New Jersey’s Tax Filing System Modernization: What Business Owners Need to Know About the New NJ Tax Portal

Updated on May 6, 2025 by David Korpel

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The New Jersey Division of Taxation is implementing significant changes to its tax filing system in 2025. If you’re a business owner in New Jersey who files sales tax returns, you’ll soon need to adapt to a new online portal. This blog post provides essential information about this transition to help you navigate the upcoming changes without disruption to your business operations.

Current Tax Filing System Being Replaced

Currently, New Jersey businesses file their sales tax returns through several methods:

1. The Division of Taxation’s online filing and payment system, where businesses log in using their New Jersey tax identification number and Personal Identification Number (PIN) or business name to file and pay taxes.
2. Premier Business Services (PBS), a comprehensive account service that allows businesses to access multiple business services, including filing tax returns and making payments.
3. A telephone-based sales tax filing system, which will be permanently discontinued as of April 26, 2025.

These existing systems have served New Jersey businesses for years, but the Division of Taxation is now modernizing its tax filing infrastructure to provide a more streamlined experience.

Introducing the New NJ Tax Portal

The state is launching a new platform called the “NJ Tax Portal” as part of a multi-phased modernization approach. This new portal aims to streamline monthly and quarterly tax submissions, particularly for sales taxes and various other business taxes.

When Can You Start Using the New Portal?

The timeline for this transition is as follows:

• April 26, 2025: The current online filing and payment systems will become temporarily unavailable for filing new returns or making payments. During this downtime, you’ll still be able to access your prior filings and payments for informational purposes only.
• May 14, 2025: The new NJ Tax Portal will officially launch and become operational. On this date, business owners and tax preparers can begin setting up their accounts on the new platform.

Extended Deadlines During the Transition

To accommodate businesses during this system transition, the Division of Taxation has announced an important extension:

All returns and payments for taxes covered in Phase 1 (which includes Sales and Use Tax) that are due between May 1 and May 30, 2025, will automatically receive a 30-day extension. This means:

• No penalties or interest will be applied during this extension period for any Phase 1 taxes.
• For example, if your sales tax return is normally due on May 20, 2025, you’ll have until June 20, 2025, to file and pay without incurring any penalty or interest.

This extension provides businesses with extra time to adapt to the new system without financial consequences.

How to Set Up Your NJ Tax Portal Account

Beginning May 14, 2025, you can create your account on the new NJ Tax Portal. While the portal accounts are not mandatory for filing, they offer significant benefits, including the ability to view your account history and store information for future filings.

To set up your portal access, you will need specific information about your business. While the complete requirements haven’t been published yet, they will likely be similar to the current PBS setup requirements, which include:

• Your Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) plus state suffix
• Your business name
• Either a PIN provided by the State of New Jersey OR
• Your business type, the year you began business operations in NJ, and the ZIP code where you receive tax notices and forms

User guides, FAQs, and instructional videos will be available starting May 14, 2025, to help you through the setup process.

Which Taxes Are Affected by Phase 1?

The modernization project is being implemented in phases. Phase 1 encompasses 20 different taxes, including:

• Sales and Use Tax
• Cannabis Retail Sales
• Hotel/Motel Occupancy Fee
• Litter Control Fee
• Motor Vehicle Tire Fee
• Urban Enterprise Zone
• Atlantic City Luxury
• Several other specialized taxes

Additional taxes will be added to the Portal in subsequent phases over the coming months.

Preparing for the Transition

As a business owner, here are some steps you can take to prepare for this transition:

1. Plan ahead for the system downtime: Between April 26 and May 14, 2025, you won’t be able to file returns or make payments online for Phase 1 taxes.
2. Take advantage of the extension: If your tax filings are due in May 2025, you have an automatic 30-day extension to file and pay without penalties.
3. Gather your business information: When the new portal launches on May 14, collect the information you’ll need to set up your account.
4. Stay informed: Visit the NJ Division of Taxation website (www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/taxportal/index.shtml) for the most up-to-date information about the transition.

Conclusion

The new NJ Tax Portal represents a significant modernization of New Jersey’s tax filing system that will ultimately streamline the process for business owners. While transitions like these can initially seem challenging, proper preparation and understanding of the timeline will help ensure a smooth adaptation to the new system.

Mark your calendar for these important dates and be ready to set up your NJ Tax Portal account when it launches on May 14, 2025. The automatic 30-day extension for May filings provides a helpful buffer as everyone adjusts to the new platform.

About The Author

David Korpel

After graduating from college, David jumped right into public accounting, where he first met Mike. This experience established a well-rounded technical foundation. He gained a wealth of experience traveling the country performing audits, reviews, compilations, and tax engagements before joining up with Mike again as ENGAGE’s first employee.

As Chief Operating Officer, Dave is in charge of keeping our client relationships as fun, informative, educational, and productive as possible. He aims to be supportive, informative, proactive, and trustworthy. Whether wearing his bookkeeping, tax, forensic accounting, or social media hat, his focus consistently remains on adding value for our clients. He is inspired by the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit of clients. His passion for helping small business owners make sense of their numbers and remove any stress and anxiety related to their financials and taxes is second only to the love for his family.

Dave’s wife, Laura, son Lincoln, and daughter Luna are his motivation every day to grow, learn, and love what he does. They live in Skippack, PA and can often be found hiking on another new trail in the area or walking into town for a bite to eat. And boy, are they a hungry bunch!