Registered Agent Rules in New Jersey: Statute & Address (2026)
Open New Jersey's LLC act looking for "registered agent" and you will find a different phrase: the law talks about an "agent for service of process." Same job, older name. N.J.S.A. 42:2C-14 makes the appointment mandatory for every LLC, and DORES, the Treasury division that keeps the registry, uses the familiar registered agent wording across its portals and paperwork.
Who the Statute Lets You Appoint
Quoting N.J.S.A. 42:2C-14 directly, the agent must be a "resident of this State or other person with authority to transact business in this State." The DORES instructions translate that into practice: an individual, or a corporation registered and in good standing with the State Treasurer. Either way the agent has to be genuinely reachable in New Jersey, not a name borrowed from some other state's roster.
The Address Cannot Be a Mailbox Alone
New Jersey wants a real street address for the registered office. Per the state's own filing instructions, a PO Box works only as a supplement, listed alongside the street address rather than in place of it. Both addresses go onto your Certificate of Formation and into the public record, where anyone can look them up.
The Work the Agent Performs
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Get StartedThink of the agent as your company's legal front door:
- Court papers get served there when someone sues the LLC.
- State notices land there, including registry and compliance correspondence from DORES.
- Deadline-sensitive documents reach a human during business hours instead of piling up unseen.
Swapping Agents Is a $25 Filing
Two roads lead to a new agent. Form L-122, the Certificate of Change, goes to DORES with the $25 statutory fee under the change provisions of N.J.S.A. 42:2C-15. Or, if your annual report is coming up anyway, make the change inside the report and pay the same $25 there. The state also runs an online charter amendments service if you would rather skip the PDF entirely.
What We Charge and What You Get
$99 a year, flat. We sit at a New Jersey street address as your agent, scan whatever arrives on the day it arrives, remind you before your annual report month, and keep your home address out of the searchable registry. Form your LLC through us for $199 and year one of agent service rides along at no extra charge, renewing at $99 afterward.
Deciding Who Should Hold the Role
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Get StartedThe role rewards whoever is always there. A registered office must stay covered through the business day, at a published location, year after year. Owners who value privacy or mobility usually park the duty with a professional agent, because the fallout from a missed lawsuit notice dwarfs the $99 it takes to prevent one.