New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act requires good cause for nearly all residential evictions. You can't just end a tenancy when the lease ends.
New Jersey's eviction process is called Summary Dispossess and is governed by N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. Cases are filed in Special Civil Part of the Superior Court — Landlord-Tenant Section, at the county level. New Jersey is one of the most tenant-protective states in the country, with the Anti-Eviction Act limiting eviction grounds significantly. Uncontested cases typically take eight to twelve weeks; contested cases significantly longer.
Summary Dispossess cases are filed in the Special Civil Part Landlord-Tenant Section in the vicinage covering the property. New Jersey law (the Anti-Eviction Act) requires landlords to specify a permitted "good cause" for nearly all evictions of residential tenants — you cannot evict simply because the lease term ended.
For non-payment of rent, New Jersey does NOT require pre-filing notice in most cases (a "Notice to Quit" is not required for non-payment under the Anti-Eviction Act). However, you should send a demand for rent before filing. The tenant has rights to redeem at multiple points in the process by paying all rent owed plus court costs.
For other Anti-Eviction Act causes (lease violations, disorderly conduct, damage, illegal activity), you must serve a Notice to Cease specifying the conduct and demanding it stop. If the conduct continues, you then serve a Notice to Quit specifying the cause and the date by which the tenant must leave. The notice periods vary by cause.
For month-to-month tenancies, you cannot evict without "good cause" under the Anti-Eviction Act — this is fundamental to understand. Even with good cause, specific notice periods apply (often 30 days, sometimes 60 days or longer depending on cause).
After applicable notice requirements are met, file a Verified Complaint for Summary Dispossess in the Special Civil Part Landlord-Tenant Section. Filing fees in New Jersey are typically $50 to $80. Service is performed by a Special Civil Part Officer.
The court schedules a hearing typically within three weeks of filing. The tenant must appear or face default. New Jersey courts mandate landlord-tenant mediation before trial in most cases.
New Jersey Special Civil Part landlord-tenant hearings are conducted on heavy dockets. Mediation typically happens first, with trial only if mediation fails. Bring your lease, your rent ledger, any notices served, proof of service, and documentation supporting the case. Tenants frequently raise habitability defenses, the warranty of habitability, and procedural challenges.
If you prevail at trial, judgment is entered for possession. There is a stay period before the warrant of removal can be issued. Tenants have appeal rights and can request orderly removal hearings to delay the actual lockout.
Bergen County, in northeast New Jersey, is New Jersey's most populous county and immediately west of Manhattan. Bergen County eviction filings go to the Bergen Vicinage Special Civil Part. The county includes a mix of dense urban areas in the east and more suburban areas in the west, with consistently high rental activity and case volumes.
Essex County, anchored by Newark, is New Jersey's third-largest county. Essex County eviction filings go to the Essex Vicinage Special Civil Part in Newark. Newark has high case volumes and additional local tenant protections under city ordinances. For detailed landlord-tenant law specific to each county — including vicinage information, Anti-Eviction Act application, and local procedures — see Bergen County landlord-tenant law and Essex County landlord-tenant law.
New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act requires "good cause" for most residential evictions — you cannot simply end a tenancy because the lease term expired. The cause must fit a specifically enumerated category in the statute. See the full New Jersey landlord-tenant law guide for Anti-Eviction Act causes, notice templates, security deposit rules, and county-specific information across all 21 New Jersey counties.
Once the warrant of removal is issued, the Special Civil Part Officer executes the warrant. New Jersey provides multiple opportunities for tenants to seek delays for hardship. Be present with a locksmith and document the unit's condition.
New Jersey law has specific procedures for handling tenant property left behind. Storage requirements and notice obligations apply. Improper disposal can create liability under both the dispossess statute and consumer protection laws.