Contact your municipality for information on local regulations. General steps required include:
New Jersey Division of Revenue & Enterprise Services (DORES): if you choose to form a limited liability company (LLC) a corporation (Inc.), a Professional Corporation (PC), you must record that new entity with DORES. This is not required for Sole Proprietorships or General Partnerships.
Tax Registration: all businesses (including proprietorships and partnerships) must register for Tax purposes with DORES. Every business that has employees, more than a single owner, or is organized as a corporation must obtain a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), commonly referred to as a Federal Tax ID #, from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Trade Names, Alternate (Fictitious) Business Names, Doing Business As (DBA): businesses may operate using a name other than their legal name, if that name has been properly registered. Sole Proprietorships and General Partnerships must register a “Tradename” in each of the County Clerk’s Offices in the Counties where they wish to conduct business. LLCs, Corporations, and other legal entities may register an Alternate Name with DORES. Fictitious names for foreign entities (companies formed outside of New Jersey) are sometimes referred to as a DBA.
Mercantile Licenses: many towns require certain businesses to obtain Mercantile or other local business licenses. Check with the Municipal Clerk’s Office to determine your obligation under the Municipal Ordinances. Your Municipal Clerk can be found by contacting your Municipal Government offices.
Sales & Use Tax: Businesses may be required to collect sales tax during a qualified transaction and submit those proceeds to the Division of Taxation. You may also qualify for a Resale Certificate that can be used when purchasing items for resale.
Taxpayer Workshops: The Treasury Department’s “Taxation University” offers a workshop series to assist small businesses learn more about their state tax obligations.