How to Change Your Registered Agent in New Jersey (2026)
To change a New Jersey LLC's registered agent, file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Office with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES). The fee is a flat $25.
You can file that change on its own through the DORES online portal. Or fold it into your LLC's Annual Report at no extra online charge. A professional registered agent service can also handle the filing for you.
Quick Summary
- Filing costs the same flat state fee whether you file it alone or combine it with your Annual Report.
- File online through DORES, or let a professional registered agent service handle it.
- The change takes effect as soon as DORES processes your filing, whichever route you use.
| Detail | New Jersey Change-of-Agent Facts |
|---|---|
| Filing | Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Office |
| Filing fee | $25 flat, plus a $1-3 online service charge if filed on its own |
| Filing agency | Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), Dept. of the Treasury |
| Filing methods | Online, standalone or combined with your Annual Report |
| Consent requirement | None. Notice to the new agent is enough |
| Governing statute | N.J.S.A. 42:2C-15 |
| Annual Report (separate filing) | $75 a year, due on your LLC's formation-anniversary month |
How to Change Your New Jersey Registered Agent
New Jersey gives you three ways to make the switch. File the change on its own online, combine it with your Annual Report, or hand the paperwork to a professional service. Each route lands with DORES and costs the same flat fee. The choice mostly comes down to timing and how much of the filing you want to handle yourself.
This guide covers New Jersey only, and focuses on what an LLC owner needs to know. Filing somewhere else? Our national guide to changing a registered agent breaks the process down state by state.
1. File the Change Online With DORES
Log into the DORES online filing system and start a registered agent change transaction. You'll need your business's entity ID, its current registered office and agent details, and the new agent's name and New Jersey address.
The state fee is $25 [1]. Paying by credit card adds a $3 charge. Paying by eCheck adds $1. The change takes effect once DORES processes the filing.
2. Combine It With Your Annual Report
If your LLC's Annual Report is coming due, update the registered agent in that same online filing instead of running a separate transaction. DORES charges the same $25 fee either way, but it skips the online service charge when the change rides the Annual Report.
Keep the two filings straight in your records. The Annual Report itself is a separate $75-a-year requirement, due every year on the month your LLC was originally formed. Combining the agent change with it saves a few dollars in service fees, not the $75 itself.
3. Let a Registered Agent Service File It For You
Some LLC owners would rather not log into a state portal and track down entity fields themselves. A professional registered agent service takes the DORES transaction off your plate, matching your entity's details and submitting the change on your behalf.
Expect the provider to confirm once DORES has processed the update. Two charges land on your bill: the $25 state fee and whatever the provider charges for the work.
This path pairs naturally with signing up for a New Jersey registered agent service in the first place, since the provider ends up filing its own address anyway.
Who Can Be a New Jersey Registered Agent
Two kinds of people or entities can legally serve as a New Jersey registered agent [2]. The first is an individual who lives in New Jersey. The second is any other person or entity with authority to do business in the state, including a domestic or foreign business.
A New Jersey registered agent must:
- Be a New Jersey resident, if the agent is an individual
- Be authorized to transact business in New Jersey, if the agent is an entity
- Serve at an office the LLC continuously maintains in the state
The company doesn't need signed consent from a new agent before filing the change. It only has to notify that agent of the appointment. Make sure whoever you're naming has actually agreed to take the job before the paperwork goes in.
If privacy matters to you, name a registered agent service instead of yourself. The public record then shows the provider's business address rather than your home.
FAQs
Is Written Consent Required From the New Registered Agent in New Jersey?
No. Signed consent isn't required. The company just has to let the new agent know about the appointment before filing.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in New Jersey?
Yes. Any New Jersey resident can serve as their own LLC's registered agent, as long as the LLC continuously maintains an office in the state.
Does Changing My Registered Agent in New Jersey Require Notarization?
No. This filing does not require notarization. You fill it out, submit it online or through a service, and pay the $25 fee.
What Does a New Jersey Registered Agent Change Cost?
A New Jersey registered agent change costs $25 either way. A standalone online filing adds a small card or eCheck service charge on top of that flat fee.
Can I Change My Registered Agent When I File My Annual Report?
Yes. You can change your registered agent the same time you file your Annual Report. DORES combines both updates in one online session, and the Annual Report's own $75 fee still applies on top.
References:
- https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/fees.shtml
- https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2012/PL12/50_.PDF
