New Jersey Secretary of State business search — LLC name check, trademark & domain lookup
New Jersey runs its registry out of the Treasury's Division of Revenue, and every new entity must also register for taxes within 60 days — two filings, one name. The state's list of words needing approval is longer than most and includes 'Blind', 'Handicapped' and 'Cemetery' alongside the usual banking terms.
Run the New Jersey check — One search covers the New Jersey registry, federal trademarks and the domain. Free, no signup.
Check this name →How to check a business name in New Jersey
- Start with the registry. Search the New Jersey registry for the exact name; it's the check that decides whether you can file at all.
- Then the two checks the state doesn't do. A federal trademark reaches across state lines, and the .com decides whether customers find you — both run here automatically.
- Lock it in. New Jersey will hold it for 120 days for $50. The system of record is the New Jersey Division of Revenue; confirm there before paying a filing fee.
How busy is New Jersey right now?
Businesses in New Jersey filed 175,623 new business applications in the twelve months to August 2026 — +13.2% on the year before, the 9th-highest total of any state and 18.5 per 1,000 residents (ranked 17th per person). April was the busiest month with 18,869 applications, and New Jersey accounts for 2.8% of all U.S. filings.
Every one of those applications is a name someone else is about to claim — which is why a search that was clear last month deserves a fresh run before filing.
Where America starts businesses — all 50 states ranked →
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 2019 comparison: 112,347 applications in calendar 2019.
New Jersey naming rules: what the New Jersey Division of Revenue will and won't accept
New Jersey applies one test to every proposed name: it must be distinguishable upon the records of the Treasurer. The examiner ignores punctuation, spacing, capitalization and the suffix when comparing, so two names that look different on paper can still collide. An LLC name must end in LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company; a corporation uses Corporation, Corp., Incorporated and Inc., among others.
Certain words trigger a review. In New Jersey that list includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer, Olympic, Blind and Handicapped and others — using one implies a regulated activity and the filing will be held until the relevant regulator consents.
The fees are straightforward: forming an LLC costs $125, a corporation $125 and a name reservation is $50 and holds the name for 120 days. Online filings are usually immediate.
The ongoing obligation: Annual report, $75, due by the end of the anniversary month. Skip it and the state eventually dissolves the entity, releasing the name back into the pool.
As published by the New Jersey Division of Revenue, (609) 292-9292 — official website (fee schedule). Fees change; confirm before filing.
What people are checking in New Jersey
Over the last three months, visitors ran 22 New Jersey checks here, and 78% of them came back clear at the state level. The words that came up most: Future, Repo, Kte, Recovery and Towing. (Aggregate figures only — we don't publish individual searches.)
What makes a name available in New Jersey?
- It must be distinguishable from names already on the New Jersey registry — usually more than a difference in punctuation, spacing, or an entity suffix.
- Only active registrations block a name. A dissolved or revoked entity with the same name typically doesn't stop you — though a recently inactive one can carry a reinstatement risk worth knowing about (our checker flags exactly that case).
- Entity suffixes are required, not decorative. An LLC's legal name must carry an LLC designator; a corporation needs Inc., Corp., or an equivalent accepted in New Jersey.
- Registry clearance is not trademark clearance. The New Jersey Division of Revenue checks its own records only — it will register a name that infringes a federal trademark. Check both.
About the New Jersey Division of Revenue
The New Jersey Division of Revenue maintains New Jersey's registry of corporations, LLCs, and other registered entities — it is the system of record for New Jersey business names. Useful official resources:
- Official New Jersey business entity search — the state's own lookup.
- New Jersey Division of Revenue — official website — filings, forms, fees, and contact details.
Using the official New Jersey search
- Search here first. The checker above covers the New Jersey registry plus federal trademarks and domains in one pass — most dead-end names are eliminated in seconds.
- Open the official New Jersey entity search and look up your shortlisted name exactly as you plan to file it, including the entity suffix.
- Review matching records — check each match's status (active registrations block a name; dissolved ones usually don't) and how close the spelling is to yours.
- File or reserve promptly. Availability is first-come-first-served; a name that's clear today can be registered by someone else tomorrow.
Frequently asked questions
- What does a New Jersey LLC name have to end with?
- One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C. and Limited Liability Company. The checker searches the name with and without the suffix, because the suffix alone never makes a name distinguishable.
- Can I reserve a business name in New Jersey before I file?
- Yes. The New Jersey Division of Revenue charges $50 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.
- How much does it cost to register a business name in New Jersey?
- The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $125 for an LLC and $125 for a corporation, then annual report, $75, due by the end of the anniversary month.
- Are there words I can't use in a New Jersey business name?
- Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In New Jersey that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and Olympic. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
- How many new businesses start in New Jersey each year?
- The Census Bureau counted 175,623 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +13.2% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.
- Does a New Jersey registration protect my name in other states?
- No. It protects the name inside New Jersey's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the New Jersey lookup.
Still choosing a name? Try the New Jersey business name generator — every idea checked against the same registry.
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