $309 |
| Wyoming | Certificate of Good Standing, free | $299 |
If you do business in New Jersey without registering
New Jersey penalties for unregistered business: a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and a fine of at least $200.
New Jersey registered agent rule
New Jersey requires every registered foreign corporation to keep a registered agent there. Our $199 includes the first year of New Jersey registered agent service, then $149 a year.
New Jersey yearly filings
Once registered, your corporation files the New Jersey Annual Report every year, at $75, due last day of the anniversary month of authorization to transact business in NJ. The New Jersey filing window opens 30 days before designated date and closes 30 days after designated date. From year two, keeping the New Jersey registration costs $224 a year with our registered agent service.
How long New Jersey takes
We file it online with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES).
New Jersey foreign corporation questions
Do I have to register my corporation in New Jersey?
Yes, if it was formed in another state and does business there. An office, staff or regular sales there usually mean registering.
How much does foreign corporation registration in New Jersey cost?
$299 at checkout: the $100 filing fee plus our $199, which includes the first year of registered agent service.
Does New Jersey need a certificate from my home state?
Yes, a certificate of good standing from the home state, current at filing.
What does it cost each year to stay registered in New Jersey?
$224 a year: $75 for the Annual Report and $149 for our registered agent service. The home state's own yearly filing stays separate.
What if I don't register with New Jersey?
New Jersey can charge a civil penalty of up to $1,000 and a fine of at least $200.
Do I need a registered agent in New Jersey?
Yes. New Jersey requires one for every corporation registered there from another state. Ours is included for the first year, then $149 a year.
What if my company's name is taken in New Jersey?
New Jersey lets an out-of-state corporation register under an alternate name.
Can I form a new New Jersey corporation instead?
It is possible, but that is a separate company that files New Jersey's Annual Report ($75), while the original keeps its home-state filings. Registering keeps one company in both states.
Is the New Jersey filing the same for an LLC?
No: LLCs file their own registration ($100 in state fees, the same fee), and corporations file this one.
Is this a certificate of authority?
New Jersey calls it registration; other states call the same step a certificate of authority or foreign qualification.