New Jersey / Passaic County
Passaic 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 Paterson court, official NJ forms and an optional preparation worksheet below.
Analysis free · case documents $29, one time · mailing optional
Your Passaic County court desk
Official court directory ↗- Deposit claims / Special Civil Part
- New Courthouse
77 Hamilton Street, 1st Floor
Paterson, NJ 07505 - Call before visiting
- 973-653-2910 ext. 24240
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.
More court contacts, rooms and procedural help
The Paterson office in practice
- Special Civil Part / Small Claims line
- 973-653-2910 ext. 24270
- Landlord-tenant line
- 973-653-2910 ext. 24280
- Mediation and arbitration
- 973-653-2910 ext. 24290
Court forms and procedure: Ombudsman office - Superior Court of New Jersey - Passaic, 71 Hamilton Street, Room 130, 1st Floor, Paterson, NJ 07505, 973-653-2910 ext. 24470, [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.
In Paterson, ask for housing records or rent leveling by name.
The Housing Bureau and Office of Rent Leveling are distinct contacts. Clifton instead lists rental-registration work through Fire Prevention, with Building Department involvement. Choose by the rental address, not the nearest large city.
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 16 municipal clerks in Passaic County
| Municipality | Clerk's office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomingdale Borough | 101 Hamburg Tpke, Bloomingdale, NJ 07403 | (973) 838-0778 |
| Clifton City | 900 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013 | 973-470-5800 |
| Haledon Borough | 510 Belmont Avenue, Haledon, NJ 07508 | 973-595-7766 |
| Hawthorne Borough | 445 Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ 07506 | 973-427-5555 |
| Little Falls Township | 225 Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424 | (973) 256-0170 |
| North Haledon Borough | 103 Overlook Ave, North Haledon, NJ 07508 | (973) 427-7793 |
| Passaic City | 330 Passaic Street, City Hall, Room 103, Passaic, NJ 07055 | 973-365-5584 |
| Paterson City | 155 Market St, Paterson, NJ 07505 | (973) 321-1310 |
| Pompton Lakes Borough | 25 Lenox Avenue, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442 | 973-835-0143 |
| Prospect Park Borough | 106 Brown Avenue, Prospect Park, NJ 07508 | (973) 790-7903 |
| Ringwood Borough | 60 Margaret King Ave., Ringwood, NJ 07456 | (973) 962-7037 |
| Totowa Borough | 537 Totowa Road at Cherba Place, Totowa, NJ 07512 | (973) 956-1000 |
| Wanaque Borough | 579 Ringwood Ave, Wanaque, NJ 07465 | 973-839-3000 |
| Wayne Township | 475 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 | (973) 694-1800 |
| West Milford Township | 1480 Union Valley Road, West Milford, NJ 07480 | (973) 728-7000 |
| Woodland Park Borough | 5 Brophy Lane, Woodland Park, NJ 07424-2752 | 973-345-8100 |
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
Passaic 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 Passaic 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 77 Hamilton Street, 1st Floor, Paterson, NJ 07505. 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 Passaic County records
All 4 researched rental-registration programs in Passaic 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.
Paterson: Certificate of Re-Rental Approval (Paterson Code Chapter 175) / Housing Bureau re-rental inspection ↗
Division of Community Improvements, Housing Bureau (Department of Economic Development), 111 Broadway, Paterson, NJ 07505
The landlord must apply for and pass a re-rental inspection before every change of tenancy (except owner-occupied two-family), so the Housing Bureau has a per-unit application from the current owner on file; the fetched page does not list the owner/agent fields the application captures. Not stated on the fetched page; inspectors are in the office 8:30-10:00 AM and 3:30-4:30 PM, and the city runs an OPRA request page (fallback: OPRA to the City Clerk).
973-321-1232Paterson: Rent Leveling annual Property Registration Form (Chapter 381) ↗
Office of Rent Leveling (Health & Human Services), Jahleel Monet, Rent Leveling Administrator
Property owners of rent-leveled buildings must file an annual Property Registration Form (no fee) with the Rent Leveling office, which also mediates landlord/tenant disputes; the form's owner fields are not shown on the fetched page. Phone the Rent Leveling office (Mon-Fri 9:00-4:00) - the page says it supplies information and assistance to tenants; OPRA is the formal route.
973-321-1242 ext. 2285Passaic: Landlord-Tenant Registration Form (Passaic Code Chapter 185-3) plus Certificate of Occupancy on change of tenancy (Chapter 100) ↗
Code Enforcement: Division of Housing (Division of Inspection & Code), 330 Passaic Street, Room 205, Passaic, NJ 07055
Owner name (LLC representative name and contact if an LLC), owner mailing address, phone and email, plus unit, rent and tenant names, filed with the Division of Housing for every multiple-dwelling unit ($25 processing fee); a CO must also be on file per unit. Not stated on the form or page; the Division of Housing is reachable by phone/email ([email protected]) and in person Mon-Fri 8:30-4:00; OPRA to the City Clerk is the formal route.
973-365-5615 (housing); 973-365-5551; main 973-365-5500Clifton: Dwelling Certificate on change of occupancy (Clifton Code Chapter 210) - rental Certificate of Inspection ↗
Department of Fire, Fire Prevention Bureau, 900 Clifton Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013 (application stamped by Building Department first)
A dwelling certificate application ($75 per rental unit) filed for each new lease listing the current owner's name, the new tenant's name, the realtor/lawyer's name and phone and occupant names; the fetched form shows no owner mailing-address field. Not stated; certificates are picked up in person at Fire Headquarters, and the fallback is an OPRA request to the City Clerk.
973-470-5801 (Fire Prevention); 973-470-5809 (Building Dept.)
Rent-control directory: 6 listed municipalities in Passaic 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Clifton | 4+ At the expiration of 12 consecutive calendar months following the effective date of the last previous rent increase for any dwelling unit subject to rent regulation under the terms of this chapter, a landlord who provides heat and/or air conditioning may demand, receive or collect an increase in rent for such unit, not to exceed 3%. A landlord who does not provide heat and/or air conditioning may demand, receive or collect an increase in rent for such unit, not to exceed 2%. The Mayor and Municipal Council shall review the maximum percentage increase annually and may adjust the rate as necessary. In establishing the maximum percentage increase, the Mayor and Municipal Council shall take into consideration, but shall not be bound by, The All Items Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers-Northeast Region (CPI), less energy, for the most recent twelve-month period available. Exception(s) - Motels, hotels, boardinghouses. Vacancy Decontrol (until re-rented). | Rent Control Board |
| Little Falls | 4+ Tenants who: resided in unit as of 8/31/05- 50% of percentage difference between CPI 90 days prior to expiration of lease and CPI 90 days prior to date lease was entered. :on or after 9/1/05- percentage difference between CPI 90 days prior to expiration of lease and CPI 90 days prior to date lease was entered (maximum of 5%). Exception(s) - Motels, hotels, similar premises, housing containing 3 units or less. Vacancy Decontrol (until re-rented). | Rent Leveling Board |
| Passaic | 2+ Percentage increase of CPI over most recent 12 month period. Capped at 6% plus a property tax increase fee. Maximum increase of $25 per month if a dwelling unit is occupied by no more than 2 individuals, with at least on being 65 years of age or older; and the total annual income of the 65+ occupants does not exceed $50,000. Exception(s) - Multiple-dwelling first-time rentals, motels, hotels, 1-family house, owner-occupied 2-family house, a single condo or cooperative unit if the owner doesn't own any other such units within the same complex/building (except a single unit occupied by owner), rooms rented by non-profits, licensed rooming and boarding house units. newly constructed rentals, units where rent is below $75 per room when heat is paid by landlord, and units where rent is below $60 per room where heat is paid by tenant. Vacancy Decontrol. | Rent Leveling Board |
| Paterson | 2+ 5%, or 3.5% for 65+ year old heads of households or those found to be disabled by the SS Administration. Exception(s) - State and federally subsidized housing, buildings in which only 1 unit is rented, motels, hotels, lesser of 30 years and period of amortization of mortgage for multiple dwellings constructed after 12/23/99, substantially rehabilitated residential structures (for a specified period), units certified as part of the City's neighborhood preservation or rehabilitation program, licensed rooming houses, and developments owned or subsidized by HUD, HMFA, or regulated by NJ PHDA. Vacancy Decontrol. | Rent Leveling Office |
| Wayne | 4+ Percentage change in CPI: Aug-Aug for leases expiring in Jan, Feb, or March. Nov-Nov for leases expiring in April, May, or June. Feb-Feb for leases expiring in July, Aug, or Sept. May-May for leases expiring in Oct, Nov, or Dec. Exception(s) - Motels, hotels, similar premises, public housing, mobile homes, housing with less than 4 units, and first-time rentals (until re-rented). Vacancy Decontrol for units in multiple-unit dwellings (until re-rented). | Rent Leveling Board |
| Woodland Park | 1+ CPI-U NY/Northeastern NJ between "third month next preceding" month in which agreement takes effect and 1 year prior to that month. Maximum of 2.5% Exception(s) - Owner-occupied dwellings of five units of housing space (or less), stand alone garage spaces, motels, hotels, and similar premises. Vacancy Decontrol. | Rent Leveling Board |
No active rent control listed in the survey: Bloomingdale, Haledon, Hawthorne, North Haledon, Pompton Lakes, Prospect Park, Ringwood, Totowa, Wanaque, West Milford.
Passaic rental market context (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Median monthly rent
- $1,621
- Renter households
- 83,966
- Share renting
- 47%
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 Passaic County
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services (NNJLS) - Passaic County office ↗
100 Hamilton Plaza, Suite 200, Paterson, NJ 07505
(973) 523-2900Call 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 Passaic County
- NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey (all 564 municipalities)
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 11 (Passaic)
- NJ Courts, Passaic vicinage - offices and ombudsman pages
- NJ Courts, Lawsuits $5,000 or less (Small Claims)
- Northeast New Jersey Legal Services (NNJLS) - Passaic 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.