RetireReady NJ: does your business have to register, and by when?

If your New Jersey business has 10 or more employees, has been in business in the state for at least two years, and offers no qualified retirement plan, the state requires you to register with RetireReady NJ.

The next deadline is December 1, 2026, for employers with 20 to 24 employees. The last listed is February 17, 2027, for employers with 10 to 19 employees.

Deadlines go by size, larger employers first. If you already offer a 401(k) or another qualified plan, you certify an exemption instead.

Deadline coming upRetireReady NJ (also called New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program, NJ Secure Choice)

Who has to do this?

Under the New Jersey Secure Choice Savings Program Act (P.L.2019, c.56, as amended by P.L.2025, c.379)5, a New Jersey employer is covered when all of these are true:

  • You had at least 10 employees in New Jersey at all times during the previous calendar year. 5
  • You have been in business for at least two years. 1
  • You have not offered a qualified retirement plan in the previous two years. 5

What a covered employer does: Register with RetireReady NJ and send payroll deductions for employees who don't opt out, or certify an exemption. 1

When?

The next deadline is December 1, 2026, for employers with 20 to 24 employees.

RetireReady NJ deadlines
WhoDeadlineWhat is due
Employers with 40 or more employeesSeptember 15, 2024PassedRegister or certify an exemption 2
Employers with 25 to 39 employeesNovember 15, 2024PassedRegister or certify an exemption 2
Employers with 20 to 24 employeesDecember 1, 2026Register or certify an exemption 1
Employers with 10 to 19 employeesFebruary 17, 2027Register or certify an exemption 1

What is RetireReady NJ?

  • Employees save into a Roth IRA by default, and can choose a traditional IRA instead. 1
  • The default savings rate is 3% of gross pay, rising 1% each January up to 10% unless the employee changes it. Employees have 30 days to opt out. 4
  • Employers do not match contributions; the program does not permit it. 1

What if we already have a 401(k)?

  • Employers that provide a qualified retirement plan to their employees should certify their exemption from the program. 2
  • Certify online with your business's EIN and the Access Code from your registration notice. 2

Your two options

Either one meets the requirement. The state program column is as the state describes it; which suits you depends on your business and your people.

Join RetireReady NJOffer your own plan
What you doRegister with RetireReady NJ and send payroll deductions for employees who don't opt out, or certify an exemption. 1Certify an exemption online with your EIN and the Access Code from your notice. 2
Where the money goesA Roth IRA for each employee, by default 1Accounts in the plan you choose, such as a 401(k)
Employer contributionsNot permitted 1Up to you, within the plan's design
Fee to the employerNo fee to the employer, according to the program. 1Set by the provider you choose

What does it cost?

The state program: No fee to the employer, according to the program. 1

Your own plan: the provider sets the fees, and federal tax credits can cover part of the cost of starting one. See 401(k) tax credits for small businesses and our pricing.

What happens if we don't?

  • An employer that fails without reasonable cause to enroll employees on time gets a written warning for the first year, a $100 fine for the second, $250 for each employee not enrolled in the third and fourth years, and $500 for each employee not enrolled from the fifth year. These are maximums. 5
  • The program's board says penalties may apply to employers not registered nine months after their deadline: September 1, 2027 for 20 to 24 employees and November 17, 2027 for 10 to 19. 3

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the state program or your counsel.

Sources & Methodology
  1. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, RetireReady NJ, Information for employers, page dated September 28, 2026. Read October 13, 2026.
  2. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, RetireReady NJ, Program details for employers, page dated September 4, 2026. Read October 13, 2026.
  3. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, RetireReady NJ, Board information, page dated October 1, 2026. Read October 13, 2026.
  4. New Jersey Department of the Treasury, RetireReady NJ, Contributions for savers, page dated May 15, 2026. Read October 13, 2026.
  5. New Jersey Legislature, P.L.2025, c.379, page dated approved January 20, 2026. Read October 13, 2026.

Each statement is paraphrased or quoted from the source it cites. A link to a state agency does not mean the agency endorses alooola. Last verified October 13, 2026.

Get help with RetireReady NJ in three steps

  1. Tell us about your business: your state, how many people work for you, and any plan you have now.
  2. An advisor talks it through with you and sends a written proposal with the fees, so you can weigh it against the state program.
  3. If you choose your own plan, we coordinate the setup with you and your payroll provider. You then certify your exemption with the state.
Request a proposal

Prefer to talk? Call (484) 275-5525, Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm ET.