New Jersey / Somerset County
Somerset 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 Somerville court, official NJ forms and an optional preparation worksheet below.
Analysis free · case documents $29, one time · mailing optional
Your Somerset County court desk
Official court directory ↗- Deposit claims / Special Civil Part
- Somerset County Courthouse
20 North Bridge Street (mail: PO Box 3000)
Somerville, NJ 08876 - Call before visiting
- 908-332-7700 ext. 13085
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 13 (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren) shares administration with Hunterdon and Warren. Use the Somerset County office when filing a case in this county.
More court contacts, rooms and procedural help
The Somerville office in practice
- Special Civil Part / Small Claims line - the courthouse number above
- 908-332-7700 ext. 13085
- Landlord-tenant line
- 908-332-7700 ext. 13440
- Mediation and arbitration
- 908-332-7700 ext. 13870
Court forms and procedure: Court User Resource Center - Somerset County Courthouse, 20 North Bridge Street, 5th Floor, Somerville, NJ 08876, 908-332-7700 ext. 13240, [email protected]. Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Contact the ombudsman for appointments in Hunterdon and Warren 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.
A Franklin Township registration and an occupancy inspection are different records.
The Township Clerk handles rental-unit registration; the housing or code office handles occupancy work. Somerville also lists the Borough Clerk for registration. Use the county court in Somerville for the money claim when venue is proper here.
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 21 municipal clerks in Somerset County
| Municipality | Clerk's office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Bedminster Township | One Miller Lane, Bedminster, NJ 07921 | (908) 212-7000 ext. 404 |
| Bernards Township | 1 Collyer Lane, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 | (908) 204-3001 |
| Bernardsville Borough | 166 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924 | 908-766-3000 |
| Bound Brook Borough | 230 Hamilton Street, Bound Brook, NJ 08805 | (732) 356-0833 |
| Branchburg Township | 1077 US Highway 202 North, Branchburg, NJ 08876-3936 | (908) 526-1300 |
| Bridgewater Township | 100 Commons Way, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 | (908) 725-6300 ext. 5025 |
| Far Hills Borough | 6 Prospect Street, Far Hills, NJ 07931 | 908-234-0611 |
| Franklin Township | 475 DeMott Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873 | 732-873-2500 x6208 |
| Green Brook Township | 111 Greenbrook Road, Green Brook, NJ 08812-2501 | 732-968-1023 |
| Hillsborough Township | 379 South Branch Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844 | (908) 369-4313 |
| Manville Borough | 325 North Main Street, Manville, NJ 08835 | 908-725-9478 |
| Millstone Borough | 1353 Main St., Millstone, NJ 08844 | 908-281-6893 |
| Montgomery Township | 100 Community Drive, Skillman, NJ 08558 | (908) 359-8211 ext. 2211 |
| North Plainfield Borough | 263 Somerset Street, North Plainfield, NJ 07060-4846 | 908-769-2904 |
| Peapack-Gladstone Borough | 1 School Street, PO Box 218, Peapack, NJ 07977 | (908) 234-2250 |
| Raritan Borough | 22 First Street, Raritan, NJ 08869 | 908-231-1300 |
| Rocky Hill Borough | 15 Montgomery Avenue, PO Box 188, Rocky Hill, NJ 08553 | 609-924-7445 |
| Somerville Borough | 25 West End Avenue, Somerville, NJ 08876 | (908) 725-2300 ext. 1983 |
| South Bound Brook Borough | 12 Main Street, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880 | (732) 356-0258 ext 111 |
| Warren Township | 46 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, NJ 07059 | 908-753-8000 |
| Watchung Borough | 15 Mountain Boulevard, Watchung, NJ 07069 | (908) 756-0080 ext. 210 |
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
Somerset 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 Somerset 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 20 North Bridge Street (mail: PO Box 3000), Somerville, NJ 08876. 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 Somerset County records
All 3 researched rental-registration programs in Somerset 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.
Somerville: Residential Rental Property Registration (Somerville Code Chapter 132, Residential Rental Units) ↗
Borough Clerk (registration statement); administered by Land Use Director Navleen Sappal
Owners of single- and two-family rentals file a registration statement with the Borough Clerk ($100/$125 per year) on each tenant change or every five years, and the Borough inspects the unit; the owner fields on the form were not shown on the fetched page. Not stated; email [email protected] or phone, or OPRA to the Borough Clerk.
(908) 725-2300 ext. 1981Bound Brook: Rental License Registration (Bound Brook Code Article I, Rental Housing Permits and Registration) ↗
Office of Construction, Housing and Code Enforcement, Borough Hall, 230 Hamilton St., Bound Brook, NJ 08805 (Director/Code Enforcement Officer Steve Rodzinak)
Annual rental licence registration plus a required posted notice giving the name, address and phone of the person responsible for managing the building; multiple-dwelling owners also file a unit-by-unit itemized list; the form itself (New-Rental-License-Registration.pdf) could not be fetched. Not stated; office hours Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30, or OPRA to the Borough Clerk.
(732) 356-0833 ext. 630Franklin Township: Registration and Inspection of Rental Units (Franklin Code, ecode 13186895) and Certificate of Occupancy Transfer / annual rental inspection (Chapter 178) ↗
Township Clerk's Office (rental unit registration); Housing Code Official / Code Enforcement (CO transfer and inspections)
Every residential rental unit is registered with the Township Clerk ($10 per unit) before occupancy, with ownership/occupancy changes reported within 20 days; CO transfer applications ($100) go to the Housing Code Official; the owner fields on the Residential Rental Unit Registration Form were not visible (site blocked fetching). Not stated; OPRA request to the Township Clerk.
Rent-control directory: 2 listed municipalities in Somerset 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin | 2+ 3.% if tenant pays heat 3.5% if landlord pays heat. Exception(s) - Motels, hotels, and similar dwellings, commercial use spaces, single- and owner-occupied 2-family dwellings, rehabilitated first-time rentals, and all units constructed and occupied on or after 1/1/82. Vacancy Decontrol. | Rent Leveling Board |
| North Plainfield | 1+ No greater than 4% of "base rent component" if tenant pays heat and 5% if landlord pays heat. ("Base rent component" does not include applicable tax component, sewer charge component, or trash removal component). Hardship or capital improvement increases may be approved. Exception(s) - First-time rentals until re-rented, hotels, motels and similar transient rental uses. Does not apply to owner-occupied premises with not more than two rental units. Vacancy Decontrol for dwellings of more than 10 units until re-rented. Dwellings of less than 11 units shall become exempt thereafter following vacancy. | Rent Stabilization Board |
No active rent control listed in the survey: Bedminster, Bernards, Bernardsville, Bound Brook, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Far Hills, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery, Peapack and Gladstone, Raritan, Rocky Hill, Somerville, South Bound Brook, Warren, Watchung.
Somerset rental market context (ACS 2024 5-year)
- Median monthly rent
- $2,033
- Renter households
- 33,615
- 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 Somerset County
Legal Services of Northwest Jersey (LSNWJ) - Somerset County office ↗
90 E. Main Street, 3rd Floor, Somerville, NJ 08876
(908) 231-0840Call 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 Somerset County
- NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey (all 564 municipalities)
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 13 (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren)
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 13 (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren)
- Superior Court of New Jersey, Vicinage 13 (Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren)
- NJ Courts, Somerset/Hunterdon/Warren vicinage - offices and ombudsman pages
- NJ Courts, Lawsuits $5,000 or less (Small Claims)
- Legal Services of Northwest Jersey (LSNWJ) - Somerset County office
- Legal Services of Northwest Jersey (LSNWJ) - Somerset County office - Somerset County - LSNWJ, 90 East Main Street, 3rd Floor, Somerville 08876, 908-231-0840
- 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.