New Jersey § 42:2c-9

§ 42:2c-9.

Use of Name Other Than Actual Limited Liability Company Name. a. A domestic limited liability company or foreign limited liability company which

conducts activities in this State shall not conduct any of those activities using

an alternate name, including an abbreviation of its name or an acronym, unless: (1) it also uses its actual name in the transaction of any of its activities in a

manner that is not deceptive as to its actual identity; or (2) it has first registered the alternate name as provided in subsection b. of this

section. b. Any limited liability company may adopt and use any alternate name, including a

name which would be unavailable as the name of a domestic or foreign limited liability

company because of the prohibitions of subsection a. or b. of section 8 of this act, 1 but not including any name not permitted as a limited liability company name by subsection

c. of section 8 of this act, by filing an original and a copy of a certificate of

registration of alternate name with the filing office executed on behalf of the limited

liability company. The certificate shall set forth: (1) The name, jurisdiction and date of formation of the limited liability company; (2) The alternate name; (3) A brief statement of the character or nature of the particular activities to be

conducted using the alternate name; (4) That the limited liability company intends to use the alternate name in this State; (5) That the limited liability company has not previously used the alternate name

in this State in violation of this section or, if it has, the month and year in which

it commenced the use. c. The registration shall be effective for five years from the date of filing and

may be renewed successively for additional five-year periods by filing an original

and a copy of the certificate of renewal executed on behalf of the limited liability

company any time within 90 days prior to, but not later than, the date of expiration

of the registration. The certificate of renewal shall set forth the information required in paragraphs

(1) through (4) of subsection b. of this section, the date of the certificate of registration

then in effect and that the limited liability company is continuing to use the alternate

name. d. This section shall not: (1) Grant to the registrant of an alternate name any right in the name as against

any prior or subsequent use of the name, regardless of whether used as a trademark,

trade name, business name or corporate name; or (2) Interfere with the power of any court to enjoin the use of the name on the basis

of the law of unfair competition or on any other basis except the identity or similarity

of the alternate name to any corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company

name. e. A limited liability company which has used an alternate name in this State contrary

to the provisions of this section shall, upon filing a certificate of registration

of alternate name or an untimely certificate of renewal, pay to the filing office

the filing fee prescribed for the certificate plus an additional filing fee equal

to the full amount of the regular filing fee multiplied by the number of years it

has been using the alternate name in violation of this section. For the purpose of this subsection, any part of a year shall be considered a full

year. f. The failure of a limited liability company to file a certificate of registration

or renewal of alternate name shall not impair the validity of any contract or act

of the limited liability company and shall not prevent the limited liability company

from defending any action or proceedings in any court of this State, but the limited

liability company shall not maintain any action or proceeding in any court of this

State arising out of a contract or act in which it used the alternate name until it

has filed the applicable certificate. g. (1) A limited liability company which files a certificate of registration of alternate

name which contains a false statement or omission regarding the date it first used

an alternate name in this State shall, if the false statement or omission reduces

the amount of the additional fee it paid or should have paid as provided in subsection

e. of this section, forfeit to the State a penalty of not less than $200 nor more

than $500. (2) A limited liability company which should have filed a certificate of registration

or renewal of alternate name and fails to do so within 60 days after being notified

of its obligation to do so by the filing office, by any other governmental officer,

or by any person aggrieved by its failure to do so, shall forfeit to the State a penalty

of not less than $200 nor more than $500. (3) A penalty imposed under this section shall be recovered with costs in an action

brought by the Attorney General. The court may proceed on the action in a summary manner. 1

L.2012, c. 50 (N.J.S.A. § 42:2C-8).