Enter words related to your business to get started.
Key Information
Legal Name | New Jersey Secretary of State Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services |
Address | 33 W. State St., 5th Fl., Trenton, NJ 08608 |
Telephone | |
Website |
How to Do a New Jersey Business Search:
Before starting a business, you will need to ensure that your chosen business name is available. Simply go to the New Jersey DOS website and use the business search tool to check if your name is already in use by another company.
Conduct a New Jersey business search online.
Use the New Jersey online business search tool.
The New Jersey DOS website offers a business search tool that enables users to search a database of every registered business in the state. Prospective business owners can use this tool to query the availability of their proposed names against businesses that already exist.
Select the "Business Name" search type.
The "Search Type" tab lists four options for your search: "Business Name," "Keywords," "Entity ID," and "Name Availability." Choose "Business Name" and ignore the rest for now. Your main priority is to find a potential match to your proposed name.
Perform a search.
There are no additional search filters to modify your name query, so you'll have to get creative with your approach to searching.
Start by searching only your business keyword (for example, "bakery"). This will give you an overview of New Jersian businesses competing with that word and how they're named. Remember to try as many variations of your proposed name as possible. The broader your name search, the more chance you have of finding a match.
A search that yields no results is a good first sign on the path to confirming the availability of your proposed name.
Make a list of alternative spellings or similar versions of your proposed name to ensure that your name is entirely new and distinguishable from competitors.
Select the "Name Availability" search type.
This option is the quickest way of determining the availability of your proposed name. If your proposed name yields no matches, the search generates a list of business names that sound similar to your name. Follow the same search strategies outlined above when conducting a name availability search.
It's best to use this search in conjunction with the business name search to ensure that you uncover as many results as possible.
Additional New Jersey business search steps.
Perform trademark searches.
You'll need to check your proposed business name against the New Jersey trademark database and the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) trademark database.
A name that is free to use does not guarantee ownership of intellectual property. Likewise, a name that is free to use in New Jersey might be a trademarked name at the federal level, which can lead to legal trouble in the future. You'll want to ensure that your proposed name passes the USPTO database query too.
Search social media platforms.
You'll want to ensure that the Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter handles for your proposed name are not taken, for the sake of consistency across your marketing channels. Search your proposed name on these platforms and think of creative alternatives should they already be in use.
Reserve your business name.
You do not need to register your business name immediately. You can choose to reserve it for 120 days before officially claiming it. The cost to reserve a business name is $50.00.
There is no online method for reserving a business name, so you'll need to mail them your application. Download and fill out the "Application for Reservation of Name" form to apply by mail. The mailing address and instructions are at the bottom of the page.
New business owners also have the option of submitting the "Application for Reservation of Name" form by fax and in person.
