Records retrieval · New Jersey
Getting a New Jersey record: who holds it and who can get it
New Jersey records come from four different places, each with its own rules: the courts, the county clerks' land records, public agencies under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), and the vital records offices. We pull court and land records for from $95 plus the office's fees at cost, file OPRA requests, and help eligible people get certified vital records.
| Record | Who holds it | Who can get it |
|---|---|---|
| Court case files and judgments | The court (Superior Court divisions, by county) | Requested from the court under its own records process, not under OPRA; some case types are confidential |
| Deeds, mortgages and other recorded documents | The county clerk | Anyone; copies by statute up to $2 a page and $5 for a clerk's certificate (N.J.S.A. 22A:2-29) |
| Municipal, county and state agency records | Each agency's records custodian | Anyone, under OPRA, unless an exemption applies |
| Birth, death, marriage and civil union records | State or local vital records office | Certified copies only for eligible people (below) |
OPRA in brief
The Government Records Council's Citizen's Guide (fifth edition, October 2024, reflecting the amendments in P.L. 2024, c.16, effective September 3, 2024) says anyone may request government records in writing from the agency that holds them, using the agency's form or a letter or email with the same information. Custodians respond within seven business days for available records; commercial-purpose requests get 14 business days and must say so. Paper copies are $0.05 a letter-size page and $0.07 a legal-size page, and emailed records are generally free. The Judiciary is not subject to OPRA. A denial can be taken to the Superior Court or to the Government Records Council, but not both.
When we file an OPRA request for you, we tell the custodian truthfully whether it is for a commercial purpose, as the law requires.
Certified vital records
The Department of Health's form REG-27a lets these people get a certified copy: the subject of the record; a parent, legal guardian or legal representative; a spouse, civil union or domestic partner, child, grandchild or sibling of legal age; a state or federal agency for official purposes; or someone with a court order. The form lists $25 for the search and record and $2 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. A plain "certification" without a seal is not valid for identity or legal purposes. We can only help an eligible person get theirs.
Need a record for use abroad? See apostille or legalization.
If you represent yourself, you are responsible for your documents: what they say, that they are complete and signed, which court they go to and that they are filed on time. We are not lawyers, we do not give legal advice or draft pleadings, and we cannot guarantee any legal outcome. We file, serve or pull exactly what you send.
Sources
Before you send
- Give the names, property address, book and page, or docket number so the record can be found.
- Agency copy and certification fees are billed at cost after the pull.
- Vital records can only go to people the state allows to request them.
Prefer to talk?
Call the desk and we'll take the request by phone.
Questions
Can you get a birth certificate for anyone?
No. A certified New Jersey vital record goes only to an eligible person, such as the subject, a parent or a spouse, or someone with a court order. We help eligible people get theirs.
Is a court file an OPRA request?
No. The Judiciary isn't subject to OPRA. Court records are requested from the court, and we can pull copies from a case file for you.
How long does an OPRA request take?
Custodians generally respond within seven business days for records that are available, and 14 business days for commercial-purpose requests. Records in storage can take longer.