How long does an eviction take in New Jersey?
For unpaid rent, expect about 7 weeks from the first notice to the lockout, and anywhere from 4 to 14.5 weeks if the tenant fights it or the court is busy.
Not legal advice. Estimates from public sources, checked Oct 17, 2026. Laws vary by county and city; talk to a local attorney before you act.
What would a rental in New Jersey actually earn?
We'll prefill New Jersey's numbers and include the eviction cost from this page.
- Median rent $1,800/mo
- Property tax 1.89%–1.99%
- Insurance $691/yr
- Vacancy 3%–3.7%
The New Jersey eviction timeline
Each step comes from New Jersey's rules, with the source linked. The typical case adds up to about 7 weeks; a contested hearing adds about 3 more. Timeline model.
- 1
Notice to pay or leave
No waiting periodNo pay-or-quit notice needed for nonpayment; landlord can file right away (N.J. Stat. § 2A:18-61.1)
- 2
File and get a judgment
21–60 days · typical 35No written answer is required; the tenant comes to the trial date on the summons
- 3
Judgment to lockout
8–21 daysWarrant of removal only after 3 business days; officer then gives 3 business days to move
- 4
If the tenant appeals
45-day window45 days to appeal to the Appellate Division
Can the tenant pay and stay? Tenant can pay all rent due up to 3 days after the lockout and have the case dismissed. secondary source Source ↗
What an eviction costs in New Jersey
Court fees come from the fee schedules we found, and each one says where it applies. Fees we couldn't verify are labeled Unverified and use the national default range. The calculator above adds them to your lost rent.
Court filing fee
Statewide$50–$57$50 for one tenant, $5 per extra tenant, plus $7 service
Serving the tenant
Statewide$7Court officer service $7
Sheriff or marshal lockout
Unverified · national default$75–$180No official amount verified for New Jersey yet, so the calculator uses the national default range.
Lawyer, uncontested case
National estimate$500–$1,500Flat fees commonly charged when the tenant doesn't fight it. Not specific to this state; big-city rates run higher.
Lawyer, contested case
National estimate$2,000–$5,000+When the tenant contests the case. Not specific to this state.
Median gross rent
Census ACS 2024, 1-year$1,800/moNew Jersey median gross rent, ±$15. The calculator starts here; change it to your rent.
Statewide rules that can slow things down
Statewide rent control: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Statewide just-cause rules: Yes
Anti-Eviction Act: good cause required (some owner-occupied 2-3 unit buildings exempt)
Right to counsel for tenants: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Seasonal or weather limits: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Required mediation or pre-filing program: No
None statewide found in the sources we checked
Local rules: About 100 municipalities have local rent control (Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken).
New Jersey scores 49 out of 100
Faster timelines, fewer chances to pay-and-stay and fewer statewide tenant protections score higher.
New Jersey eviction FAQ
How long does an eviction take in New Jersey?
A nonpayment eviction in New Jersey typically takes about 7 weeks from notice to lockout, with a range of roughly 4 to 14.5 weeks. Contested cases, court backlogs and appeals can take longer. This is an LandlordCost estimate built from the state's notice period and court deadlines, last checked Oct 17, 2026.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in New Jersey?
No pay-or-quit notice needed for nonpayment; landlord can file right away (N.J. Stat. § 2A:18-61.1).
Can a tenant stop an eviction in New Jersey by paying the rent?
Tenant can pay all rent due up to 3 days after the lockout and have the case dismissed.
How much does it cost to file an eviction in New Jersey?
The court filing fee is $50-$57 statewide. Service and lockout fees are extra. Lawyer fees commonly run about $500-$1,500 for an uncontested case (a national estimate).
How much does it cost to evict a tenant in New Jersey?
A typical uncontested nonpayment eviction in New Jersey costs a landlord roughly $3,500 to $4,700: about 7 weeks of lost rent at the median rent of $1,800/month (about $2,900), court and service fees of about $132-$244 (some are national defaults because we could not verify them), and lawyer fees of about $500-$1,500 (a national estimate). A contested case running about 14.5 weeks can pass $8,300. These are LandlordCost estimates (Census ACS 2024 rent); they leave out rent owed before the notice, turnover and re-rent time.
Is New Jersey landlord-friendly for evictions?
New Jersey scores 49 out of 100 on the LandlordCost landlord-friendliness score (timeline 29.2/50, right to cure 0/20, statewide tenant protections 20/30). The formula is on our methodology page.
Sources and last-checked dates
Not yet verified for New Jersey: lockout fee. Fields we couldn't source are labeled unverified, never guessed. Download the data: states.json · states.csv.
- Notice periodsecondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Court deadlinesofficial sourcenjcourts.gov ↗
- Judgment to lockoutofficial sourcenjcourts.gov ↗
- Appealofficial sourcenjcourts.gov ↗
- Filing feeofficial sourcenjcourts.gov ↗
- Service feeofficial sourcenjcourts.gov ↗
- Lockout feeunverifiednone found
- Right to curesecondary sourcenolo.com ↗
- Just causeofficial sourcenj.gov ↗
- Median rentofficial sourcewww2.census.gov ↗
Get an email if New Jersey's rules change
One short email when notice periods, fees or tenant protections change. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.