Custodian · Trade names · all 21 counties
Certificate New Jersey trade names: sole proprietors file at the County Clerk; entities file an alternate name with the Division of Revenue
Who files where depends on the kind of business. Fees vary by county. This page points to the clerk and to the State; it is not a filing.
- NJ Business Action Center: register a trade nameSole proprietorships and general partnerships register a trade name with the County Clerk in each county where they operate.
- Division of Revenue: alternate namesAlternate names are for corporations, LLCs, and other entities — not for sole proprietors.
- Business entity name searchDivision of Revenue search of registered businesses and filings.
Who files where
Read 2026-09-09 on the Business Action Center trade-name FAQ and the Division of Revenue alternate-name page:
- Sole proprietorship or general partnership. A trade name (a name that is not the owners’ legal names) is filed with the County Clerk in each county where the business operates. Protection is county-wide, not statewide, unless you file in every county.
- LLC, corporation, or other entity. Do not file a county trade name for the entity name. Register an alternate name with the Division of Revenue if the entity will do business under a name other than its legal name. Alternate names are for entities, not sole proprietors.
- Fees vary by county. Ask the clerk page below for the current amount, copies, and whether you must appear. This page does not quote a fee.
Source: New Jersey Business Action Center FAQ and Division of Revenue, nj.gov, read 2026-09-09. This is not legal advice, and it is not a filing.
Every New Jersey county
A dedicated clerk trade-name page is linked when one was opened and checked. Otherwise the link is the County Clerk page.
Custodian is legal information, not legal advice. County fees and forms change; the county’s own page is the source of truth. Entity filings go through the Division of Revenue, not the County Clerk.
Cross-reference. Going to court and cannot pay the filing fee? See the notice of motion to proceed in forma pauperis (the New Jersey court fee waiver) or open the fee waiver form directly. Every other New Jersey court form is free at in.formapauperis.com.