Most businesses we represent receive an offer within 90 days and close within three to six months. In Bergen County, municipal approvals and the state's bulk sale notification period are the two steps most likely to extend that, which is why we start both early.

Yes. Liquor licenses in New Jersey are issued at the municipal level, so a transfer needs approval from the local governing body as well as the state's Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. Because the number of licenses each municipality can issue is tied to population, these licenses often carry significant standalone value. Requirements vary by transaction, so confirm specifics with the municipality or your attorney.

For most asset sales, yes. New Jersey's bulk sale rules require the buyer to notify the Division of Taxation using Form C-9600, along with a copy of the signed contract, at least ten business days before closing. The Division then advises how much of the purchase price the buyer must hold in escrow against any outstanding state taxes.

It's released once the Division issues a tax clearance letter confirming your state tax obligations are settled. This is why we raise it at the valuation stage rather than at closing. Owners who expect the full purchase price on the day of closing are often surprised, and the cleaner your filings are going in, the faster that escrow clears.

It's part of the operating picture, not a defect. Bergen County retains New Jersey's Sunday Closing Law, which restricts Sunday sales of categories including clothing, furniture, appliances, and building materials, and some municipalities apply stricter local rules. Buyers active in the county understand the six-day pattern. What matters is presenting a full trading year so the figures read as consistent rather than incomplete. The law is currently the subject of litigation, so confirm the position that applies to your business with New Jersey counsel.