Selling to the State of New Jersey: NJSTART, SBE/MWBE Certification and the BRC

New Jersey state agencies, public colleges and many local governments buy goods and services through NJSTART, the state's electronic procurement system. If you want that work, the order of steps matters. You need a New Jersey tax registration, a vendor account on NJSTART before you can respond to most bids, and, if you qualify, a certification from the Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) that opens the door to set-aside contracts. This guide covers each step in the order most businesses should take them.

This is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Program rules, forms and fees change. Confirm current requirements with the agency named in each section before you rely on them, and talk to a qualified attorney or CPA if your ownership structure, contract size or political giving is complicated.

Know which portal does what

Three different systems come up when people search for 'NJ start' or 'njstart login,' and they do different jobs:

• NJ Business Portal: forms your LLC or corporation, files annual reports and handles tax registration (NJ-REG). Start at the Online Business Entity Filing page.
• NJSTART: the state's procurement system, where agencies post solicitations and vendors register and submit bids. Visit njstart.gov.
• DORES Business Certification Program: reviews applications for minority, woman, veteran, LGBTQ+ and small business status. Information is on the DORES page of the Treasury website.

Bookmark all three. Logging into the wrong one is a common time waster.

Step 1: Form your entity and get your Business Registration Certificate

Form your business first. The filing fee for an LLC or a corporation is $100, and that is the figure to budget for. The Certificate of Formation (LLC) and Certificate of Incorporation (corporation) are both filed through the NJ Business Portal. Older guides and some pages still show $125, so disregard that number. Every LLC and corporation also owes a $75 annual report, due each year by the last day of the month in which the business was formed. Two consecutive missed years lead to revocation, which costs the entity its good standing.

New Jersey issues no general statewide business license, and counties do not license businesses either. What a state buyer wants to see instead is your Business Registration Certificate, or BRC.

The BRC is proof that you completed tax and employer registration with the Division of Revenue using Form NJ-REG. Registration produces your New Jersey tax identification number and, where applicable, a sales tax certificate of authority. You can start the registration at the NJ Business Registration page. The BRC is not a license, and having one does not authorize you to perform any particular work.

Why does it matter? BRCs are required on public contracts, and they are separately required for contractors and subcontractors doing business with the State and other public agencies, as well as for unincorporated construction contractors working in New Jersey. If you sell services or goods rather than construction work, your BRC still shows buyers that your tax registration is in order before they award you anything.

A BRC does not replace industry licenses. Many occupations require a professional or industry license from the Division of Consumer Affairs or another agency, and municipalities issue their own local licenses and permits. Check those separately for your trade and town.

Step 2: Register as a vendor on NJSTART

Vendor registration is what lets you see and respond to bids. Create your profile on NJSTART and have these details ready:

1. Your legal business name exactly as it appears on your formation documents.
2. Your federal EIN and the New Jersey tax ID from your NJ-REG registration.
3. Your business address and the contact who will receive bid notices.
4. The commodity codes that describe what you sell. Solicitations are matched to these codes, so choose them carefully and keep them current.

If you already have an NJSTART account, sign in from the homepage. If you cannot access it, use the recovery options on the sign-in page. Keep your login in your company password manager rather than on one employee's phone, because bid notices go to the registered email address and a missed notice can mean a missed deadline. NJSTART is not the same system as the NJ Business Portal, so a login for one will not work on the other.

This guide's verified fee schedule does not list a registration fee for NJSTART, so check the site for any charge before you enroll.

Step 3: Find and bid on New Jersey state contracts

Search open solicitations in NJSTART by commodity code, agency and deadline. Searches for 'nj state contract bids' and 'nj procurement' lead to the same place, and the same discipline applies to each. For every bid you consider, read the full solicitation package before you decide whether to respond, paying attention to:

• The scope of work and any specifications you must meet.
• The submission deadline and the method for submitting questions. Questions usually have to go through the procurement contact named in the solicitation.
• Any set-aside designation. Some solicitations are reserved for, or give preference to, firms holding a DORES certification. If a bid is set aside and you are not certified, you cannot bid on it.
• The list of required forms. Most public contracts require your BRC and Form AA-302, the affirmative action Employee Information Report. Political contribution disclosures are made on separate Chapter 51 forms. Bids are commonly rejected for a missing form, not for a weak price, so build a checklist for every submission.

Submit early. Portal problems at 4:55 p.m. on the due date do not extend the deadline.

Step 4: Get certified through DORES

Certification is optional for most bids but valuable for set-asides. DORES runs the Business Certification Program, which covers several categories. Each one has its own eligibility test, and a firm can qualify for more than one:

• Minority and woman owned business enterprise (MWBE): the business must be at least 51% owned and controlled by minority or woman owners. Searches for NJ MBE certification and NJ WBE certification are answered by this combined Minority/Woman Owned Business Enterprise category.
• Small business enterprise (SBE): status under the Set-Aside Act (P.L.1983, c.482). The revenue rules were updated by P.L.2025, c.254, so check with DORES for the current revenue limits before assuming your firm qualifies. This is the 'NJ SBE certification' most searchers want.
• Veteran and disabled veteran owned business: for firms owned and controlled by veterans or disabled veterans, as defined in the program rules.
• LGBTQ+ owned business: for firms owned and controlled by LGBTQ+ owners.
• Socially and economically disadvantaged business enterprise (SEDBE): for firms that meet the program's social and economic disadvantage criteria.

Ownership and control are the core test in every category. Owners must hold the ownership interest and make the real decisions about operations, finances and management. A business where a non-qualifying partner runs daily operations will not pass, even if the paperwork shows the right percentages.

Fees, fast track and the SAVI listing

The $100 application fee is waived. The state has waived it indefinitely as of 2026, so confirm the status on the DORES page before you submit. Some outside MWBE certifications qualify for a fast-track review. Check with DORES which outside certifying bodies it accepts, because the list is specific and you should not assume your existing certificate qualifies.

Certified firms are listed in the SAVI database, which buyers search when they look for set-aside vendors. After approval, confirm that your listing shows the correct categories, business name and contact information. A certification you cannot find in SAVI is not doing much for you.

Expect to document your ownership, control and finances. Assemble your formation documents, operating agreement or bylaws, stock or membership records, business tax returns and biographical information on the people who run the company before you start. The DORES checklist controls the exact list, and an incomplete file slows the review.

Political contribution disclosure and pay-to-play rules

New Jersey's pay-to-play rules under Chapter 51 limit certain political contributions by businesses that want state contracts and require disclosure of contributions made by the business and certain of its people. That disclosure is made on the Chapter 51 vendor certification and disclosure of political contributions form, not on Form AA-302. Before you bid, review contributions made by owners, officers and the company in the relevant period, and collect the information you need before the form deadline arrives. A contribution you forgot about can cost you a contract, so do this review before you submit a bid rather than after you win one.

The contribution limits, reporting periods and penalties are detailed and change over time. Confirm the current requirements with the New Jersey Treasury and have counsel review your disclosure if you have a history of political giving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Logging into the NJ Business Portal when you meant NJSTART, or the reverse.
• Bidding without a current BRC, then discovering that the public agency will not accept the bid.
• Budgeting $125 for formation based on outdated sources. The current filing fee is $100.
• Letting the annual report lapse. Two consecutive missed years lead to revocation.
• Assuming a certification will bring contracts. It makes you eligible for set-asides and gives buyers a way to find you, but you still have to win the bid.
• Missing a form. Build a checklist for every bid and check it twice before you submit.
• Ignoring Chapter 51 until the award stage.

A practical order of operations

1. Form your LLC or corporation through the NJ Business Portal and pay the $100 filing fee.
2. Complete NJ-REG tax and employer registration and obtain your BRC.
3. Register as a vendor on NJSTART and select your commodity codes.
4. Decide whether you qualify for any DORES certification. If so, apply and confirm your SAVI listing.
5. Review open solicitations, and for each one, check the set-aside designation and the required forms.
6. Complete your Form AA-302 and any Chapter 51 political contribution disclosure before you bid.
7. Calendar your $75 annual report and your certification renewal dates.

For free advising on business planning, financing and government contracting, the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers at njsbdc.com are a practical starting point. The U.S. Small Business Administration also lists New Jersey resources at its New Jersey district page.

Get professional help for complex situations

Selling to the state is manageable for a single-owner firm with clean records. It gets complicated quickly when you have multiple owners, a joint venture, a parent company, out-of-state certifications, or a history of political contributions. In those cases, consult a qualified New Jersey attorney on contract and political contribution questions and a CPA on entity tax treatment. Use this guide to know what to ask, and rely on the agencies named above for current rules, fees and forms.