NJ Legal Rights

Rights clock

What Is My Deadline?

Pick what happened and the date it happened. The clock counts the deadlines New Jersey and federal rules set, with real calendar dates.

    New Jersey Security Deposit Rules →

    Business days skip weekends only. If a public holiday falls in the period, the real deadline may be one day later; the date shown is the safe one.

    Counted from rules in New Jersey’s Truth in Renting guide, Division of Consumer Affairs guides and Lemon Law materials, the Board of Public Utilities’ Utility Customer Bill of Rights and federal Regulation F. Not legal advice; deadlines in your own papers take priority.

    Questions

    Rules of the Road, Answered

    The questions New Jersey renters and buyers ask most, each answered from the state's own guides.

    How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit?

    No more than one and a half months' rent, and that includes anything called prepaid or last month's rent. The deposit must be returned within 30 days after the tenancy ends. See New Jersey Security Deposit Rules: How Much a Landlord Can Take, Where It Is Kept and When It Comes Back.

    Can my landlord change the locks or put my things outside?

    No. Only a court officer can remove a tenant, and only after a judge's order. Most New Jersey landlords also need good cause to evict or to refuse to renew a lease. See How Eviction Works in New Jersey: Good Cause, Notices, Court and the Warrant for Removal.

    Is there a limit on rent increases in New Jersey?

    The state does not cap rents, but some towns do through local rent control ordinances, and rent cannot be raised in the middle of a lease term. Ask your municipal clerk. See Rent Increases in New Jersey: No State Cap, but Notice Rules, Local Rent Control and the Unconscionability Test.

    Can I cancel a contract with a home improvement contractor?

    Yes, for any reason, before midnight of the third business day after you receive a copy of the signed contract. Contracts for work over $500 must be in writing. See Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor in New Jersey: Registration, Written Contracts, the 3-Day Cancel Right and Disputes.

    Do I have three days to cancel a car purchase?

    No. The Division of Consumer Affairs calls this a common misconception: once you sign at the dealership, there is no automatic right to cancel. Most dealer sales of used cars under seven years old with fewer than 100,000 miles come with a limited warranty. See Buying a Used Car in New Jersey: The Buyers Guide, the Dealer Warranty and the Myth of the 3-Day Cancel.

    When can a debt collector call me?

    Generally not before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time. A written request to stop contact ends most further communication about that debt. See Dealing With Debt Collectors in New Jersey: Calls, Validation Notices, Disputes and What Collectors Cannot Do.

    What is the limit in small claims court?

    Small Claims hears money claims of $5,000 or less. Claims above $5,000 up to $20,000 go to the regular Special Civil Part; confirm the current limit with the clerk. See Small Claims Court in New Jersey: Limits, Filing Fees, Where to File and How to Prepare.

    Can the utility shut off my power in winter?

    Eligible households are protected from shutoffs from November 15 through March 15 under the Winter Termination Program, and every residential customer must get at least 10 days' written notice first. See Utility Shutoff Protections in New Jersey: Notice Rules, the Winter Termination Program and Help Paying.

    Pick your exit

    Twelve Exits on Three Routes

    Each guide is an exit sign: the topic in big letters, what it covers underneath and how long it takes to read.

    Renting in NJSecurity deposits, repairs and heat, how eviction works and what limits rent increases.
    EXIT 01Security depositsNew Jersey Security Deposit RulesThe limits, bank-account and notice rules that apply to most New Jersey rental deposits, what a landlord may deduct, the 30-day return deadline and what a tenant can do when the money does not come back.5 minEXIT 02Repairs and habitabilityRepairs in a New Jersey RentalWhat New Jersey landlords must keep in working order, the heat standard for larger buildings, how to give proper notice and the court-recognized remedies when vital repairs are ignored, from repair-and-deduct to rent withholding.4 minEXIT 03How eviction worksHow Eviction Works in New JerseyA step-by-step look at the New Jersey eviction process under the Anti-Eviction Act: the grounds a landlord must prove, the notices each ground requires, what happens in court, the timing of the warrant for removal and why lockouts are illegal.4 minEXIT 04Rent increasesRent Increases in New JerseyNew Jersey has no statewide rent control, yet a landlord cannot raise rent mid-lease, must end the old lease with proper notice, must follow any local ordinance and cannot impose an increase a court would find unconscionable.4 min
    Buying & ContractsThe Consumer Fraud Act, home improvement contractors, buying a used car and the Lemon Law.
    EXIT 05Consumer Fraud ActThe New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act in Plain LanguageWhat counts as an unlawful practice under New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act, everyday examples from refund policies to gift cards and car ads, the triple-damages remedy and how to file a complaint with the Division of Consumer Affairs.4 minEXIT 06Contractor disputesHiring a Home Improvement Contractor in New JerseyNew Jersey requires most home improvement contractors to register with the state, puts jobs over $500 in writing, lets homeowners cancel within three business days and bars demanding final payment before the work is done. Here is how to use those rules before and after something goes wrong.4 minEXIT 07Buying a used carBuying a Used Car in New JerseyWhat New Jersey and federal rules require of used car dealers: the window Buyers Guide, the mandatory dealer warranty under the Used Car Lemon Law, the disclosures a dealer cannot skip, why there is no automatic three-day cancellation and a pre-purchase checklist.4 minEXIT 08Lemon lawNew Jersey Lemon Law BasicsHow the New Jersey New Car and Used Car Lemon Laws work: coverage periods, the repair attempts that trigger a claim, the certified last-chance letter, the hearing before an administrative law judge, what a refund includes and the mileage deduction.5 min
    Money, Courts & HelpDebt collectors, small claims court, utility shutoff protections and where to find free legal help.
    EXIT 09Debt collectorsDealing With Debt Collectors in New JerseyThe federal debt collection rules that protect New Jersey residents: call hours and limits, the validation notice and 30-day dispute window, how to stop contact in writing, threats and tactics that are prohibited, and where to complain.4 minEXIT 10Small claims courtSmall Claims Court in New JerseyHow the Small Claims section of New Jersey's Special Civil Part works: the $5,000 limit, which cases it hears, filing costs, choosing the right county, filling out the complaint and summons, and what to bring to the hearing.4 minEXIT 11Free legal helpFree Legal Help in New JerseyWhere New Jersey residents can get legal help without paying: the statewide legal services network and its regional programs, state agencies that take complaints for free, no-cost dispute processes like the Lemon Law hearings, and how to prepare before you call.4 minEXIT 12Utility shutoffsUtility Shutoff Protections in New JerseyThe Board of Public Utilities rules that limit when New Jersey utilities can disconnect a home, the November 15 to March 15 Winter Termination Program and who qualifies, protections for tenants when a landlord does not pay, and the assistance programs that help with overdue bills.4 min

    Before you drive on

    Five Rules of the Road

    What the twelve guides have in common, in five plain rules.

    Write it down

    Almost every protection in New Jersey works better on paper. A home improvement contract over $500 must be in writing, and the three-day cancellation should be sent in writing too. A tenant's deposit comes back with an itemized list of deductions. A dispute with a debt collector is strongest when it is written and sent within the validation period. Keep copies of leases, contracts, notices, receipts and photos, and note the date you received each one: the date is often what decides the case.

    Watch the clock

    Deadlines run in both directions. A landlord has 30 days after the tenancy ends to return the deposit, and a tenant who wins a wrongful-withholding case may be awarded double the amount withheld. A homeowner has until midnight of the third business day to cancel a contractor's contract. A Lemon Law notice must reach the manufacturer within two years of delivery and before 24,000 miles. Utilities must give at least 10 days' written notice before a shutoff. After an eviction judgment, the warrant for removal cannot issue until three business days have passed. Missing a court date can mean losing by default. The Rights clock on this page turns these rules into dates.

    Know who decides

    Different problems go to different places. Eviction is decided only by a judge, and only a court officer can remove a tenant. Money claims of $5,000 or less go to Small Claims; larger ones up to $20,000 go to the Special Civil Part. Consumer fraud complaints go to the Division of Consumer Affairs or a county or municipal consumer affairs office, and Lemon Law claims to the Lemon Law Unit. Utility billing and shutoff complaints go to the Board of Public Utilities Division of Customer Assistance at 1-800-624-0241.

    Use the free routes first

    Many state processes cost nothing or very little. Used car Lemon Law claims are free to file, and new car claims carry a $50 fee refunded if you win. The 2022 consumer brief lists a $35 fee to file a small claims case against one defendant. The state's Truth in Renting guide lists a legal services program for every county, and the Board of Public Utilities lists assistance programs for overdue bills. Most utility protections start only when you contact the utility.

    Get help early

    A short call before a deadline is worth more than a long one after it. If you have an eviction hearing or a lawsuit deadline, say so in the first sentence when you call a legal services office. Bring documents and a short timeline to any first appointment. These guides explain the rules; they are not legal advice, and a lawyer or legal services office can tell you how the rules apply to you. Start with Free Legal Help in New Jersey: Legal Aid, State Agencies and Free Dispute Programs.