As a startup owner in New Jersey, you need to hire a trustworthy registered agent if you want your company to satisfy its statutory obligations and always be in accordance with New Jersey state rules.
Drawing from my years of experience and collaboration with our in-house legal advisors, we've rigorously tested and evaluated the top registered agent companies in New Jersey based on service features, turnaround, and customer support.
Here are 6 registered agents in New Jersey that you can hire for your company or LLC.
Top 6 Registered Agents in New Jersey (March 2023)
1 - Northwest Registered Agent Service (Editor's Choice)
Northwest Registered Agent is a staunch, reputable specialized organization with a very simple web-based platform that's resourceful to startup owners.
We had a butter-smooth experience with their outstanding customer service that ensured our LLC development or formation was done swiftly and appropriately.
With Northwest Registered Agent you can assure that your startup will operate smoothly and maintain a good status.
Plus, you will always be notified of essential civil disputes by using their own registered agent and the company's annual compliance service.
Service Features:
- Registered Agent Services ($125/year): Offers an office address in New Jersey in your authority, receiving service of process, complimentary mail routing, pre-filled legislative forms, notifications for yearly reports and more. The first year of registered agent service is free if you form your LLC with Northwest.
- Basic LLC Formation Plan ($39 + $130 State Fee): Articles of organization, an operational agreement, a year of free registered agent service and standard and expedited processing rates.
- Full Service LLC Formation Plan ($225 + $130 State Fees): It does include an operational agreement, same-day filing, a full year of registered agent service, and a client account.
- Provides Privacy by Default program
- Superb customer service
- Well-versed in their 20 years of expertise
- Cost transparency
- Formation bundle offers free registered agent services
- Premium priced services
2 - ZenBusiness Registered Agent Service
ZenBusiness is a new business formation service aimed at assisting others in starting their own business entities.
With their easy-to-use interface, you can easily file and submit your New Jersey LLC formation documents. They also have a convenient legal alert system that sends notifications ahead of filing deadlines.
What we liked about ZenBusiness was getting a thorough evaluation from one of their professional accountants, who helped us with our accounting books and bookkeeping.
We would recommend ZenBusiness for any business owner in New Jersey who wants to make their statutory filings easier and less expensive.
Service Features:
- ZenBusiness Registered Agent Standard ($199): Registered agent service, online document access, and unlimited client assistance.
- ZenBusiness Starter costs ($0 + $130 State Fee): The starter subscription covers the basic corporate filing service, which covers name availability search capabilities and access to your files via the company's site. Furthermore, standard filing speed applies (2 to 3 weeks).
- ZenBusiness Pro ($199 + $130 State Fee): The Pro package will provide additional New Jersey LLC formation services like accelerated filing (4 to 6 days), financial reports, employment ID number generation, and compliance reviews and alerts.
- ZenBusiness Premium ($299 + $130 State Fee): ZenBusiness Premium plan incorporates the platform's services (plus state filing fees), and the fastest rush filling speed (1-2 days) and customizable business website.
- Cost-effective pricing structure
- Chat client support is expanded
- Has gotten favorable customer reviews
- Genuine refund policy
- Fewer advanced features
3 - IncFile Registered Agent Service
Incfile is known for its affordable pricing, starting with a free basic package (plus state fees) for LLC, corporation, and nonprofit formations.
We recommend IncFile because they provide a comprehensive range of formation, regulatory, and New Jersey registered agent services.
Their streamlined user interface is easy to use, even for beginners, and you can order any services from there.
We easily accessed their prompt support from the online dashboard, and they were quite helpful during the entire process.
IncFile has earned a reputation for providing quality service at a lower cost than its rivals.
Incfile is among the top registered agents at a reasonable price. The only possible disadvantage is that Incfile does not provide volume discounts for registered agent services. However, this is mainly an issue for organizations wishing to purchase in bulk.
Service Features:
- Registered Agent Services (starts at $119): Includes an Online Dashboard, Email Forwarding, and more. You will get a free registered agent service in the first year if you decide to form your LLC with IncFile.
- Silver LLC Formation Package ($0 + $130 State Fee): This bundle comes with unlimited name searches, a year of free registered agent service, filing of the articles of organization, and phone and email support.
- Gold LLC Formation Package ($199 + $130 State Fee): You will receive everything included in the Silver Package in addition to crucial business tax documentation, such as an EIN Business Tax Number and an IRS Form 2553.
- Platinum LLC Formation Package ($299 + $130 State Fee): All the features of the Gold Package are available to users, in addition to business contract templates, next-day filing, a web domain name, and a business email.
- Has a beneficial online dashboard.
- A free registered agent service in all of their packages
- Efficient and fast processing of orders
- No hidden pricing
- No volume discounts for registered agent services
4 - LegalZoom Registered Agent Service
LegalZoom is a trusted brand in the online legal services industry and has been at the forefront of the internet legal services business for almost 20 years.
Although it is not the least expensive in the industry, LegalZoom attracts clients with proven dependability, product variety, and exceptional customer service.
In my experience, their Compliance Calendar has been particularly helpful in keeping me informed of crucial compliance dates.
LegalZoom also carefully reviews and copies pertinent documents, and in my capacity as a registered agent, they promptly contacted me by phone when I received a court date. Their attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction has been truly impressive.
Service Features:
- Registered Agent Services ($299/year): Registered agents from LegalZoom are offered in a single package that contains a compliance calendar, firm data protection, and endless cloud storage. If you start your LLC using LegalZoom, you will pay only $249 for the registered agent service in the first year.
- Economy LLC Formation Package ($79 + $130 State Fee): You will get a comprehensive name search, individualized tax advice, a digital welcome package, and a customizable website in collaboration with Wix.
- Standard LLC Formation Package ($329 + $130 State Fee):Â The Standard edition includes everything from the Economical package in addition to the founder's kit and the personalized notebook.
- Express Gold LLC Formation Package ($349 + $130 State Fee): Additionally to the other 2 packages, you will receive 1-day express processing and fast shipment.
- Satisfaction Guarantee for 60 days
- Simple online platform
- VIP processing is included in several LLC plans
- Slow turnaround times
- Costly New Jersey registered agent service
5 - Swyft Filings Registered Agent Service
Swyft Filings, a formation company intended to save you expenses, time, and effort, may be worth a look if you want to establish a corporation.
Their streamlined process and user-friendly platform made it easy for me to navigate through the formation process, ultimately saving me time and reducing stress.
We really appreciated their transparent pricing structure and commitment to customer satisfaction. Overall, they left a positive impression.
Swyft Filings' registered agent service is intended to give enterprises of all kinds a cost-effective and competent way to meet their legal business obligations.
Service Features:
- Registered Agent Service ($99 every 3 months): Provides an online dashboard, Assurance of Compliance, and automatic contract renewals at a fixed cost.
- Basic LLC Formation Package ($49 + $130 State Fee): It files the articles of organization in your name.
- Standard LLC Formation Package ($149 + $130 State Fee): Additionally to the articles of organization, you will get a Federal Tax ID (EIN) and most documents needed to open the LLC.
- Premium LLC Formation Package ($299 + $130 State Fee): You will get extra domain and company website hosting, a tracking number to find out when the articles of the organization have been approved, and a customized digital corporate kit.
- Excellent client service
- Money return guarantee of 100%
- Excellent customer reviews
- Expensive registered agent service
- The registered agent service is not included in the Swyft Filings plans
6 - Harbor Compliance Registered Agent Service
Harbor Compliance is a premier supplier of compliance solutions for all companies, formed by a group of governmental licensing experts and digital innovators.
They're an experienced company assisting over 20,000 organizations, enterprises, and nonprofits so far. If you have any compliance-related issues, they may be worth exploring.
We enlisted Harbor Compliance as our registered agent and we found their service pretty decent. They efficiently managed official communications between government entities and our company, ensuring that all legal requirements were met in a timely manner.
Their attention to detail and dedication to customer satisfaction made us confident in their ability to handle our business's compliance needs effectively.
The goal of the Harbor Compliance Registered Agent Service is to provide businesses of all sizes with a reliable and affordable solution to fulfill their legal duties.
Service Features:
- Registered Agent Service ($88-$99/year): Includes free file scanning, a performant dashboard, customizable alerts, and friendly support.
- LLC Formation Service ($99 + $130 State Fee): Availability of names, Operating Agreement Form, Articles of Incorporation, and federal TIN.
- Exceptional customer support
- Provides a savings alternative for your company
- Software-based compliance solutions
- Refunds are not available
- Fewer services are provided in the formation package
What are the Advantages of Working with a Registered Agent Service in New Jersey?
The advantages of working with a registered agent service in New Jersey include the following[1]:
1. Avoid Incidents of Noncompliance
When using a New Jersey registered agent service, you may remain in compliance, prevent excessive statutory financial penalties, and keep your business in top form in the jurisdiction where it was formed.
2. Freedom
The rationale behind making one of the registered agent's requirements must be reachable throughout regular business hours is to guarantee that critical records, warnings, and documentation are received in an efficient way.
3. Privacy in Businesses
A New Jersey registered agent service will share its street address with the SOS. This way, you keep your business address private, as all documents will be sent to the agent's public address on your behalf [2].
4. Documents organization
Using a New Jersey registered agent will help vital business correspondence, alerts, documents, and more to be maintained in one spot, making it easy to monitor all papers and refer to them whenever needed.
5. One New Jersey Registered Agent for Multiple Jurisdictions
A New Jersey registered agent service eliminates the requirement to keep several workplaces, and New Jersey registered agents.
How Much Does a Statutory Agent Service Cost in New Jersey?
A statutory agent service in New Jersey normally costs between $50 and $300 each year. This price varies according to the company and the service features you choose for your business.
Generally, the fewer features you want, the lesser the fee, and the more premium agent services you want, the more the costs.
Related Articles:
What Are the Requirements for a New Jersey Registered Agent?
These are the requirements of a registered agent in New Jersey according to the New Jersey Corporations and Associations Act (14A:4-1. & 15A:4-1):
- The New Jersey registered agent must be a person who is legally residing in the state or a business that provides the best registered agent services there.
- For New Jersey registered agents, a corporate office headquarters with a specific address in the state is necessary.
- The New Jersey registered agent should handle pertinent documents during regular working hours.
- To be recognized as a registered agent in New Jersey, a candidate must be of legal consenting age (18 or older).
FAQs
Do You Need a Statutory Agent in New Jersey?
Yes, you need a statutory agent in New Jersey. All businesses, limited liability companies (LLCs), and general partnerships in New Jersey must have a registered agent.
When Should I Hire a Registered Agent, Before or After Starting My New Jersey Business Entity?
You should hire a registered agent before your New Jersey business entity. In the event that you do not designate a registered agent, the New Jersey Division of Revenue will invalidate your company registration application.
What Is a Registered Agent’s Key Role in New Jersey?
A registered agent’s key role in New Jersey is to acquire paperwork as a representation of the company and contact or prompt them directly to the responsible party at the firm.
Our Favourite Registered Agent in New Jersey is...
After examining all of these New Jersey registered agent services, we concluded that Northwest Registered Agent is one of the most reliable registered agent firms.
This best New Jersey registered agent offers unlimited name searches, annual compliance report filing, federal tax ID registration, and suitable data security measures.
Upon enlisting them, we received free registered agent service in the first year, excellent customer support service, and coordination of legal documents.
Having more than a decade-long experience, Northwest Registered Agent service is undoubtedly capable of providing everything you need to get your LLC started.
Our #1 Recommendation
Northwest Registered Agent Service
- Provides Privacy by Default program
- Superb customer service
- Well-versed in their 20 years of expertise
- Cost transparency
- Formation bundle offers free registered agent services
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of March
- Premium priced services
