New Jersey A-901 License: Why Junk Removal and Dumpster Companies Need One

If your business loads up someone else's old furniture, carpet, household trash or construction debris and hauls it away, New Jersey treats you as a solid waste transporter. That work requires the A-901 license. Many junk removal and dumpster rental owners learn this after they have bought trucks, printed door signs and taken their first customers. Owners searching for a901 license nj or nj a901 are usually asking one question: do I need the A-901 license to haul? This guide covers who needs it, what it takes to get one, what it costs, and the order you have to complete things in.

This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, deadlines and penalties can change, so confirm every figure with the agency named below before you commit money.

Who Needs an A-901 License

The A-901 license covers hauling solid waste generated by someone else. Under New Jersey's solid waste rules, a company that hauls other people's trash is a solid waste transporter, and the A-901 is the core approval for that work. In practice, the following work falls under it:

• Junk removal and clean-outs of homes, apartments, garages, storage units and commercial space
• Dumpster and roll-off container rental, including delivering a container, filling it, and hauling it away
• Demolition debris removed from jobs your crew did not perform

The license depends on the work, not the size of the truck. A pickup loaded with a customer's old sofa needs the same license as a box truck full of job-site waste.

The Self-Generated Debris Exception

If your own crew creates the debris while doing its own work, you may not need the A-901 license for that material. A remodeling company that tears out its own drywall and hauls it away is the usual example. Vehicles used only for that work can be registered as A-901 exempt and carry exempt decals.

The exception covers your crew's work only. Once a truck carries material from a job your crew did not perform, the exemption no longer applies to that load, and the company needs the license. Keep job records clear enough to show which material came from your own work.

A-901 License Requirements

The A-901 license is a disclosure and background process, not a simple form. Expect the following:

• A disclosure statement covering the company and the individuals listed on the license. Get the current form from NJDEP before you start.
• Fingerprints for the listed individuals, followed by a background investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General.
• The governing rules are in N.J.A.C. 7:26-16.

Two approvals must come before anything else: the A-901 license and a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). Only after both are in place can you complete DEP transporter registration and receive vehicle decals. Hauling before that point exposes the business to the penalties described below.

A-901 License Cost

The license carries annual fees, and each vehicle has a DEP registration fee every two years. Use these figures as your starting point, and confirm them with NJDEP before you budget.

Item	Amount	How often
A-901 fee, per listed individual	$600	Annually
A-901 company fee (one individual)	$635	Annually
A-901 total, one-owner company	At least $1,235	Annually
A-901 company fee (two or three listed individuals)	$1,775, plus $600 per listed individual	Annually
A-901 company fee (four or more listed individuals)	$5,150 for four to seven, $15,650 above seven, plus $600 per listed individual	Annually
DEP registration, single-unit vehicle	$100	Every 2 years
DEP registration, cab	$40	Every 2 years
DEP registration, trailer or container	$60	Every 2 years

The per-company fee rises with the number of listed individuals, and the $600 per-individual fee is added on top. Two listed individuals pay $1,200 plus the $1,775 company fee, or $2,975 a year, and three pay $3,575. Confirm the current amounts with NJDEP before you set your budget.

Example: a one-owner company with two single-unit trucks and one trailer pays at least $1,235 a year in A-901 fees. Its DEP registration for those vehicles is $260 every two years ($100 for each truck and $60 for the trailer). In the year you register the fleet, these two state charges total about $1,495, before insurance and equipment.

Form the Company First

Most owners form the business entity before they apply for state approvals. The formation steps are separate from the A-901 process, but you will need a legal name, a New Jersey address and a tax identification number throughout. The core facts:

• Filing fee: $100 for an LLC or corporation, for filings made since July 1, 2026, through the Online Business Entity Filing portal.
• Name: it must include a designator such as LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Co. or Limited Liability Company, and it must be distinguishable from every other name in the state database. Check availability on the state business name search.
• Registered agent: name exactly one agent and maintain a New Jersey street address. Changing the agent costs $25.
• Annual report: $75 each year, due by the last day of the month in which the business was formed.
• Tax registration: after forming, file Form NJ-REG through the state business registration portal to get your New Jersey tax identification number.

The formation agency is the New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES), Department of the Treasury.

What Does Not Count as a License

Owners often search for an nj waste hauler license or nj hauler license. For hauling in New Jersey, the approvals that matter are the A-901 license and DEP registration. Several other items are often mistaken for a license:

• New Jersey issues no general statewide business license.
• Counties license nothing.
• The Business Registration Certificate (BRC) is proof of NJ-REG tax registration, not a license, and it does not replace the A-901. BRCs are separately required for certain contractors doing business with the State and other public agencies, so check that requirement on its own if you bid public work.
• Municipalities issue their own local licenses and permits. Ask your town clerk about rules for placing containers on streets, driveways or public property, and about any local licensing that applies to your business.

Penalties for Hauling Without the License

New Jersey penalizes unlicensed hauling. Operating without DEP transporter registration and vehicle decals carries exposure too. This guide does not list penalty amounts, because the current figures are set in the statute and regulations and can change. Ask NJDEP for the current schedule, and ask a licensed attorney how it applies to your operation before you put a truck on the road.

Practical Order of Operations

1. Sort your work. List which jobs haul only your own crew's debris (exempt) and which haul material from others (A-901).
2. Form the entity and complete NJ-REG tax registration.
3. Prepare the disclosure statement and fingerprints for each listed individual, and begin the background investigation.
4. Apply for the CPCN.
5. After the A-901 license and CPCN are issued, register each vehicle with DEP and install decals, or exempt decals for exempt vehicles.
6. Calendar the annual A-901 fee, the DEP registration renewal every two years, and the $75 annual report.

This guide does not give processing times for the A-901 background investigation or the CPCN. Plan for a delay before your first paid job, and ask NJDEP for current timelines.

Where to Get the Current Requirements

• NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services: https://www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue/
• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP): administers DEP transporter registration and vehicle decals. Confirm the current A-901 application, disclosure statement and CPCN steps on the NJDEP website.
• New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC): https://njsbdc.com/

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an A-901 license if I only haul for one customer?

Yes, if the debris came from a job your crew did not perform. The number of customers does not change the requirement. The question is whose debris it is.

Is the A-901 fee charged per truck?

The annual A-901 fee is based on the individuals listed on the license, not on the number of trucks. Each vehicle has its own DEP registration fee, paid every two years.

Disclaimer

This article is general information about New Jersey requirements and is not legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified attorney or CPA about your situation, and confirm all fees, deadlines and penalties with NJDEP, the Attorney General's office and the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services before you act.