Union City NJ Business License: Chapter 234 Licenses by Business Type

Opening a business in Union City means handling two layers of paperwork. The state layer covers forming your business and registering for taxes. The city layer covers whether your business type needs a municipal license under Chapter 234 of the Union City Code, Licensing of Businesses and Occupations. Many owners mix the two up, pay for the wrong thing, or miss the city step entirely. This guide walks through both layers in the order you will need them, and it flags every figure you should confirm directly with the city before you commit money.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. City ordinances and fee schedules can change. For a complex ownership structure, a regulated product, or a lease question, talk to a qualified attorney or CPA.

Start With the New Jersey Basics

New Jersey does not issue a general statewide business license, and counties do not license businesses. That leaves two separate questions:

• Is my business type licensed by the city? Chapter 234 and the city's licensing office answer this.
• Is my entity formed and registered for taxes with the state? The Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) and the Division of Taxation answer this.

One state document causes the most confusion. The Business Registration Certificate (BRC) is proof that you completed tax and employer registration on Form NJ-REG. It is not a license, and holding one does not mean the city has approved your business. The NJ-REG process gives you a New Jersey tax identification number and, if you will sell taxable goods, a sales tax certificate of authority.

What to Gather Before You Apply

Pull these items together first. Missing one usually means a second trip or a second round of paperwork.

• A business name with a designator such as LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Co. or Limited Liability Company. The name must be distinguishable from every other name in the state business database.
• A New Jersey street address for the registered office. A PO box can be used only if the street address is listed too.
• One registered agent: an individual or a business entity in good standing with the State Treasurer.
• The $100 formation filing fee for LLCs and corporations filed since July 1, 2026. Older guides may still show $125, so confirm the current figure on the state portal.
• The exact street address of the Union City location where you will operate, and a plain description of what you will do there.
• The business type you plan to run, matched against the Chapter 234 list.
• A short question list for the licensing office: which payment methods it accepts, and whether your type needs a health approval or a police investigation.

Step-by-Step: Getting Your Union City Business License

Step 1: Confirm your business type is on the Chapter 234 list

Chapter 234 lists the business types that need a city license. Ask the Union City Police Department licensing office for the current list, and read the chapter text yourself. Do not assume a small, home based, or online business is exempt. If your type is not on the list, you may not need a city license, but get that answer in writing or by email so you have a record.

Step 2: Form your entity with the state

Most owners file a Certificate of Formation for an LLC or a Certificate of Incorporation for a corporation through the Online Business Entity Filing portal on the NJ Business Portal. Online filings are typically entered and reflected in state records in about one business day. Mailed filings take longer. The formation fee is $100. The annual report is $75 each year, due by the last day of the month in which the business was formed. New Jersey has no publication requirement after formation, which surprises many first-time owners.

If you need time to finish paperwork, a name reservation costs $50 and lasts 120 days. It is renewable.

Step 3: Complete NJ-REG registration and get your BRC

After formation, register with the Division of Revenue through NJ-REG to receive your New Jersey tax identification number and Business Registration Certificate. If you will sell taxable goods, you also need a sales tax certificate of authority, which you request through the NJ Business Portal. The state sales tax rate is 6.625%.

Union City participates in the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) program, which can affect some taxes and incentives at your location. Ask the Division of Taxation how the UEZ applies to your business before you set prices.

Step 4: Identify the right city office

Union City licensing runs through the Police Department. Under Ord. 2023-68, adopted June 7, 2023, the Union City Police Department oversees applications, fee collection, and issuance for licenses under Chapter 234. Health-related licenses follow a different path: you apply through the city's Department of Health, which is separate from the Police Department. If your business touches food, personal care, or another health-regulated activity, start with the health department and ask whether a Police Department license is also required.

Step 5: Pay the fee for your business type

License fees are set in the fee schedule in Chapter 155 of the city code. Fees differ by business type, so there is no single number for every applicant. Confirm your type's fee with the Police Department licensing office before you pay, and get the amount in writing. Do not rely on a figure from a third-party filing service or an older article.

Step 6: Plan for an investigation if you are a precious metals or secondhand dealer

Precious metals dealers and secondhand dealers receive a police investigation as part of licensing, and the city's process calls for that investigation within 30 days. Plan for the wait, have your dealer records ready, and ask about timing before you commit to a lease or an opening date.

Step 7: Check the certificate of occupancy separately

A certificate of occupancy (CO) is a building and use approval. It is not a business license. This article does not contain verified Union City CO requirements, so confirm with the city's construction or zoning office whether your space needs a CO, a change of use approval, or an inspection before you open. Ask this before you sign a lease, because the answer can affect your opening date and build-out budget.

You may also see the phrase union city mercantile license in search results. Many New Jersey towns use mercantile license to mean a retail business license. This article cannot confirm that Union City issues a license under that name, so ask the Police Department licensing office whether a retail activity falls under Chapter 234 and what it is called on the city's list.

Renewals, Late Fees, and Ongoing Obligations

Union City license renewals are due by January 31. Confirm the renewal cycle for your license type with the Police Department licensing office. Under Ord. 2017-26, a late fee of $25 per month applies to late renewals. Put January 31 on your calendar the day your license is issued.

State obligations run on separate schedules. Your annual report is $75 each year. Once you are registered, your sales tax filings follow the Division of Taxation schedule. Keep both calendars, not only the city one.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating the BRC as a license. The BRC proves NJ-REG registration. Your city license is a separate approval from the Police Department or the Department of Health.
• Looking for a county license. Counties license nothing. Your question goes to the city or the state.
• Using only a PO box as the registered office. You need a New Jersey street address. A PO box can be added, but only alongside the street address.
• Trusting an old fee. Formation is $100 for filings since July 1, 2026, and city fees come from the Chapter 155 schedule. Confirm both before you pay.
• Missing the annual report. Two consecutive missed years lead to revocation. Calendar the $75 report from the day you form.
• Assuming a newspaper notice is required. New Jersey has no publication requirement for formation.
• Expecting a notary commission to cover weddings. Notaries cannot officiate weddings, so do not market that service under a notary commission.
• Assuming no municipal occupancy tax means no tax. Union City does not impose a municipal occupancy tax, but state obligations may still apply to hotel and short-term rental operators. Check those with the Division of Taxation.

What a Successful Application Typically Looks Like

Results vary by business type and by how complete your file is when you submit it. In most cases, a complete application moves through the city process with fewer follow-up requests. Once the license is issued, you may be able to open on schedule, though a health approval, a police investigation, or a certificate of occupancy question can add time. Treat the city's stated timelines as your planning baseline, and build buffer days into your opening date.

Next Steps

1. Confirm your business type on the Chapter 234 list with the Police Department licensing office.
2. Form your entity on the NJ Business Portal and calendar the $75 annual report.
3. Complete NJ-REG registration and obtain your BRC.
4. Get your type's fee, the investigation timing if applicable, and any health department requirement in writing.
5. Ask the construction or zoning office about a certificate of occupancy before you sign a lease.

For official state resources, use the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services for formation and registration, the New Jersey Division of Taxation for tax questions, and the NJ business name search to check availability before you file. For city licensing, contact the Union City Police Department licensing office and the Department of Health directly, because the city's fee schedule and license list are the controlling figures for your business type.