How to Look Up an LLC in New Jersey: Status, Records, and Revocation

To run a New Jersey LLC lookup, use the free Business Name Search maintained by the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) at njportal.com. The tool returns the LLC’s current status, formation date, and registered agent within seconds, and you can use it without an account.¹ DORES is the state office that keeps every business formation record on file, from LLCs and corporations to limited partnerships and trade names.²

There are two portals worth knowing. The Business Name Search is the free lookup that pulls basic information on any registered entity, active or not.¹ The Business Records Service is the paid portal where you can order standing certificates and certified copies of filed documents.³ Both are open at any hour.

What to Have Ready Before You Search

One of these identifiers will get you to the record:

The exact legal name of the LLC, including the “LLC” or “L.L.C.” designation as it appears on official paperwork.
The 10-digit Entity ID that DORES assigned when the business was formed. It appears on the certificate of formation.⁴
A principal or registered agent name. You can search by an officer, manager, managing member, or agent when you don’t have the LLC name or ID.⁵

The Entity ID is the cleanest way in because it returns a single exact match. Name searches often surface dozens of similarly named businesses, so the full legal name saves you time.

How to Run the Lookup

Open the Business Name Search page. Use the dropdown to pick your search type: business name, keyword, or Entity ID. Type your term in the text field and submit.

A name or keyword search returns a results list showing each match with its city and registration date. Both active and inactive businesses appear, so read carefully before clicking through. Selecting an entity opens a detail page with status, formation date, and registered agent information. An Entity ID search skips the list and takes you straight to that entity’s record.⁴

Reading the Status Field

The status line is the field that matters most, because it tells you whether the LLC can legally do business in New Jersey right now.

Active. The LLC is in good standing, current on its filings, and authorized to operate.
Revoked. The LLC missed a required filing or tax obligation, most often the annual report, and DORES pulled its authority to operate. Revocation is not permanent; the LLC can be reinstated by filing what it owes and paying the associated fees.⁶
Dissolved. The members voluntarily wound the business down and filed dissolution paperwork.
Inactive. The LLC is on the state’s inactive list and is limited to winding up operations and notifying creditors. It cannot take on new business or enter new contracts unrelated to that wind-up.

If you are checking before signing a contract, extending credit, or filing a lawsuit, “Active” is the only status that should let you proceed without more questions. Anything else deserves follow-up. A revoked or inactive LLC may be barred from filing suit in New Jersey courts until it reinstates, and a contract signed with an entity that lacks authority can be difficult to enforce or collect on later.

The detail page also lists the registered agent, which is the person or company the LLC has designated to accept legal papers, including lawsuits. An agent must maintain a physical New Jersey street address, not a P.O. box.⁷ For service of process in a civil case, delivering documents to the agent listed in the state’s records generally does the job.

When You Need Certified Documents

The free search is enough for due diligence, but banks, title companies, courts, and buyers in a business acquisition usually want certified proof from the state. Order those through the Business Records Service.³ Current fees:

Long-form standing certificate for an LLC: $100.⁸
Standing certificate for a corporation or limited partnership (short-form or long-form): $25.⁸
Certified copy of a filed document, such as a certificate of formation or amendment: $25 per document.⁸

After payment, the system typically provides a download link or emails the file. A printout from the free search does not carry the same legal weight.

Why an Active LLC Can Become Revoked

Every New Jersey LLC has to file an annual report and pay a $75 fee. The deadline is the last day of the month the LLC was formed in. An LLC formed on March 15, for instance, owes its report by March 31 each year. The filing mostly confirms that the registered agent and address are still current, but missing it can trigger revocation.⁹

That is why a “Revoked” status is common. If the LLC’s owners tell you they will fix it, run the lookup again after they claim to have reinstated. Reinstatement is available through DORES once all overdue reports and fees are paid.⁶

When Your First Search Comes Up Empty

Some LLCs operate publicly under a name that is not the exact legal name on file. The Business Records Service lets you search associated names, which include alternate, fictitious, and previous names tied to a business.⁵ Try a trade name, an abbreviation, or a former name if your first attempt returns nothing. Trade names and service marks registered in New Jersey are searchable through the same portal, and a trade-name filing will point you back to the LLC’s legal name and Entity ID.³

1
New Jersey Government Services. Business Name Search
2
NJ Treasury. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES)
3
State of New Jersey. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services: Business Records Service
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Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services Online Help
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New Jersey Government Services. Business Entity Status Report
6
NJ Treasury. Reinstate a Revoked or Voided Business
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Justia. New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 42-2C-8 – Name
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NJ Treasury. NJ Treasury – Registry Fee Schedules
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NJ.gov. Taxes and Annual Report