How to Search New Jersey Public Records

New Jersey's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 21 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Supreme Court of New Jersey sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court (15 vicinages), Tax Court, Municipal Court. Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
9,484,844
Households
3,431,600
Median Income
$99,781
Median Home Value
$401,400

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2024 Population Estimates Program; 2022 ACS 5-year)

Court Records Databases

10 official New Jersey court records sources.

Court Records

Criminal Court Records | State Judiciary
Official Free
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Municipal Court | Traffic & Parking Tickets
Official Free
New Jersey Municipal Courts Direct traffic ticket search.
Superior Court | Civil Case Records
Official Free
New Jersey Courts public access to civil case records.
Superior Court | Civil Discovery End Dates
Official Free
Civil Law Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey database of end dates for Civil Discovery.
Superior Court | Civil Mediators
Official Free
Superior Court of New Jersey database of civil mediators.
Superior Court | Civil Motion Calendars
Official Free
Superior Court of New Jersey searchable database of Civil Part, Special Civil Part and Chancery-General Equity Motion Calendars.
Superior Court | Judgments
Official Free
New Jersey Courts judgment search.
Superior Court | Criminal Convictions
Official Free
Asbury Park Press database of New Jersey Superior Court criminal conviction records.
Federal Court | PACER Bankruptcy Records
Official Paid
U.S. District Court of New Jersey Federal bankruptcy records, including dockets and documents. Requires a PACER account. Note: PACER charges $0.10/page; the first $30 per quarter is free.
Federal Court | PACER Civil & Criminal Records
Official Paid
U.S. District Court of New Jersey Federal civil & criminal court records, dockets and documents. PACER account required. Note: PACER charges $0.10/page; the first $30 per quarter is free.

New Jersey Counties

All 21 New Jersey counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

New Jersey's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. Countie-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

New Jersey's court system is headed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court (15 vicinages), Tax Court, Municipal Court. Many New Jersey courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The New Jersey Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

New Jersey vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The New Jersey sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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