6 permits · verified 2026-10-08
What permits do you need to open a retail store in Union County Nj?
In short
A retail store in Union County Nj, NJ has 1 permit that applies to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services charges $75 a year; $30 for a nonprofit for the annual report. 1 of the 6 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-08 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Union County Nj
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Planning Board Site Plan Review (Building or Expanding a Commercial Site Along a County Road)only if it applies to you | Union County Planning Board, Bureau of Planning and Economic Development | Varies — formula on the Union County Nj page | county action within 30 days of a complete application (§308); approval valid 3 years if the municipality gave preliminary approval only, 2 years if it gave final approval (§312) | 2026-10-08 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
NJ registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $75 a year; $30 for a nonprofit | annual — due the last day of the entity's anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — New Jersey Business Action Center Positiononly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | No fee | set by the municipality | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Business Registration (Form NJ-REG) | New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services | No fee | one-time registration — no renewal | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a retail store in Union County Nj?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 6 records listed for a retail store in Union County Nj, NJ, 1 apply to every business of this type and 5 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
1 of the 6 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all.
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Union County Nj permits page and the NJ state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Union County Nj?
Permits for a retail store in Union County Nj, NJ come from 2 separate offices: Union County Planning Board, Bureau of Planning and Economic Development, New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Union County Planning Board, Bureau of Planning and Economic DevelopmentIssues 1 permit on this page: County Planning Board Site Plan Review (Building or Expanding a Commercial Site Along a County Road)Administration Building, Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07207 · 908-527-4268ucnj.org/union-county-planning-board
- New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Revenue and Enterprise ServicesIssues 5 permits on this page, including Annual Report, General Business License — New Jersey Business Action Center Position, Certificate of Incorporation33 West State Street, 5th Floor, Trenton, NJ 08608-1214 · (609) 292-9292www.nj.gov/treasury/revenue
What does a retail store need in Union County Nj that other businesses do not?
Every permit on this page applies to businesses of all kinds in Union County Nj, NJ; none is particular to a retail store.
The other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Union County Nj, NJ; what each one involves is set out on the Union County Nj permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NJ and are covered on the NJ state page.
How does a retail store compare with other businesses in Union County Nj?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A auto repair shop needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Motor Vehicle Commission Position (New Jersey) and Auto Body Repair Facility License, which a retail store does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a retail store | Only a retail store needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Contractors and trades | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Fitness studios | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Sources
Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Union County Nj permits page and the NJ state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.
