A Free Resource Hub for New Jersey Founders

400+ Resources including grants, loans, and mentors for your NJ business.

Curated from NJEDA, NJSBDC, SBA, and dozens of verified NJ partners — grants, funding, legal help, mentoring, and digital tools.

Updated April 2026 · Curated statewide resource hub · Free to use

SBDC: LEADS Cohort Program

A 13-week hybrid cohort from NJSBDC at William Paterson University, in partnership with M&T Bank. For NJ entrepreneurs and senior-level business leaders operating 6+ months with $25,000+ in sales. Participants are paired with experienced mentors for 1:1 guidance, with sessions in-person at WPU and virtual. Closes with a pitch competition and graduation.

Full details sbdcwpu.com

Obsidian Rising LLC

NJ-based strategic consulting firm founded by Gladian Rivera. Free 30-minute strategic consultation for small business owners — program launch, process optimization, compliance, and workflow redesign. Gladian is also the author of Sovereign Leader (available on Amazon). For current bio, credentials, and full service details, visit obsidianrisingllc.com.

Full details obsidianrisingllc.com Sovereign Leader (book)
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Required for most NJEDA programs

NJ Tax Clearance Certificate

Proof from NJ Division of Taxation that your business is in good standing. NJEDA will not release grant funds without it.

Cost
Free
Valid
~180 days
Issued by
NJ Taxation
Request via
PBS portal

1 What it is

  • Officially: Business Assistance Tax Clearance Certificate (a.k.a. "Business Incentive Tax Clearance")
  • One-page PDF issued by NJ Division of Taxation
  • Confirms your business filed every required state return and paid every state tax, penalty, and fee — or is current on an approved payment plan
  • Required by P.L. 2007, c.101 (per the NJ Division of Taxation) for all state grants, loans, tax credits, and contracts
Why it matters: Without a valid certificate, NJEDA won't disburse funds even after approval. Treat it as a prerequisite, not a closing task.

2 Who needs one

You need one if you're applying for any of these:

  • NJEDA programs — SBIG, Lease Grant, Small Business Fund, Main Street Recovery, Food Desert Relief, Aspire, Emerge, Film & Digital Media Tax Credit, Angel Investor Tax Credit, and most others
  • State contracts — any deal with an NJ state agency, authority, or state college
  • State grants from any department (DOL, DEP, DCA, DOT, Agriculture, etc.)
  • Casino, cannabis (CRC), alcoholic beverage (ABC) licenses
  • Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) certification
  • Economic redevelopment agreements with municipalities

3 How to obtain it

First: make sure you're registered

  • Entity formed (LLC, Corp, etc.) via NJ Business Formation
  • Registered for taxes with NJ-REG — gives you a 12-digit NJ Tax ID
  • Your Business Registration Certificate (BRC) is not the Tax Clearance Certificate

Then: request through Premier Business Services (PBS)

Paper forms are no longer used for grants and contracts. Request online through PBS only.

  1. Log into PBS — open the Premier Business Services portal. New users click "First-time User? Register Now"
  2. Link your business — My Services → Manage My Business Profiles. Use your NJ Tax ID and the exact business name
  3. Open the tool — Tax & Revenue Center → Tax Services → Business Incentive Tax Clearance
  4. Fill out the request — have ready: NJ Tax ID, FEIN, legal name, DBA, address, and the awarding agency (certificates are issued to a named agency, not generically)
  5. Submit & download — clean accounts get the PDF in minutes from "My Clearances" or "Correspondence." Flagged accounts see "Pending Review" or "Denied — Open Liability"
Tip: For NJEDA, select "New Jersey Economic Development Authority" from the agency dropdown. For other grants/contracts, pick the right department.

4 Timing

  • Clean account: PDF issued in minutes
  • Flagged account: 3–10 business days
  • Open liabilities or unfiled returns: indefinite — must be resolved before issuance
  • Validity: 180 days from issue date (check the expiration printed on the PDF)
Plan buffer: a common rule of thumb is to request your clearance at least 3 weeks before any grant deadline to leave room for fixes if issues surface.

5 Common reasons people get denied clearance

  1. Unfiled returns — a single missing CBT-100, NJ-927, ST-50, or NJ-1065 blocks the clearance
  2. Outstanding tax liability — unpaid sales tax, withholding, CBT, or penalties
  3. Name or FEIN mismatch between Division of Revenue and Division of Taxation records
  4. Dissolved or revoked charter — unfiled annual reports
  5. Unpaid annual report fees ($75/year for LLCs, for-profit corps, LPs, LLPs; $30/year for nonprofit corporations per NJ Treasury)
  6. DOL delinquencies — unemployment insurance arrears
  7. Unregistered for a required tax (e.g. collecting sales tax without Certificate of Authority)
  8. Successor liability — inherited unpaid taxes from a prior owner

6 If you're denied

  1. Read the PBS denial notice — tells you the category, not always the detail
  2. Call Taxation's Business Assistance Unit: (609) 322-6835 — handles clearance holds specifically
  3. Request a statement of account for every tax type to find the open item
  4. Resolve — file missing returns, pay balances, or enter an approved Deferred Payment Plan
  5. Annual report / charter issue? Call Revenue at (609) 292-9292 and reinstate via Annual Reports portal
  6. Re-submit in PBS — it does not auto-reissue

7 Official contact info

Tax clearance holds
(609) 322-6835
Division of Taxation Business Assistance Unit
PBS technical help
(609) 292-8720
e-GovServices@treas.nj.gov
Division of Revenue
(609) 292-9292
Registration & annual reports
General business tax
(609) 292-6400
nj.taxation@treas.nj.gov

8 Useful direct links

9 What it looks like

A one-page PDF titled "Business Assistance Tax Clearance Certificate" (State of NJ / Division of Taxation header). It shows:

  • Certificate number (e.g., BATC-XXXXXXX)
  • Business legal name and NJ Tax ID
  • Named awarding agency (e.g., NJEDA)
  • Issue date and expiration (~180 days)
  • Signature of the Director of the Division of Taxation
  • Compliance statement as of the issue date

Find it in PBS under "My Clearances" or "Correspondence." Upload the PDF directly to the awarding agency's portal.

Ready to request your certificate? Start at the PBS portal.
Open PBS portal
Disclaimer: This guide is informational — not legal or tax advice. Always confirm current requirements directly with the NJ Division of Taxation before applying.