New Jersey / Morris County
Morris County security deposit:
find your court and prepare your claim.
Landlord kept your deposit or charged for damage? Start a free analysis of your charges and possible remedies. Filing yourself? Find the Morristown court, official NJ forms and an optional preparation worksheet below.
Analysis free · case documents $29, one time · mailing optional
Your Morris County court desk
Official court directory ↗- Deposit claims / Special Civil Part
- Morris County Courthouse (Special Civil Part)
56 Washington Street (Washington and Court Streets)
Morristown, NJ 07960 - Call before visiting
- 862-397-5700 ext. 75365
Mon - Fri: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Small Claims / up to $5,000
- $35 filing + $10 mail service for one defendant.
CN 10151: official kit ↗ - Special Civil / $5,000.01 to $20,000
- $75 filing + $10 mail service for one defendant.
CN 10541: official kit ↗
Can I file in this county? For a security-deposit return claim, NJ Courts permits filing where the landlord lives or where the rental property is located. Your new home address alone does not establish venue. Court guide ↗
Compare the claim including applicable penalties, excluding court costs. Additional defendants or service attempts can add fees. Fee details and waivers. Court contacts checked September 4, 2026; confirm before travelling.
Vicinage 10 (Morris/Sussex) shares administration with Sussex. Use the Morris County office when filing a case in this county.
More court contacts, rooms and procedural help
The Morristown office in practice
- Special Civil Part / Small Claims line - the courthouse number above
- 862-397-5700 ext. 75365
- Landlord-tenant line
- 862-397-5700 ext. 75375
- Mediation and arbitration
- 862-397-5700 ext. 75355
Court forms and procedure: Court User Resource Center - Morris County Administration and Records Building, 10 Court Street, Room AR105, Morristown, NJ 07963, Sussex County Judicial Center, 862-397-5700 ext. 75160, [email protected]. Confirm the meeting location when booking. Procedural guidance, not legal advice.
Find the right office for your rental address
Use the municipality where the property sits. The clerk, rental registry and rent board can hold different records. They do not replace a court filing for your deposit.
Morristown has rent-leveling and housing-records offices.
Both are listed at 200 South Street but on different floors. Match the request to the record type. For Parsippany-Troy Hills, the Housing Division is separate from those Morristown offices and from the county courthouse.
Which registration should I request?
For covered one- and two-unit dwellings, the landlord identity form is filed with the municipal clerk; the two-unit owner-occupied exception matters. Larger buildings use DCA registration. Local rental licensing may add another record. A registration is a lead: verify the correct defendant and a permitted service address before filing.
DCA registration form and coverage instructions ↗All 39 municipal clerks in Morris County
| Municipality | Clerk's office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Boonton Town | 100 Washington Street, Boonton, NJ 07005 | 973-402-9410 x624 |
| Boonton Township | 155 Powerville Road, Boonton Twp., NJ 07005 | 973-402-4002 |
| Butler Borough | One Ace Road, Butler, NJ 07405 | 973-838-7200 x226 |
| Chatham Borough | 54 Fairmount Avenue, Chatham, NJ 07928 | 973-635-0674 x203 |
| Chatham Township | 58 Meyersville Road, Chatham, NJ 07928 | 973-635-3209 |
| Chester Borough | 50 North Road, Chester, NJ 07930 | 908-879-3660 x2129 |
| Chester Township | 1 Parker Road, Chester, NJ 07930 | 908-879-5100 x810 or 828 |
| Denville Township | 1 St. Mary’s Place, Denville, NJ 07834 | 973-625-8300 x232 |
| Dover Town | 37 N. Sussex Street, Dover, NJ 07801 | 973-366-2200 x1128 |
| East Hanover Township | 411 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, NJ 07936 | 973-888-6008 |
| Florham Park Borough | 111 Ridgedale Avenue, Florham Park, NJ 07932 | 973-410-5304 |
| Hanover Township | 1000 Route 10, P.O. Box 250, Whippany, NJ 07981 | 973-428-2466 |
| Harding Township | 21 Blue Mill Road, P.O. Box 666, New Vernon, NJ 07976 | 973-267-8000 x711 |
| Jefferson Township | 1033 Weldon Road, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 | 973-208-6132 |
| Kinnelon Borough | 130 Kinnelon Road, Kinnelon, NJ 07405 | 973-838-5401 x201 |
| Lincoln Park Borough | 34 Chapel Hill Road, Lincoln Park, NJ 07035 | 973-270-2050 |
| Long Hill Township | 915 Valley Road, Gillette, NJ 07933 | 908-647-8000 x215 |
| Madison Borough | Hartley Dodge Memorial Bldg., 50 Kings Rd., Madison, NJ 07940 | 973-593-3041 |
| Mendham Borough | 2 West Main Street, Mendham, NJ 07945 | 973-543-7152 x15 |
| Mendham Township | PO Box 520, Brookside, NJ 07926 | 973-543-4555 x211 |
| Mine Hill Township | 10 Baker Street, Mine Hill, NJ 07803 | 862-437-1190 |
| Montville Township | 195 Changebridge Road, Montville, NJ 07045 | 973-331-3304 |
| Morris Plains Borough | 531 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, NJ 07950 | 973-538-2224 |
| Morris Township | 50 Woodland Avenue, PO Box 7603, Convent Station, NJ 07961-7603 | 973-326-7430 |
| Morristown Town | 200 South Street, PO Box 914, Morristown, NJ 07963-0914 | 973-292-6636 |
| Mount Arlington Borough | 419 Howard Boulevard, Mt. Arlington, NJ 07856 | 973-398-6832 x112 |
| Mount Olive Township | 204 Flanders-Drakestown Road, PO Box 450, Budd Lake, NJ 07828 | 973-691-0900 x7291 |
| Mountain Lakes Borough | 400 Boulevard, Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 | 973-334-3131 x2006 |
| Netcong Borough | 23 Maple Avenue, Netcong, NJ 07857 | 973-347-0252 x105 |
| Parsippany-Troy Hills Township | 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, Parsippany, NJ 07054 | 973-263-4357 |
| Pequannock Township | 530 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 | 973-835-5700 x121 |
| Randolph Township | 502 Millbrook Avenue, Randolph, NJ 07869 | 973-989-7041 |
| Riverdale Borough | 91 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale, NJ 07457 | 973-835-4060 x1 |
| Rockaway Borough | 1 East Main Street, Rockaway, NJ 07866 | 973-627-2000 |
| Rockaway Township | 65 Mount Hope Road, Rockaway, NJ 07866 | 973-983-2834 |
| Roxbury Township | 1715 Route 46, Ledgewood, NJ 07852 | 973-448-2001 |
| Victory Gardens Borough | 337 South Salem Street, Dover, NJ 07801 | 973-366-5312 |
| Washington Township | 43 Schooley’s Mountain Road, Long Valley, NJ 07853 | 908-876-3315 |
| Wharton Borough | 10 Robert Street, Wharton, NJ 07885 | 973-361-8444 x2713 |
Directory checked September 4, 2026. Confirm office hours and record access before visiting.
Preparing to file yourself?
Use this optional worksheet to calculate your disputed amount, find the matching NJ court forms, and save a timeline and checklist. You can start the free analysis above without filling it out.
How much of your deposit are you disputing?
Subtract refunds and deductions you accept to see your disputed balance.
Enter 0 if nothing was returned. Accepted deductions are optional.
What counts as a deduction I accept?
Only include charges you agree the landlord may keep. Leave this blank if you are unsure; you can review individual charges in the analysis.
Accepting deductions reduces the refund you dispute. It does not waive separate statutory remedies or confirm that the landlord provided a complete statement.
Your disputed amount will appear here after you enter your deposit and refund.
Forms, timeline & checklist
Find the court forms for your entered amount, add costs and a timeline, and download or print your worksheet. These steps are optional before the free analysis.
Additional damages and court costs (optional)
Additional damages are an extra amount, not a total multiplier that already includes the refund. Use the New Jersey remedy rules to avoid counting the deposit twice. Court fees are listed separately; check which amounts your court includes in its limit.
Enter the deposit and amount returned, using non-negative dollar amounts with at most two decimal places.
See a sample calculation
Example only: $1,200 paid, $300 returned, and $100 in deductions accepted leaves $800 disputed. With no additional damages requested, the claim is $800. Example $35 filing and $10 service costs are recorded separately. These are illustrative amounts, not a fee quote. Check the current New Jersey court fee schedule.
Build your timeline (optional)
Record what happened, when, and the exhibit that supports it. Leave events that have not happened blank.
Before you submit: preparation checklist
Download or save your worksheet before leaving this page. Continuing copies these notes into your case. Use the official court forms to file.
New Jersey: security deposit court preparation
Working figures and preparation notes. File using the official court forms.
| Security deposit court preparation worksheet | New Jersey | |
| Working figures only. Use official court forms to file. | ||
| Deposit paid | ||
| Returned | ||
| Deductions accepted | ||
| Additional damages requested | ||
| Legal basis and conditions | ||
| Filing costs | ||
| Service costs | ||
| Applicable court limit | $5,000 | |
| Selected court limit | 5000 | |
| Event | Date | Evidence / notes |
| Deposit paid | ||
| Move-in condition recorded | ||
| Moved out / keys returned | ||
| Refund or deductions received | ||
| Demand or required notice delivered | ||
| Claim served | ||
| Hearing | ||
| Preparation checklist | Status | |
| Confirm the correct court, venue, and claim limit. | To do | |
| Check the filing deadline and any required demand, notice, or cure period. | To do | |
| Confirm each defendant’s legal name and an address where service is permitted. | To do | |
| Explain every disputed deduction and any additional damages separately. | To do | |
| Gather the lease, payment records, deductions, photos, correspondence, and proof of notice. | To do | |
| Use the current court forms; check filing costs and fee-waiver options. | To do | |
| Arrange proper service and file proof by the required deadline. | To do | |
| Check hearing, evidence-exchange, remote attendance, and mediation instructions. | To do |
Check the ordinary NJ return deadline
Estimate timing from your move-out date, then check the tenancy-end date and exceptions in the NJ rules. This check does not add damages or change your form selection.
One state law, local offices
Morris County uses New Jersey’s Rent Security Deposit Act. Municipal rent-control rules address separate questions.
- 30 days
- The ordinary return and itemization period after tenancy termination.
- 2x moneys due
- Recovery when the court finds for the tenant under N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1.
- 1.5 months
- The deposit cap for tenancies covered by the Act.
Start with what remains due after refunds and lawful deductions. An expired deadline alone does not establish that the entire deposit must be doubled. Owner-occupied properties with no more than two rental units have a coverage exception, with a tenant notice route to invoke the Act; seasonal rentals and displacement can change the applicable rules.
Inside a sample case
Your charges. A clear argument. A prepared demand.
- Free analysis
- Check your disputed charges and the deposit rules that apply to your case.
- Case documents
$29, one time - Your demand letter, charge-by-charge analysis, damages summary, and evidence checklist in one case PDF.
- Your filing steps
- You review the documents, attach your actual evidence, and file using your court's official forms. Court fees and optional mailing are separate.
See the actual PDF pages
Open PDF to zoom ↗Sample New Jersey case. Letter and exhibit pages extracted from a generated case PDF. Filing instructions are in this guide.
Turn disputed charges into a clear argument, a damages summary, and an exhibit checklist.
Analysis free · case documents $29, one time · mailing optional
See this sample's charges and calculation
Generated sample · New Jersey case
2026-09-0801 / The disputed charge
Repainting ordinary wall scuffs$900
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible
Supporting evidence: move-in photos and move-out photos.
N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 ↗02 / The calculation
- Deposit paid
- $2,000
- Already returned
- $900
- Accepted deductions
- $200
- Demanded back
- $900
No additional damages in this example. Your facts and New Jersey law determine your analysis.
03 / From the generated demand letter
I demand payment of $900.00, the amount improperly withheld from my deposit.
A landlord may still pursue an unpaid accepted charge in a separate claim or counterclaim, so net recovery can be lower. Money already paid or retained toward that charge must be credited. The $200 rent balance retained in this sample is already excluded from the demand.
File through the Morris County Special Civil office
First confirm venue and your requested amount. The same NJ Courts kits apply across counties.
- 1. Put your demand in writing. List the disputed charges, subtract refunds and deductions you accept, and explain any additional damages separately. Send the landlord your demand and keep proof of delivery. See a prepared example.
- 2. Complete the official complaint. Use your calculation to choose the kit below. Confirm the defendant’s legal name and service address, and follow the kit’s signing and copy instructions. Above $20,000, review the Civil Part procedure.
- 3. File and check delivery. Follow the kit through JEDS, or confirm mail and in-person intake at 56 Washington Street (Washington and Court Streets), Morristown, NJ 07960. The court arranges initial mail service. Check its status and contact the office if service fails.
- 4. Prepare for the hearing. Gather the lease, payment records, deductions, photos, messages and proof of your demand. Match each disputed amount to its evidence, and follow your hearing notice for submission deadlines and attendance.
Filing fees, waivers and the court’s full instructions
Small Claims: $35, plus $5 for each additional defendant and $10 mail service per defendant. Special Civil: $50 for a claim up to $5,000 or $75 above $5,000; $5 per additional defendant and $10 mail service per defendant. Ask about a fee waiver if you cannot afford filing. Check the current kits for payment and service details.
More Morris County records
All 3 researched rental-registration programs in Morris County
An inventory of the programs researched for this guide, not a complete list of all registration duties. For an unlisted town, start with its clerk.
Morristown: Rent Control Registration (annual and on every tenancy change, units built before 1981) ↗
Rent Leveling Department (Division of Rent Leveling), 200 South Street, 3rd Floor, Senior Center, Morristown NJ 07960
Every owner of a rent-controlled unit registers annually and at each tenancy change ($30 per unit), filing a Residential Tenancy Change Application and Fire Safety Certification; owner identity fields not itemized. Call (973) 292-6709 with questions about a rent-controlled unit; Tenant Complaint Form available; no records-lookup procedure described.
(973) 292-6709 (also 973-796-1942 to schedule a meeting with the Rent Leveling Officer)Morristown: Certificate of Habitability via Residential Tenancy Change Application (before each new tenancy) ↗
Division of Housing and Property Maintenance (Code Enforcement), 200 South Street, 2nd Floor, Morristown NJ 07960
Landlord's Residential Tenancy Change & Fire Safety Certification application for every unit before a new tenancy; a Certificate of Habitability must issue before occupancy.
(973) 292-6700 ([email protected])Parsippany-Troy Hills: Housing Certificate on change of occupancy (Chapter 214 Housing Certificates) ↗
Housing Division, 46 Gibraltar Dr., Morris Plains NJ 07950
No residential rental building or unit may be delivered for a change of occupancy until the housing inspector issues a housing certificate; the Division inspects all single-family rentals and apartments. Owner fields not shown.
(973) 263-4280 ([email protected])
Rent-control directory: 2 listed municipalities in Morris County
From the DCA rent-control survey. Coverage and exceptions differ by municipality; confirm the current ordinance with the listed office. These contacts address rent regulation, not a court award of your deposit.
| Municipality | Survey coverage / limit | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Morristown | 1+ Otherwise, lesser of CPI and RPI percentage differences between August of year prior to the expiration date of the lease or termination of tenancy and the prior August. RPI defined as "Residential Rents of the Housing Component of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers of New York - Northeastern New Jersey," and CPI defined as "Consumer Price Index for all urban Consumers of New York - Northern New Jersey - Long Island - New York - New Jersey - Connecticut, all items." Exception(s) - Federally assisted housing owned and managed by Town's Housing Authority, motels, hotels, licensed rooming and boarding houses, owner-occupied dwellings containing 4 units or less, and dwellings constructed on or after 1/1/81. Vacancy Decontrol (until re-rented). | Rent Leveling Department |
| Randolph | 2+ 6% Exception(s) - Owner-occupied housing with 4 units or less, detached 1-family home on an exclusive subdivided lot, two 1-family detached homes on a single lot, motels, hotels, seasonal dwellings occupied only from May 1 to September 30, and first-time rentals (until re-rented), and all units constructed after 1995. Vacancy Decontrol. | Randolph Township |
No active rent control listed in the survey: Boonton Town, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, Chester Borough, Chester Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Long Hill, Madison, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Mine Hill, Montville, Morris, Morris Plains, Mount Arlington, Mount Olive, Mountain Lakes, Netcong, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Riverdale, Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township, Roxbury, Victory Gardens, Washington, Wharton.
Morris rental market context (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Median monthly rent
- $1,904
- Renter households
- 49,683
- Share renting
- 26%
County estimates from ACS 2024 5-year. These describe the housing market, not typical deposit awards or court outcomes. Use your actual deposit, refund and disputed deductions in the worksheet.
Data sources →Free help in Morris County
Legal Services of Northwest Jersey (Morris County office) ↗
30 Schuyler Place, 2nd Floor, Morristown, NJ 07960
973-285-6911Call about eligibility, availability and appointments for deposit disputes.
Statewide intake: Legal Services of New Jersey, 1-888-576-5529. For court forms and procedure, use the vicinage ombudsman contact; court staff cannot give legal advice.
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice: deposit-return resource ↗Plan for the next step
What if the landlord claims I owe money?
A counterclaim, including charges you accept, can reduce your net recovery. Check response deadlines and costs.
Could filing affect me as a renter?
A deposit lawsuit differs from eviction, but records may be public. Still renting or facing threats? Ask local legal aid.
What happens after I win?
A judgment does not automatically collect the money. Follow the NJ collection steps if unpaid.
Analysis free · case documents $29, one time · mailing optional
Where the local details come from
Court and municipal directories, the DCA rent-control survey and the linked rental programs. Local records checked September 4, 2026. Confirm office details and property-specific coverage with the source.
Sources for Morris County
- NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey (all 564 municipalities)
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 10 (Morris/Sussex) - .gov: Morris County Courthouse, 56 Washington St., Morristown NJ 07960, 862-397-5700
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 10 (Morris/Sussex) - ext. 75180
- NJ Courts, Morris/Sussex vicinage - offices and ombudsman pages
- NJ Courts, Lawsuits $5,000 or less (Small Claims)
- Legal Services of Northwest Jersey (Morris County office)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 5-year, tables B25064 and B25003 (via Census Reporter)
- Rent Security Deposit Act, N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 to 46:8-26 (official text)
Prepared by Alex Smirnof. Not reviewed by a licensed attorney. Educational information, not legal advice.