Burlington County NJ Business License: County Health, Trade Names and Mount Holly and Pemberton UEZs
Burlington County NJ Business License: County Health, Trade Names and Mount Holly and Pemberton UEZs
If you searched for a burlington county nj business license, the short answer is that there isn't one. Burlington County does not issue a general business license, and New Jersey does not issue a statewide one either. What you actually need depends on what you sell, where you operate, how your business is organized, and which town you are in. This guide sorts out what comes from the county, what comes from your municipality, and what comes from the state, including how the Mount Holly and Pemberton Township Urban Enterprise Zones (UEZs) can affect your planning.
No county license and no state general license
New Jersey has no state general business license, and counties license nothing. Burlington County's role is narrower. The Burlington County Clerk accepts trade name filings for sole proprietorships and general partnerships, and the Burlington County Health Department serves as the local health department for all 40 towns in the county. Zoning, certificates of occupancy and any local business licenses come from the municipality where your business is located.
One document causes a lot of confusion: the Business Registration Certificate (BRC). The BRC is not a license. It is proof that you completed tax and employer registration with the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES). It is required for specific groups, covered below, and it does not give you permission to open for business.
Where each requirement comes from
| Requirement | Who handles it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| State tax and employer registration (NJ-REG) | DORES, Department of the Treasury | Produces your NJ tax ID and, where applicable, a sales tax certificate of authority |
| LLC or corporation formation | DORES, through the NJ Business Portal | $100 filing fee since July 1, 2026 |
| Trade name for a sole proprietorship or general partnership | Burlington County Clerk | Fee is set by the county clerk, so confirm the current amount |
| Alternate name for an LLC, corporation, LP or LLP | DORES | $50 per alternate name, with a $50 renewal |
| Health approvals | Burlington County Health Department | Depends on your operation; confirm which apply |
| Zoning, certificate of occupancy, local business license | Your municipality | Varies by town |
| Professional or industry license | Division of Consumer Affairs or another agency | Depends on your occupation |
Trade names: file with the Burlington County Clerk
If you operate as a sole proprietor or a general partnership and want to do business under a name other than your own, you file a trade name registration at the county level with the Burlington County Clerk. The county clerk sets this fee, so confirm the current amount with that office before you pay.
LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships do not file trade names with the county. They file an Alternate Name Registration with the state through DORES instead, at $50 per alternate name with a $50 renewal. The state's business name page is at business.nj.gov/pages/business-names.
Before you commit to a name, search the state database at the NJ business name search. Your name must be distinguishable from every other name on the state business database. If you need time to prepare paperwork, you can reserve a name for $50. A reservation lasts 120 days and is renewable. The form is at the name reservation form (UNRR1).
Burlington County Health Department
The Burlington County Health Department is the local health department for all 40 towns in the county. Whether it matters for your business depends on what you do. Operations that prepare or serve food, work with the public in personal care settings, or run certain facilities commonly need health department review before opening. The department decides which approvals apply to your specific operation. Health permit fees and processing times are set by the department, so confirm them directly with the department.
Call before you sign a lease or buy equipment. Health reviews can affect floor plans, plumbing, storage and equipment choices, and finding out early costs far less than redesigning a space after the fact.
Municipal approvals: zoning, CO and local licenses
Burlington County has 40 municipalities, and each one sets its own rules. Most businesses work through three local checkpoints:
- Zoning: confirms your business use is allowed at the address you picked. Check this before you sign a lease, not after.
- Certificate of occupancy (CO): the municipal sign-off that a building is fit for the use you intend. Ask the zoning or construction office whether your use requires one and when you need it.
- Local business license or permit: some towns license certain businesses and not others. The municipal clerk's office can tell you what applies to your use.
Your address also matters for the state filing. The registered office for an LLC or corporation must be a New Jersey street address. A PO box may be used only if the street address is listed as well. Choose the address with both the state filing and local zoning in mind.
Mount Holly and Pemberton Township UEZs
Mount Holly and Pemberton Township are both Urban Enterprise Zones. A UEZ is a state economic development designation, and it can affect certain taxes and costs for qualifying businesses inside the zone boundaries. Two cautions apply:
- UEZ status does not replace any license, registration or approval in this guide. You still need every item in the checklist below.
- Incentive details change. Confirm current eligibility, zone boundaries and the sales tax treatment that applies to your sales with the municipality and the New Jersey Division of Taxation before you price a product or sign a lease based on the zone. Do not rely on rates from older articles.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and local demand
Burlington County was the fastest-growing county in New Jersey by percent in 2025, rising 0.82 percent to 481,439 residents. It is up 4.2 percent since 2020. Growth like that supports construction, home services, retail and professional services. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst also drives steady contractor and service demand, from facilities work to transportation and maintenance.
If you plan to sell to the base or its tenants, keep two tracks separate. Under state rules, contractors doing business with the State and other public agencies need a BRC, and so do unincorporated construction contractors working in New Jersey. A federal installation runs its contracts under federal rules, so confirm with the contracting officer what documentation they require. Many trades also need a professional or industry license from the Division of Consumer Affairs or another agency. Confirm which one applies to your trade.
State steps for a Burlington County business
- Check the name. Search the NJ business name database and reserve the name for $50 if you need time. A reservation lasts 120 days.
- Form the entity. An LLC files a Certificate of Formation (Public Records Filing for New Business Entity, Title 42). A corporation files a Certificate of Incorporation (Title 14A). The filing fee is $100 since July 1, 2026. Online filings through the NJ Business Portal take roughly one business day to appear in state records. Mailed filings take longer.
- Use a valid designator. The name must include LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Co. or Limited Liability Company. DORES adds one if you leave it out, but it is better to choose the name correctly from the start.
- Name a registered agent. Every LLC and corporation must name exactly one registered agent and maintain a New Jersey registered office.
- Register for taxes. Complete NJ-REG with DORES. It produces your NJ tax ID and, where applicable, a sales tax certificate of authority. The state sales tax rate is 6.625 percent. Sales tax permits are handled through the NJ Business Portal.
- File any trade name. Sole proprietors and general partnerships file with the Burlington County Clerk. LLCs, corporations, LPs and LLPs file with the state.
- Secure local approvals. Confirm zoning, any certificate of occupancy and health review before you open.
- Calendar the annual report. The LLC annual report is $75 and is due every year by the last day of the month in which the business was formed. Corporations file the same $75 annual report by the last day of their anniversary month. Two consecutive missed years lead to revocation.
Common misconceptions
- Myth: I need a Burlington County business license. The county does not issue one.
- Myth: I have to publish notice of my new LLC in a newspaper. New Jersey has no publication requirement.
- Myth: The LLC filing costs $125. That was the older figure. Formation costs $100 since July 1, 2026, so older pages quoting $125 are out of date.
- Myth: A notary can officiate a wedding. A notary public cannot officiate weddings in New Jersey, so do not market notary work as wedding officiation.
Disclaimer and when to get help
This guide is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, deadlines and program rules change. The figures here were verified as of October 2026, so confirm each one with the agency that administers it before you act.
Talk to a qualified attorney before you choose an entity type, draft an operating agreement, or sign a lease with a personal guarantee. Work with a CPA on entity tax treatment, especially if you have partners, income from outside New Jersey, or sales inside a UEZ. The New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) can help you sequence these steps, and the SBA New Jersey district page lists local resources.
Official resources
- NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services: nj.gov/treasury/revenue
- NJ Business Portal, online business entity filing: njportal.com/DOR/BusinessFormation
- NJ business name search: njportal.com business name search
- Business registration and sales tax permits: njportal.com/DOR/BusinessRegistration
- NJ Division of Taxation: nj.gov/treasury/taxation
- Business trade names and alternate names: business.nj.gov/pages/business-names
- New Jersey Small Business Development Centers: njsbdc.com
For the Burlington County Clerk and Burlington County Health Department, use the contact details on the county's official website before you visit or call.