Best Registered Agent Services in New Jersey

23 Min Read
0 Reviews
Last updated February 17, 2023
Written by Dmytro Kondratiev
Editor, lawyer
Disclosure: We earn a commission from some partner links. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
New Jersey best registered agent

If you have started your New Jersey registered agent search, this article will help you find one faster. Any business registered in the state should use the services of such a professional to secure its assets, receive timely correspondence, maintain confidentiality, remain in good standing, and finally, simply get rid of the routine paperwork.

This guide will help you choose a reliable registered agent to open an LLC in New Jersey. Here you will find only responsible, time-tested service providers that will make sure your business reputation is secured by providing quality services.

Best Registered Agent Service in New Jersey

Most companies that provide resident agent services operate across all 50 states. NJ is no exception. Thus, you will also find a reliable partner in each city of the state. As for the services, in general, they are not much different from each other. That said, a standard set of New Jersey registered agent services usually includes the following options:

  • Document Scanning and Forwarding;
  • Mail Forwarding;
  • Document Storage and Personal Data Privacy;
  • Sending Timely Reminders (regarding annual reports, etc.);
  • Filling of Documentation (on behalf of the business);
  • Providing Consultations, and so on.

When doing your New Jersey registered agent search, keep in mind that you may need a number of additional services as well. The latter include registering a DBA (fictitious name), getting a business license or legal advice, getting permits and certificates, setting up a business banking account, online order status tracking, preparation and filing of IRS Form 2553, free domain name and email service, company management system, and so on.

That said, you want to look for a provider that can provide the most suitable range of services that are right for your business. So which NJ cities can offer the most beneficial registered agent services? Read on to find out.

CompanyBasicStandardPremium
Zenbusiness$39$149$249
Legalzoom$79$329$349
Incfile$85$234$384
Swyft Filings$49$149$299
Northwest$225

Registered Agent Jersey City, New Jersey

There's no need to do a long registered agent New Jersey search since there are offices of reliable RA service providers that have been on the market for many years, e.g. LegalZoom, Northwest Registered Agent, and a few others.

Such registered agent services and online legal technology companies will receive important legal and tax documents from the state for you, scan them and send them to you, send notices and reminders on annual reports, store copies of your business correspondence, and much more. All in all, registered agents can help you make sure your business remains compliant with the state.

A list of responsibilities of registered agents in Jersey City, New Jersey, is not much different from the one of any other RA in any other state. The main goal of your registered agent is to keep track of any related state laws while also keeping an eye on the NJ Division of Revenue (an agency that sets requirements and filing fees for forming an LLC in New Jersey). So that no changes catch you off guard and jeopardize your business processes.

Registered Agent Paterson, New Jersey

Reputable companies also offer their registered agent services in Paterson, New Jersey. To cooperate with them, all you have to do is fill out a form on their website and submit an application. The whole process will take you not more than 10 minutes.

Registered agent companies like Incfile offer packages where New Jersey registered agent for service of process is free for all subscribers during the first 365 days.

Now let's take a closer look at options that the most reputable service providers can offer you in 2022.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent not only offers registered agent services in New Jersey and beyond but also helps prospective owners create their first LLCs. The RA service offers suitable solutions to its clients. Most Northwest customers admit that the company offers some of the most reasonable prices and services of outstanding quality.

Clients mostly praise the free RA service (for 1 year) and exceptional customer support. All because Northwest has more than two decades of experience and knows exactly how to deliver amazing results.

Northwest Pros

Once you apply for a registered agent to form an LLC in New Jersey, all paperwork is submitted to state authorities the same day. Further, the speed of the agent registration process will depend on your local authorities.

The main adantages of the company are:

  • There are not as many customer reviews about Northwest's registered agent services in New Jersey when compared to its competitors. However, those that can be found are mostly positive;
  • Northwest's customer support has always been top-notch. Clients can contact consulting experts by phone or via email and be assured that they will receive competent and knowledgeable assistance;
  • A user-friendly and straightforward website of the company gives credit to Northwest and increases its overall ratings;
  • Northwest has been in business for over 20 years, and, during this period, has not only taken a leading position in the competition but also successfully retained it.

The company's motto is: "We're Just Not Annoying." And Northwest surely lives up to that phrase - they simply do their job the best way they can and stay transparent to their clients. This is where you will get the best customer support and registered agent services in New Jersey, as well as be able to secure your personal information.

Northwest Cons

Despite the seeming flawlessness, Northwest, however, has a few drawbacks. Here are a few cons you should definitely be aware of:

  • If you decide to cancel Northwest's service, you will have to inform the company to get a refund. If you have paid for a VIP package, there will be no refunds at all;

Sometimes, it takes too long for Northwest's customer service to answer your questions.

What do customers say about Northwest?

Northwest has no intention of hiding what its customers say about the company. On their site, they have provided a list of independent platforms where anyone can explore recommendations and reviews about them. For example, Google rates Northwest at 4.6/5, Yelp - at 4/5, and BBB's rating of the company is 4.3/5.

Harbor Compliance Registered Agent

Harbor Compliance doesn't have as much experience on the market as, say, Northwest. Still, Harbor Compliance is ranked high in many customer reviews, which is mainly due to the fact that the company is best known for its hands-on approaches and user-friendly application system for different types of services.

Harbor Compliance Pros

  • Personalization is what sets Harbor Compliance apart from other service providers. Normally, when you apply with competitors, all the information is provided by the proprietor themselves. Whereas, at Harbor Compliance, a dedicated expert is assigned to each client to help meet all the requirements; 
  • Speed. The average processing time period for applications is one day, no matter what state you want to get services in. What's more, HC can file your physical documents on its behalf, in case there's no way to do it electronically (for any reason);
  • Positive feedback. Although Harbor Compliance is considered one of the youngest registered agent agencies in New Jersey, it still has a decent track record and has already managed to help many successful businesses and nonprofits.

Harbor Compliance Cons

  • Website. Some customers say that Harbor Compliance's website navigation is quite confusing, which makes using it inconvenient. Plus, there's not enough information about the company's services and pricing;
  • One package. Many competitors offer their customers several packages to choose from. Harbor Compliance has only one offer for you for $399, which includes a free registered agent service. If you need a resident agent exclusively, it will cost you $99 a year;
  • Fewer services. HC's only package has enough services to offer to open your own LLC. As for additional services, however, when compared to its competitors, the company doesn't have enough options to offer.

What do customers say about Harbor Compliance?

Harbor Compliance customer reviews can be found both on Google and on BBB. The former rates Harbor Compliance at 4.4/5, and BBB gives 4 stars out of 5.

Customers mainly praise the professionalism of HC's support staff, website security, transparency, discounts, free compliance guides and whitepapers (included in the registered agent service), and their consulting services. Additionally, Harbor Compliance always responds to each negative/positive comment from customers since the company is serious about its reputation.

LegalZoom Registered Agent

LegalZoom is one of the best providers on the market that can offer exceptional registered agent services in all 50 states. The company also offers legal and tax support when required. All in all, if you want premium services, you should definitely address LegalZoom.

LegalZoom Pros

  • Experience. LegalZoom is a company with a great track record, having earned a name and popularity over the years. For those who are looking for brand strength while doing their New Jersey business registered agent search, LegalZoom can become the most suitable option;
  • Simplicity. The procedure for hiring a registered agent with LegalZoom is quite simple, and their website is user-friendly and easy to navigate to find the information you need;
  • Privacy. With LegalZoom, you don’t have to worry about your privacy, i.e. your personal data protection - nobody will ever have access to your business information without your permission. The company uses the latest technologies and does everything possible to meet the highest security standards.

LegalZoom Cons

  • Cost. LegalZoom service prices are quite high (a registered agent for a year will cost $299), but there's nothing surprising about that since it's a reputable brand. This is where you get what you pay for;
  • No free offers. Many competitors offer their registered agent services for free (for the first 365 days) in their packages, LegalZoom does not provide such an option; 
  • Customer support. LegalZoom has gathered quite a few mixed reviews on this, so we can't add this item to the Pros.

What do customers say about LegalZoom?

Since LegalZoom has been on the market for more than 20 years, it has accumulated a lot of customer feedback over time. As always, there are both positive and negative reviews from customers. People mostly appreciate LegalZoom’s staff diligence and experience, as well as the request processing speed. However, some customers complain about the expensive registered agent service, long LLC formation period, and annoying upsells.

The company offers an easy-to-use online platform to every customer, low-cost legal help, highly-rated customer service, and refunds. On the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, LegalZoom has a 4.53/5 rating (an average of 5,176 customer reviews), which indicates reliability.

ZenBusiness Registered Agent

ZenBusiness is a company that, in our opinion, is considered more affordable. They opened their doors to businesses in 2015 in Texas, but offer their services all over the United States, including NJ. ZenBusiness is mainly focused on helping entrepreneurs successfully start a new money-making business and develop an idea to make it work. And they are doing their job really well.

ZenBusiness Pros

  • Pricing. ZenBusiness offers their clients 3 packages at affordable prices. The first one (Starter) is the cheapest and will only cost you $49. All 3 packages include a filing service, an operating agreement template, and a registered agent service. "Pro" and "Premium" packages have additional services, e.g. EIN, Rush Filing, Business Website, etc.;
  • No hidden fees. There are no hidden fees - you pay exactly for what is listed in your chosen package;
  • Processing speed. Whether it's high season or regular season, the ZB team always delivers on time; 
  • Website. It only takes a few minutes to place an order for a particular service. All thanks to the company website, which has user-friendly navigation and a clear interface;
  • Professionalism. ZenBusiness's support service positively impresses with its experience and skills. Professional lawyers, accountants, business experts, and consultants are all ready to help businesses in need.

ZenBusiness Cons

Perhaps, the only disadvantage of ZenBusiness is the limited functionality of the website.

What do customers say about ZenBusiness?

No matter what review site you visit, they will all show positive feedback about the company. For example, based on customer reviews, Trustpilot rates ZenBusiness 4.7 out of 5.

In their New Jersey registered agent reviews, some customers note that ZenBusiness provides fast and high-quality services and top-notch customer service. Moreover, there are many positive comments about the affordable prices of the company as well.

IncFile Registered Agent

If you need more than a registered agent in NJ, e.g. assistance in setting up an LLC, then IncFile is a great option to consider. You'll get everything you need here, including a personal mailing address, timely alerts on documentation received from the state, mail forwarding/scanning, and much more. Additionally, if you get one of the packages, resident agent services will be offered to you at no charge for the whole first year ($119 a year after).

Incfile Pros

  • Pricing. Incfile's basic "Silver" package will cost you $0 + state fees, which is definitely great news for small businesses. The package includes free agreement templates, preparing and filing the New Jersey Articles of Organization, unlimited name searches, a free registered agent service for 1 year, preparation of an operating agreement, and a banking resolution. However, if you want more, you should start with the Gold package, which includes comprehensive features to get your business started;
  • Free year. After the first free year of usage, Incfile's registered agent services will cost you only $119; 
  • Speed. No matter which package you choose, the IncFile team will process all your requests quickly within a single business day. Then it's up to the authorities of NJ to approve the documents. You can, however, expedite the process through additional fees;
  • Dashboard. IncFile's website has a convenient and useful control panel where users can track their order status, deadlines, and store documents;
  • Simplicity. Any reputable registered agent agency knows that a website is a place where its customers come to manage their business activities and documents, therefore, it should be user-friendly and easy to use. Incfile's website is just like that - it's a place where simplicity and convenience are combined in the most efficient way.

Incfile Cons

  • Many competitors have a clear refund structure for situations when a customer is not satisfied with the service. IncFile seems to be kind of vague in this regard;
  • Customers note that support channels don't always work correctly. Plus, many customers also require help on weekends.

What do customers say about Incfile?

Just like with any other similar service provider, Incfile customers have different opinions about the company. Thus, there's no way to unequivocally determine how good or bad Incfile is. Incfile is not BBB accredited, and Trustpilot's rating of the company is 4.6/5. According to Yelp, though, the company only has 2 stars out of 5 (an average of 90 customer reviews).

Rocket Lawyer Registered Agent

Rocket Lawyer is ready to provide legal assistance to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as sole proprietors. The core values of the company are ease of service, convenience, and affordability. The main services include LLC formation, Easy Legal Documents, Affordable Legal Advice (Attorney Services), and Registered Agent service. Rocket Lawyer is the best New Jersey registered agent service that provides legal assistance.

Rocket Lawyer Pros

  • Trial version. Customers can use Rocket Lawyer's premium services for free for 7 days;
  • Simplicity. With Rocket Lawyer, creating an LLC online is easy. It only takes a few minutes - you simply provide your business details and Rocket Lawyer takes care of all the paperwork;
  • Pricing. Prices for services start at $39. As a client of Rocket Lawyer, you can get legal advice and access to a rich library of legal documents. There's also an option to buy services separately;
  • Legal help. Many competitors do not provide professional legal assistance, but since Rocket Lawyer has experienced attorneys on staff, the company is able to offer professional legal recommendations to its clients;
  • Discounts. For those clients who set up their LLC for the first time, Rocket Lawyer offers a discount of 25%.

Rocket Lawyer Cons

  • High prices. Without the subscription, individual Rocket Lawyer services can be quite expensive to small businesses;
  • Credit card information requirements. To sign up for a trial period, users must provide their credit card information. Once the trial period is over, the system converts it to a full subscription.

What do customers say about Rocket Lawyer?

Since 2018, Rocket Lawyer has received a lot of positive feedback from its customers. Most of them note the ease of use of the service and the quality of support service. On TrustPilot, Rocket Lawyer has a 4.7/5 rating, and Jabber indicates a 4.5/5 user rating of the company.

InCorp Registered Agent

InCorp has been providing its services since 1998. During this period, the company has served thousands of customers, and become the 4th largest national service on the market. Moreover, it's the only service provider that offers a user-friendly app to its customers, which allows managing their business, view notifications, and more.

InCorp Pros

  • Pricing. InCorp's registered agent services start at $99 per year, which is average on the market. At the same time, you will also be offered a system of discounts. That said, if you choose their registered agent service, 3 years of cooperation with the company will cost you a little more than $80, and 5 years will cost even less ($66);
  • Experience. The company has been operating on the market for more than 24 years. During this time, InCorp has served more than 250,000 clients;
  • Security guarantee. InCorp guarantees that all legal information regarding LLCs will remain secured, which is proved by numerous customer testimonials.

InCorp Cons

  • Complexity. InCorp's online system is somewhat complicated to understand;
  • Customer service. Customers note that InCorp's support service leaves a lot to be desired.

What do customers say about InCorp?

Social media and BBB reviews of InCorp indicate that customer opinions are quite mixed. Some talk about quality customer support and ease of use of the service, while others mention certain difficulties associated with service cancellations.

Registered Agent Review General Conclusions

To summarize this review and make it simplify your New Jersey registered agent search, it's safe to say that from a pricing standpoint, Northwest is the best option - their customer service, as well as the overall quality of all services provided, is outstanding.

Harbor Compliance services are no less attractive and useful. Unlike Northwest, this company will provide you with a personal professional assistant, who will do all the paperwork so that you don't make any mistakes.

If you're looking for a reputable brand, then you won't find a better option than LegalZoom. This company has been on the market for over 20 years, and they know their business quite well. Be prepared, however, that the prices here may bite.

In its turn, ZenBusiness has more affordable prices, as well as a large number of great reviews from customers regarding the core services, support, and maintenance.

IncFile offers quality LLC formation at $0 + state fees. Here you can expect a set of services to create an LLC, including a free registered agent for 1 year.

For those who need professional legal help, we recommend addressing Rocket Lawyer.
As for InCorp, the company offers great services and attractive prices, with a convenient discount system. However, customer reviews here are quite mixed.

Benefits of Using a New Jersey Registered Agent Service

An NJ registered agent is responsible for all legal documentation of the business and must work in accordance with the New Jersey Corporations and Associations Act (14A:4-1 and 15A:4-1). The business owner can act as his/her own registered agent, but it's much more convenient and secure to have a separate, specialized service handle this role. There are several compelling advantages to doing so:

  • Compliance. Registered agents keep an eye on all the intricacies and changes in the state laws so that your business doesn't get affected and is always compliant;
  • Peace of mind. If you are your own registered agent, you are required to be in the office on weekdays to receive mail. You can't go on vacation, sick leave, or even go to have lunch because then you risk missing important correspondence. That's why most business owners hire a registered agent so they can have peace of mind and plan their time;
  • Privacy. When you hire a registered agent, you don't have to provide your information (address, phone number, etc.) on public forums or anywhere else. Instead, you can use the address of your registered agent.

Best Registered Agent Review: How We Choose

CompanyOrder
Processing
Time
Registered
Agent
EIN
Registration
Operating
Agreement
Zenbusiness2-3 weeksIncluded$70Yes
Legalzoom30 days$299$159$99
IncfileNext dayIncluded$70$40
Swyft Filings7 days$149$70$35
Northwest1-3 weeksIncluded$50$50

The LLC.Services team strives to simplify the process of searching for an RA for those who want to find the best one and turn their LLC formation idea into reality. That's why we provide service reviews of the best companies that are able to offer a full range of quality services at affordable prices.

How We Choose the Best Registered Agent Companies

  • We analyze websites. We visit the websites of the companies to assess the simplicity and usability of each resource, which directly affects your business's success;
  • We study reviews. Not only do we consider customer reviews on the official pages of this or that registered agent company but also on third-party independent sources. It allows us to reach an objective conclusion;
  • It’s all about verification. Before writing how the support service of this or that LLC formation company works, we carefully study the entire mechanism. That's why we check every channel available to users;
  • We compare prices. The quality of service and their prices must correlate. That's why we are looking for the best ratio so that our readers are able to choose the best option from the strongest companies.

Why You Should Trust Our Choice

It's simple - we do not speak in vain but provide facts so that everyone looking for answers can easily find them on our website.

There are a few other reasons as well: 

  • We are experts. We provide only verified information and refer to trusted sources;
  • We are accurate. To stay up-to-date and useful to our readers, we must constantly follow the laws and regulations, as well as keep an eye on any changes in them. That's why we often invite professional lawyers to consult us;
  • Accessibility. Everything we post here is publicly available online, and all information is approved by government websites.
Best Registered Agent

Choosing a Best Registered Agent is easy. Select your State to get started.

Select your state
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  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
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Conclusion

It is important for businesses to find and choose a reliable registered agent who will not only save the owner from all the routine but also help keep an eye on important correspondence. Otherwise, if the agent proves to be unreliable, it can play a cruel trick on the business - from fines, penalties, and a bad reputation to loss of business.

That's why there's always a good reason to choose reliable NJ companies that can provide your business with professional registered agents. Those will take care of everything necessary, including receiving legal documentation on behalf of your business (e.g. regulatory, tax notices, etc.), sending your timely alerts on annual reports, and dealing with all other related tasks to the best of their ability.

In this article, we have reviewed the well-known and most acceptable options in terms of value for money. We hope that now it will be easier for you to find the best registered agent in New Jersey.

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