A small but welcome change took effect for New Jersey business owners on July 1, 2026. A new law lowers the fees the state charges to form and maintain a business entity, the first reduction to these charges in years. For AARA members who own their stores through an LLC or corporation, or who are thinking about opening a second location, those filings now cost a little less.
What the law changes
The measure, Assembly Bill A5325 and its Senate companion S4534, trims a range of formation and filing fees by up to $25 each. The headline changes:
- Forming a for-profit business, including corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships, drops from $125 to $100.
- Forming a nonprofit drops from $75 to $50.
- Related filings such as amendments, mergers, and dissolutions are standardized or reduced.
The reductions apply to registrations filed on or after July 1. Owners should confirm the current charge on the state Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services fee schedule before filing.
How it passed
The bill moved with rare unanimity. The Senate approved it 40 to 0 and the Assembly 78 to 0 with one abstention, both on June 30, 2026. Governor Mikie Sherrill signed it in early July. It was sponsored by Assemblyman Roy Freiman, Senator John Burzichelli, and Senator Carmen Amato, a bipartisan group.
New Jersey should be encouraging entrepreneurs to invest and create jobs, not making it more expensive to get started, said Senator Amato.
The bigger picture
The state Treasury estimates the change will reduce state revenue by about $4.1 million a year, money that stays with business owners instead. On its own, saving $25 on a filing is minor. But the law is meant to signal that New Jersey wants to lower the cost of starting and running a small business, a message that matters to the independent retailers AARA represents.
What members should do
If you are forming a new entity, opening an additional store, or filing an amendment this year, use the updated fee schedule so you are not overpaying. If you use a registered agent or filing service, ask them to confirm they are billing the new lower state fee rather than the old rate. The change is automatic on the state side, so there is nothing to apply for.