NJ Form C-150G registers an alternate name (what other states call a DBA) for a corporation, LLC, limited partnership, or nonprofit already formed or authorized in New Jersey. You file the one-page form with the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, pay a $50 fee, and the registration is valid for five years before it needs renewal.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names
Who Can File Form C-150G
Four entity types are eligible: domestic and foreign profit corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited liability companies, and limited partnerships.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names
Sole proprietors and general partnerships cannot use this form. Those owners register a trade name through the county clerk in the county where they do business. Limited liability partnerships are also excluded — New Jersey law has no provision allowing an LLP to use an alternate name.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names
Register before you start using the name. Under N.J.S.A. 14A:2-2.1, a corporation doing business in New Jersey cannot use a name other than its actual corporate name unless it has registered that alternate name with the Secretary of State (or falls under one of two narrower exceptions).2Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 14A 2-2.1 – Corporate Alternate Names Using an unregistered name triggers penalty fees, discussed below. One thing registration does not do: it does not give you exclusive rights to the name. It links the name to your entity for banking, contracts, and advertising, and that’s all.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names
How to Fill Out the Form
Form C-150G is a single page. You can download the PDF from the DRES website or file directly through the state’s Business Charter Amendment portal.3Justia. C-150G Registration of Alternate Name
Statutory Authority Box
At the top, check the one box that matches your entity type:
- Title 14A:2-2.1 — for-profit corporations
- Title 15A:2-2-3(b) — nonprofit corporations
- Title 42:2C-4 — limited liability companies
- Title 42:2A-6 — limited partnerships
Check only one. The wrong statute will usually get the filing rejected or delayed.
Business Identification
Lines 1 through 4 ask for basic identifying details:
- The legal name of the entity, exactly as it appears in New Jersey’s records — not the alternate name you want to register.
- The NJ 10-digit ID number assigned when the business was formed or authorized. It appears on your Certificate of Formation or Certificate of Authority. Include any leading zeros.4Business.NJ.gov. Register Your Business
- State of original incorporation or formation. Domestic entities write “New Jersey”; foreign entities write their home jurisdiction.
- Date of incorporation or formation. Foreign entities also provide the date they were authorized to do business in New Jersey.
The Alternate Name and Its Use
Line 5 is the alternate name the business wants to register. Line 6 asks for a short description of the business activity or purpose the name will be used for. A sentence or two is enough — for example, “retail sales of specialty coffee and related products.”
Line 7 is a pre-printed statement confirming the business intends to use the alternate name in New Jersey. Line 8 asks whether the business has already been using the name without registering it. If so, disclose the month and year that use began. The state uses this date to calculate the late-registration penalty.3Justia. C-150G Registration of Alternate Name
Who Signs
The bottom of the form takes a signature, printed name, title, and date. The authorized signer depends on the entity type:
- Corporations, profit or nonprofit: Chairman of the Board, President, or Vice President.
- Limited partnerships: a general partner.
- LLCs and other entity types: an authorized representative.
If you’re filing by mail or in person, attach the $50 fee to the completed form.3Justia. C-150G Registration of Alternate Name
How to File and What It Costs
The standard filing fee is $50.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names DRES accepts the form four ways:
- Online, through the Business Charter Amendment Service.
- Regular mail: NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, Corporate Unit, PO Box 308, Trenton, NJ 08646.
- Over the counter: 33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608. Schedule an appointment through the DRES online tool. Walk-ins can drop filings in the secure ground-floor lobby mailbox, but the division recommends speaking with a representative first.5NJ Treasury – DORES. In-Person Service Area Open for Business
- Fax: 609-984-6851.
Expedited Service
Expedited processing is available for filings submitted by fax, in person, or by courier. Online submissions cannot be expedited.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names The tiers are charged on top of the $50 filing fee:
- 8.5 business hours: $15 for corporations, nonprofits, and limited partnerships; $25 for LLCs.
- Same-day service, LLCs only: $50, submitted by 12:30 p.m.
- Two-hour service: $500, submitted by 2:00 p.m.
- One-hour service: $1,000, submitted by 3:00 p.m.
For most businesses that need to move things along, the 8.5-hour tier is the practical option.6Cornell Law Institute. N.J. Admin. Code 17 35-1.4 – Fees for Expedited Service
Penalties for Late Registration
If the business has already been using the alternate name without registering it, DRES adds $50 for every calendar year of prior use to the $50 filing fee. A partial year counts as a full year.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names
So a business that started using an unregistered alternate name two and a half years ago owes $50 for the filing plus $150 in penalties (three years at $50), for a total of $200. Line 8 of the form is where you disclose the start date the state uses to run the calculation.
Renewal and Cancellation
The registration is good for five years from the date of filing. The Secretary of State sends a renewal notice one to four months before expiration.2Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 14A 2-2.1 – Corporate Alternate Names To renew, file a certificate of renewal within the three months before expiration, and no later than the expiration date itself. The renewal repeats the original information and adds the filing date of the current registration plus a statement that the business is still using the name. Each renewal adds another five years.1State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services – Alternate Names
If the business stops using the alternate name before the five years run out, file a termination certificate. It identifies the corporation, names the alternate name being dropped, and confirms use has stopped. That ends the registration without waiting for expiration.2Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 14A 2-2.1 – Corporate Alternate Names
After the Filing Is Processed
Once DRES processes the registration, the alternate name is linked to the entity in New Jersey’s business records. A few practical steps follow.
Banks and lenders typically want proof of registration before opening accounts or accepting payments in the alternate name. Bring a stamped copy of the filed C-150G when you visit.
If the business holds professional licenses, local permits, or other state registrations, check with each authority about whether they need updating. Rules vary, and some regulators want a copy of the filing before they’ll let you operate under the new name.
The C-150G is a state-level filing. It does not notify the IRS or any federal agency. Changing the entity’s actual legal name through a separate amendment triggers federal notification requirements; registering an alternate name while keeping the legal name unchanged generally does not.