Essex, New Jersey: Where to File a Security Deposit Claim and What It Costs

Listed court: Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Special Civil Part - Small Claims Section, Essex Vicinage in Newark. Check venue on the court's official page or with the clerk. Fee: $35 for one defendant, +$5 per additional defendant. Limit: $5,000. Return: 30 days. ACS two-bedroom rent: $1,577. Enter your dates and send the dated letter first.

Court listed	Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Special Civil Part - Small Claims Section, Essex Vicinage
City	Newark
Statewide filing fee	$35 for one defendant, +$5 per additional defendant
E-filing	Yes, see filing page
Small claims limit	$5,000 (statewide)
State deposit return deadline	30 days after Termination of the tenant's lease or licensee's agreement. 5 business days after Special case termination. Applies when: fire/flood/condemnation-displaced tenants. 15 business days after Special case termination. Applies when: domestic-violence lease terminations.
Time limit to sue	6 years
Deposit statute	N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 through 46:8-26 (Security Deposit Law); return deadline/penalty at 46:8-21.1; deposit cap at 46:8-21.2; small claims jurisdiction at 46:8-21.4

Some counties have more than one small claims court, and venue rules differ by state; check which court hears your claim on the court's official page or with the clerk.

Details

Limits: $5,000 (statewide).

Your dates and your letter

Calculate your deadline and next letter

Choose how to send your letter

We mail it, or you mail it.

$49, done for you.

We write the letter from the facts you send, mail it by USPS Certified Mail with tracking, and send you the tracking number and a PDF record of what was sent.

Mailed within 2 business days of your completed form, or a full refund.

Document preparation and mailing, not legal advice. We do not assess your claim, choose a strategy, or promise a recovery.

Write and mail my letter for $49

$29, you send it.

A print-ready PDF of the New Jersey letter template, ready to download after payment.

Certified-mail instructions: what to ask for at the counter and what it costs.
New Jersey small-claims details: the limit, the deadline to sue, and where to file.

You fill in the template, print it, and pay postage. The same letter template is also available free by email below. The kit adds the print-ready PDF, mailing guide, and local details in one place.

If you cannot access or use the kit files, contact us for a replacement or a full refund.

Get the New Jersey kit for $29

Self-help document service. No account is required on Demand Letter Lab.

Your free letter

Get a DOCX letter with the dates and amount you entered.

Write and mail my letter for $49

Get the New Jersey kit for $29

Already sent a letter? Tell us if it worked

Details of the return rules

New Jersey statutory deadlines
When it applies	Deadline	Starts from
Deposit return	30 days	Termination of the tenant's lease or licensee's agreement
fire/flood/condemnation-displaced tenants	5 business days	Special case termination
domestic-violence lease terminations	15 business days	Special case termination

New Jersey return rule: 30 days. Check the dates you entered above.

Court listed for this county: Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Special Civil Part - Small Claims Section, Essex Vicinage. Check venue on the official court page or with the clerk.

Free dated DOCX by email. Print-ready state PDF kit: $29. Letter preparation and mailing: $49.

Who do you name in the claim?

Find and compare the legal names

Find and compare the legal names in these records:

The lease: the Landlord or Owner line and who signed.
The deposit receipt or the account your rent went to.
The owner of record in the property records of Essex.
The New Jersey business registry for an LLC or management company: its exact legal name and registered agent. New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (check the link; report an error if it is wrong)

A registered agent receives court papers for a company; it is not the defendant.

Listed filing or service charges: $35 for one defendant, +$5 per additional defendant

This page shows where the names are recorded; it does not decide who is legally liable.

What to bring to the clerk

Your lease.
Deposit receipt or payment record.
The demand letter and proof of delivery.
Move-out photos and an inventory or condition report.

Check the New Jersey filing procedure before you go.

Court forms

Service methods: certified mail by clerk; constable or sheriff.

Service fee: The fee is $10 for each defendant served by certified and regular mail. $10 fee for a Court Officer to personally reserve complaint. Small-claims kit (motor vehicle) states $10 certified-and-regular-mail service fee included in $45 for one defendant..

Procedure source (high confidence): The cost for filing a complaint in Small Claims is: One defendant $35 Each additional defendant $5

Is it worth filing here?

Illustration: a deposit equal to one month's ACS median gross rent (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates) for a home in Essex. This is calculated from rent, not measured deposits. The statutory amount requires the rule's conditions.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms	Deposit owed	Statutory amount	Total illustration	Limit check
1	$1,224	$1,224	$2,448	Fits under the $5,000 limit for this illustrated claim
2	$1,577	$1,577	$3,154	Fits under the $5,000 limit for this illustrated claim
3	$1,791	$1,791	$3,582	Fits under the $5,000 limit for this illustrated claim
4	$2,063	$2,063	$4,126	Fits under the $5,000 limit for this illustrated claim

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, tables B25064, B25031, B25003, B25070; accessed 2026-09-21. Penalty rule.

How does Essex compare with other New Jersey counties?

The two-bedroom median gross rent is $1,577: rank 24 of 33 counties with this metric in U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. 55.5% of households rent in Essex.

Essex two-bedroom rent $1,577, rank 24 of 33 counties

Nearby counties in the two-bedroom rent ranking
County	Median gross rent
Passaic	$1,584
Passaic County	$1,584
Essex	$1,577
Essex County	$1,577
Gloucester County	$1,577
Warren County	$1,543

Ranking uses the same ACS metric and period within this state; ties share a rank. Coverage is 33 of 33 listed counties. Census source.

Places in Essex

Caldwell
East Orange
Essex Fells
Glen Ridge
Newark
North Caldwell
Roseland

These are Census places in the county. Check the rental's address with the clerk to find the court.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place-to-county relationship file

Free legal help

Legal Services of New Jersey: Free civil legal advice and referrals for low-income New Jersey residents, including housing and landlord-tenant problems, through the LSNJLAW hotline.

FAQ

How much does it cost to file in Essex?

Statewide filing fee: $35 for one defendant, +$5 per additional defendant.

Where do I file a deposit claim in Essex?

Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Special Civil Part - Small Claims Section, Essex Vicinage is listed. Some counties have more than one small claims court, and venue rules differ by state; check which court hears your claim on the court's official page or with the clerk. Court page

Who should I name in the claim?

Compare the legal names on the lease, deposit receipt, property records and business registry. A registered agent receives papers for a company; it is not the defendant.

What should I bring to the clerk?

Bring your lease, deposit receipt, demand letter, proof of delivery, photos and any move-out inventory.