New Jersey / Salem County
Salem 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 Salem court, official NJ forms and an optional preparation worksheet below.
Analysis free · case documents $29, one time · mailing optional
Your Salem County court desk
Official court directory ↗- Deposit claims / Special Civil Part
- Salem County Courthouse
92 Market Street
Salem, NJ 08079 - Call before visiting
- 856-878-5050 ext. 15945
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 15 (Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem) shares administration with Cumberland and Gloucester. Use the Salem County office when filing a case in this county.
More court contacts, rooms and procedural help
The Salem office in practice
- Special Civil Part / Small Claims line - the courthouse number above
- 856-878-5050 ext. 15945
Court forms and procedure: Ombudsman office - Cumberland County Courthouse, 60 West Broad Street, Bridgeton, NJ 08302, 856-878-5050 ext. 15159, [email protected]. Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Contact the ombudsman for appointments in Gloucester and Salem counties. 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.
Carneys Point separates tenant registration from occupancy records.
Tenant registration statements go to the Township Clerk; the housing office handles rental occupancy work. Pennsville and Salem City list their own housing offices. These are records contacts, not the court that decides the refund.
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 15 municipal clerks in Salem County
| Municipality | Clerk's office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Alloway Township | 49 S. Greenwich Street, Alloway, NJ 08001 | (856) 935-4080 |
| Carneys Point Township | 303 Harding Highway, Carneys Point, NJ 08069 | 856-299-0070 x147 |
| Elmer Borough | 120 South Main Street, Elmer, NJ 08318 | 856-358-4010 x110 |
| Elsinboro Township | 619 Salem Ft-Elfsborg Rd, Salem, NJ 08079 | 856-935-2200 |
| Lower Alloways Creek Township | 501 Locust Island Road, PO Box 157, Hancocks Bridge, NJ 08038 | (856) 935-1549 |
| Mannington Township | 491 Route 45, Mannington, NJ 08079 | 856-935-2359 |
| Oldmans Township | 40 Freed Road, Pedricktown, NJ 08067 | 856-299-0780 |
| Penns Grove Borough | 1 State Street, Penns Grove, NJ 08069 | 856-299-0098 x102 |
| Pennsville Township | 90 N Broadway, Pennsville, NJ 08070 | 856-678-3089 |
| Pilesgrove Township | 1180 Route 40 East, Pilesgrove, NJ 08098 | (856) 769-3222 |
| Pittsgrove Township | 989 Centerton Rd, Pittsgrove, NJ 08318 | 856-358-2300 |
| Quinton Township | 885 Salem Quinton Road, Salem, NJ 08079 | (856) 935-2325 |
| Salem City | 125 West Broadway, Salem, NJ 08079 | 856-935-0372 Ext 215 |
| Upper Pittsgrove Township | 431 Route 77, Elmer, NJ 08318 | (856) 358-8500 |
| Woodstown Borough | 25 West Ave., Woodstown, NJ 08098 | 856-769-2200 |
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
Salem 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 Salem 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 92 Market Street, Salem, NJ 08079. 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.
Before you call an office in Salem County
The lease names an LLC. What should I request from Salem City Housing?
Ask Salem City Housing for the owner registration and any available formation attachment.
The combined occupancy and registration application asks for the owner’s name and mailing address, plus a formation certificate for a corporation, LLC or partnership. Compare the entity name with your lease; the manager and emergency contact are separate entries. Confirm which parts of the record can be released.
Are the Salem filing desk and the Cumberland/Salem legal-aid office together?
Use the Market Street courthouse for Salem filing and the Vineland office for legal aid.
SJLS serves Cumberland and Salem from West Landis Avenue in Vineland. For help understanding court forms, contact the shared ombudsman in Bridgeton and ask for a Salem appointment. Call the relevant service before travelling.
Local answers checked . Sources linked above.
More Salem County records
All 3 researched rental-registration programs in Salem 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.
Salem City: Landlord Rental Registration Application and Certificate of Occupancy (Salem Code Chapter 172, Rental of Residential Units) ↗
Department of Inspections and Permits / Housing Office, 125 West Broadway, Salem, NJ 08079 (Sean M. Brown, Director of Housing and Economic Development)
The July 2026 combined occupancy and registration application records the property and unit, owner name and mailing address, a formation certificate for a corporation, LLC or partnership, and separate manager and emergency-contact information. Contact Housing about the completed owner registration and any available formation attachment. Ask which information can be released and how to request it.
Program details checked 2026-09-08.
856-935-0372 (ext. 204 Director)Pennsville: Landlord Identity Registration filed with the Housing Office as part of rental Certificate of Occupancy issuance ↗
Housing Office / Construction Code Office, 90 N. Broadway, Pennsville, NJ 08070 (Dave Curry, Housing Officer)
The township's Landlord Identity Registration Form is filed with the Housing Office (Mon-Fri 8-4) to let the Code Office issue a rental Certificate of Occupancy, so the Housing Office holds the owner identity data; the form PDF returned 404 and its fields were not verified. Not stated; phone the Construction Code Office or use the township OPRA request page.
856-678-3089Carneys Point: Tenant Registration Statements (Carneys Point Code Chapter 193) and rental Certificate of Occupancy (Chapter 64) ↗
Township Clerk (tenant registration statements); Housing / Health office of the Construction Department (rental CO) - Demi Romansky, Housing Assistant; Robert Schmid, Housing/Zoning/Public Health Officer
Every landlord files a tenant registration statement with the Township Clerk by January 30 and July 30 each year, and a rental CO ($125 inspection) is required before each rental occupancy; the owner/agent fields were not visible (site blocked fetching). Not stated; Housing Assistant available Mon-Fri 8:00-3:30, or OPRA to the Township Clerk.
856-299-0070 x127 (Housing Assistant); x128 (Housing Officer)
Rent-control directory: 1 listed municipalities in Salem 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsgrove | Mobile Homes of 1+ tenants only CPI-U Philadelphia and NJ between 120 days prior to the expiring lease's commencement and 120 days prior to its expiration. Maximum of 6%. Exception(s) - Newly constructed and first-time rentals (for first 2 years of operation). Vacancy Decontrol. 25% maximum increase. | Rent Control Board |
No active rent control listed in the survey: Alloway, Carneys Point, Elmer, Elsinboro, Lower Alloways Creek, Mannington, Oldmans, Penns Grove, Pennsville, Pilesgrove, Quinton, Salem, Upper Pittsgrove, Woodstown.
Salem rental market context (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Median monthly rent
- $1,253
- Renter households
- 7,211
- Share renting
- 29%
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 Salem County
South Jersey Legal Services (SJLS) - Cumberland/Salem County office ↗
415 W. Landis Avenue, 2nd Floor, Vineland, NJ 08360
(856) 691-0494Call 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 Salem County
- NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey (all 564 municipalities)
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 15 (Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem)
- NJ Courts, Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem vicinage - offices and ombudsman pages
- NJ Courts, Lawsuits $5,000 or less (Small Claims)
- South Jersey Legal Services (SJLS) - Cumberland/Salem County office - NJ DOE, rev. Sept 2021: 'Salem County - South Jersey Legal Services, 415 W. Landis Avenue, 2nd Floor, Vineland, NJ 08360, 856-691-0494'
- South Jersey Legal Services (SJLS) - Cumberland/Salem 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.