Best Registered Agent in New Jersey: What Is Your Best Choice In 2022

Launching a venture in New Jersey under the roof of a registered legal entity, you’ll get a number of personal and business benefits. Meanwhile, you’ll have to observe certain state rules to keep your entity legitimate in New Jersey such as a registered agent (RA).

Your New Jersey RA Purpose

A registered agent is an adult physical person or a legal entity you appoint to receive your official business mail including:

Legal documents;

Tax forms;

Governmental notifications;

Public and state requests;

Service of process (i.e. lawsuit papers and court documents).

Yet, an RA function is much more than simply receiving your business correspondence and handing it to you. The real purpose of this role is to:

Be your entity’s permanent point of contact for judicial and controlling authorities ensuring that you timely get any messages from those to give a reply or take action;

Help your company maintain good standing status with the state by timely informing you of urgent notes and reminding you of your filing commitments.

New Jersey Registered Agent Search: Alternatives to Consider

Who you can appoint to be your RA in New Jersey? Given that the only strict RA rule is a street RA address, your choice is quite diverse. You can designate:

Yourself;

A relative, friend, or even your neighbor;

Your business partner, accountant, or another colleague;

An attorney, tax advisor, or business consultant;

Any random legal entity or a professional RA service.

By and large, your choice falls between yourself and a third-party RA. RA function doesn’t seem to take a lot of time and effort. In practice, though, it will limit you to a great extent. That’s why many businessmen-to-be choose an RA service for this role.

5 Reasons to Hire an RA Service

Selecting between performing an agent role on your own and delegating it to a specialized service, take into account the following arguments in favor of an RA service that sound more than persuasive.

Delegating mailing duties: An RA service will handle the burden of a growing mail inflow for you, with no risk of missed or undelivered letters;

Maintaining a privacy barrier: By listing RA service data in state registries, you’ll keep your personal data away from disclosure to the general public;

Keeping your legal issues confidential: You’ll be protected from situations when you are served a lawsuit note or other service of process in front of your customers;

Getting more flexibility for your business schedule: You won’t have to stay in the office during business hours and can plan your workdays as you wish;

Extending your business to other jurisdictions: Most RA services will have you set in any state while you can be your own RA only in the state of your residence.

Our Local Recommendations for Your Best Registered Agent in New Jersey

Local RAs are service providers that operate only in their domestic state, i.e. these are operators that will serve you only in New Jersey.

The biggest advantages of local RAs are profound knowledge of local business laws and regulations, extensive local expertise, and lower price tags. The only minus is that these providers will not match your business needs in other states.

Below, we’ll consider a few local companies that will cater to your business needs in New Jersey if you don’t plan to move your business beyond the state borders.

Registered Agent in Marlton, NJ

New Jersey Registered Agent is a private local company with a sitting in Marlton. What makes it stand out is a lower RA service pricing. You can purchase an annual subscription at $49, with no hidden fees or added charges to it.

For the price, though, you’ll get a feature-rich annual plan covering:

The registered address you can use as your legal address;

Consistent statutory acceptance of your service of process;

Compliance monitoring;

Pre-filled state forms and templates you might need;

Responsive and helpful live support over the phone and via email.

Via your online account on the company’s website, you’ll also get access to their other services such as

LLC formation and incorporation service ($149);

Foreign qualification filings;

Annual compliance service.

Note that company fees will remain the same for the upcoming years. They don’t tend to change rates or charge something extra like many other bigger services.

Registered Agent in Clifton, NJ

Spiegel and Utrera P.A. is a company with representative offices in several states including the one in Clifton, NJ. What has brought this provider to our list is not only a direct affiliate in New Jersey but also the services they provide.

Unlike regular RA services, Spiegel and Utrera P.A. is a law firm. As such, it offers RA service with the attorney-client privilege. In practice, it means the highest level of confidentiality and personal data protection.

In other words, should this company serving as your registered agent for LLC in New Jersey receive a request from any official authorities to provide your business formation info, following the above privilege, they will not disclose any of your info without your consent.

This type of relationship is only ensured by lawyers, hence a higher RA rate of $139.5 in Spiegel and Utrera. As for the rest of the service, you’ll get all the features normally delivered by premium operators plus unlimited legal advice on business matters.

Above advanced RA service, the company also offers a whole range of other services including legal assistance:

In-depth formation and incorporation services;

Trademark services;

Business and personal agreements;

Trusts and will;

Claims and litigation;

Business ownership and management;

Annual compliance support;

Investment and capital raising issues.

If you seek not only RA service but also professional legal assistance and business support, you’ll get it in Spiegel and Utrera P.A.

Top 5 National New Jersey Registered Agent Services

Most of the RA services a New Jersey business registered agent search will throw into you are nationwide operators. These are bigger companies with representative offices in all US states.

Most of them are dedicated professionals that will serve your business needs in any jurisdiction and can help you with many other business formation and maintenance issues as well.

To narrow down your choice, we’ve selected 5 service providers we consider the best in this area.

Northwest Registered Agent: $125

In 1998, Northwest opened its doors as an RA service, hence the company name. For 20+ years in business, the company has accumulated huge expertise in the area and currently stands out for the highest level of professionalism and service quality.

At the same time, Northwest smartly combines RA service with formation assistance and has a number of other supportive services on the list. So, the company is deservedly the leader in our rating.

When it comes to the RA service, at $125 a year, it embraces

The branded Privacy by Deafult® policy called to ensure maximum security of any info and data you store online using your Northwest account;

Immediate document scans to provide access to your essential mail;

Common document forms required by the state pre-filled with your RA info;

Access to Corporate Guides® providing unique support in your specific business sphere or industry

Compliance reminders to stay on top of your state requirements.

Northwest Pluses

Professional background: The company has thousands of formed and maintained businesses behind its back and is distinguished by a long track record;

Extensive internal agent network: Northwest relies on its own in-house specialists throughout the country, engaging no third parties;

Exclusive customer service: Along with its own team of knowledgeable help reps, Northwest has 700 Corporate Guides ready to provide expert help in any state;

Free use of some tools: You can sign up with Northwest for free and use some of their online business tools via your account, with no payment as well.

Northwest Minuses

Higher RA cost: At $125, it’s hard for Northwest to compete with many other service providers;

Customer service is overwhelming at times: Even if you need a simple answer, get ready to dig deep into your problem with a Northwest help rep.

In a Word

With Northwest on your side, you can rest assured you’ll get premium service at a reasonable price and obtain any added business-related assistance you need.

Tailor Brands Registered Agent: $199

Widely known in the marketing industry, Tailor Brands is a less popular RA and formation service. However, the company enlists all those services as well which gives it an edge over many other rivals.

Hence, Tailor Brands is not only a popular logo maker but rather a full-cycle marketing and business formation service that will help you both set up your business and get it off the ground.

Tailor Brands’ RA service is not the most affordable out there at a $199 annual rate. Yet, a higher price tag is generously compensated by the added perks you’ll get:

Prompt access to document scans;

Advanced compliance plan to help you catch up with your filing commitments;

Top-of-the-line customer support ensuring that you’ll get required assistance whenever you need it;

A protected online account providing access not only to essential document forms but also to exclusive Tailor Brands’ marketing tools.

Tailor Brands Pluses

All-inclusive service: The company has formation, marketing, branding, and website-building services and tools in its arsenal;

Smartly-built web platform: With a diverse service range, Tailor Brands boasts an easy-to-use website you’ll quickly get the hang of;

Exclusive tools: Branded graphic design and logo creation tools will help you develop and polish your corporate image and style;

Excellent top-tier pack: At $199, Tailor Brands will enable you to make use of all the marketing and business tools you need.

Tailor Brands Minuses

RA service is only a payable option: Not included in the business formation pack, RA service will noticeably bum up the final cost;

Higher rates overall: Standing at the higher end of the price range, Tailor Brands is not a match for customers on a budget;

No access to phone support: You’ll be able to reach help reps only via email or online chats, with no phone support in place.

In a Word

Though Tailor Brands looks like a pricey option, it’s a great choice for those entrepreneurs who seek not only to settle business registration formalities but also to launch their own brand and solidify their online presence.

BetterLegal Registered Agent: $90

Despite being an industry newcomer launched only in 2017, BetterLegal stands in line with reputed names and will get you covered across the US.

BetterLegal RA service enlists all the important features we’ve discussed above. What makes it competitive is lower pricing. At $90 a year, BetterLegal is cheaper than other more popular providers.

An added plus is a monthly subscription no other similar service provides. At $10 per month, you can order BetterLegal RA service for a limited period to see if the company lives up to its promises and fits your needs.

BetterLegal Pluses

Praising customer feedback: BetterLegal has quite a number of online customer comments and scores high on Trustpilot;

Quick processing time: Your documents will be processed and submitted to the state the same day and you’ll get your papers back in 2-3 days;

No upsells: The company avoids forcing any added services on you that might increase your grand total;

Live dashboard: You’ll be updated on all services and be able to amend your docs in a real-time format.

BetterLegal Minuses

Lack of flexibility: With a single formation pack, BetterLegal somewhat lacks flexibility in this aspect. Besides, a $299 rate is rather expensive;

RA service is a separate option: Despite a higher formation pack price, it doesn’t cover an RA subscription that will further increase the price to $389;

Limited customer support: Being new to this market, BetterLegal still lags behind topliners in customer service quality.

In a Word

Not the best formation service so far, BetterLegal is a great choice for customers that need a nationwide RA service at a lower price.

InCorp Registered Agent: $129

Do you know that InCorp can compete with Northwest in RA service? The company was also started as an RA service and this activity is still at the core of their business. Backed by years of experience and an extensive internal agent network, InCorp is a decent rival.

The scope of InCorp’s RA service is similar to that you expect from a premium provider. Yet, formation service is an area where InCorp needs improvement, hence, it’s not at the top of our rating.

InCorp Pluses

Entity Watch and Entity Management tools: These branded features are meant to keep your business compliant and properly managed;

Stellar customer service: InCorp comes up with personalized customer service appointing an individual help rep to each client;

Impressive discounts: By ordering InCorp RA service for a multi-year period, you’ll save quite a bit of money. A 5-year subscription will cost $87 a year instead of $129;

InCorp Minuses

Brand power shortage: InCorp lacks customer feedback and, as a result, is much less popular than many competitors;

Pricey formation: A single $99 pack covers only basic features and requires adding multiple added services that will also add to its cost.

In a Word

A discount New Jersey registered agent service, InCorp will become a reliable multi-year partner for those businesses who seek a reputed RA for a long period of time in more than one state.

ZenBusiness Registered Agent: $199

The use of advanced technology and smart service combination make ZenBusiness a fave for many beginner businessmen.

Annual RA subscription from ZenBusiness will cost you $99 per year. Note, though, that this price is valid for the first year only and each next year will come at $199. With that, the service quality is quite high.

ZenBusiness Pluses

Hugely positive customer feedback: ZenBusiness is distinguished by over 10.000 online comments, and positive feedback prevails;

60-day money-back guarantee: If you are not happy with your service plan, you can get your money back in a 60-day period from the order date;

High-end customer support: Helpful professional support managers are available beyond business hours as well working from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

ZenBusiness Minuses

Tricky signup process: To find the prices and order the RA service, you’ll have to accomplish a lengthy online registration that will take time;

Hidden fees: Compliance service is not included in the basic RA price and costs $50.

In a Word

Overall, ZenBusiness is not the best RA service option if you seek only an RA service provider. However, startuppers and beginner businessmen will certainly appreciate an affordable full-fledged formation pack.

New Jersey Registered Agent Reviews: Summing Up

Surely enough, there are many more other RA service alternatives on the market, with multiple new businesses popping up every other day. However, the companies listed above match the “best” title criteria to the max.

While you simply can’t go wrong with Northwest, Tailor Brands is a real find for ambitious and forward-looking entrepreneurs.

Best Registered Agent Service Profile

Once you cast a quick look at the wealth of registered agent services New Jersey available on the market, you might find yourself wondering how to pinpoint the best options among them. Here are a few simple but important criteria that define the best RA service:

Compliance tools: it’s crucial that an RA service provides filing alerts to help you catch up with your annual reporting schedule and other essential dates;

Prompt document access: scans of your official correspondence should be made available in your online dashboard as soon as an RA receives mail;

Accessible support: responsive client service reps should be easy to get in touch with to answer any questions you might have related to your business or service;

Reliable coverage: solid presence in each of the 50 US states is a must to match your business needs wherever you decide to move or extend your activity;

Value for money: while quality can’t be cheap, the best RA companies offer quality service at a reasonable price and this makes them stand out.

Here Is Why You Can Trust Our Choice

Unless you already have some New Jersey registered agent recommendations, quickly completing an RA search is easier said than done. A search engine will throw at you a whole bunch of options.

As a result, you will either spend quite a bit of time reviewing and comparing them or end up making a random choice. So, our list of the top RAs in New Jersey will become a real lifesaver when you find yourself confused about which RA out of the crowd will suit you.

Wonder if you can rely on our choice? Here are a few solid reasons why you can trust us:

Making this kind of review is our job and we are dedicated to it;

With dozens of reviews prepared, we have enough expertise and an eye for quality services;

We know where to look for and how to evaluate the candidates to immediately drop out inappropriate variants;

We scrutinize tons of customer comments to get unbiased opinions of real users and check if service providers live up to their promises;

We call companies directly to talk to their managers and see how they present themselves and what they will try to sell us on;

We match providers with the best registered agent criteria to come up with a few RA options that really shine.

FAQ

Why do I need a registered agent in New Jersey?

First and foremost, you need an RA since it’s required by law in all US states including New Jersey. Legalities aside, though, an agent is a vital part of your business’s structure since it will handle your mail and help your legal entity stay compliant with the state.

Can I act as a registered agent for my own company?

In brief, you can. The law puts no restrictions on this concern. If you reside and have a street address in New Jersey, you can serve as your own RA.

However, should you decide to expand your business to any other state or states, you’ll have to hire separate agents in each of them not to mention that the agent’s responsibilities could become a burden for you over time.

Hence, hiring a professional service for that job is certainly a better option.

How will I find a registered agent in New Jersey?

It depends on which RA option you choose for your business. You can always ask some of your acquaintances or even neighbors to be your RA.

If you plan to delegate the task to a professional RA service, you can ask for the New Jersey Secretary of State's registered agent recommendations. Or pick one of the providers from the best registered agent review like ours.

How to become a registered agent in New Jersey?

To become a registered agent, a person or entity should qualify for that role. A person should be an adult and have a registered address in New Jersey. An entity should be entitled to run a business in New Jersey and have a registered address there as well.

To become an RA, a person’s or entity’s data should be mentioned in the company’s formation docs and appear in the state registries.

How to change a registered agent in New Jersey?

You should file a Certificate of Change with the NJ Department of Treasury and pay a $25 state fee.