N.J. Stat. tit. 41, ch. 2

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-1 Officials authorized to take oaths.

41:2-1. All oaths, affirmations and affidavits required to be made or taken by law of this State, or necessary or proper to be made, taken or used in any court of this State, or for any lawful purpose whatever, may be made and taken before any one of the following officers: The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or any of the justices or judges of courts of record of this State; Masters of the Superior Court; Municipal judges; Mayors or aldermen of cities, towns or boroughs or commissioners of commission governed municipalities; Surrogates, registers of deeds and mortgages, county clerks and their deputies; Municipal clerks and clerks of boards of chosen freeholders; Sheriffs of any county; Members of boards of chosen freeholders; Clerks of all courts; Notaries public; Commissioners of deeds; Members of the State Legislature; Attorneys-at-law and counsellors-at-law of this State; Certified court reporters, as defined in section 10 of P.L.1940, c.175 (C.45:15B-10). This section shall not apply to official oaths required to be made or taken by any of the officers of this State, nor to oaths or affidavits required to be made and taken in open court. Amended 1951, c.302, s.1; 1953, c.39, s.1; 1953, c.428, s.3; 1964, c.165, s.1; 1968, c.169; 1970, c.182; 1983, c.495; 1986, c.124; 2007, c.73.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-2 § 41:2-2

The president of the senate, the speaker of the general assembly and the chairman of a committee of the whole, or of any select or standing committee of either house of the legislature, are respectively empowered to administer oaths and affirmations to witnesses, in any matter or case under their examination; and any person who shall willfully or corruptly swear or affirm falsely touching any matter or thing material to the point in question, whereto he shall be thus examined, shall be deemed guilty of perjury and punished accordingly.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-3 Oaths administered by notaries public in financial institution matters.

41:2-3. Oaths administered by notaries public in financial institution matters. a. A notary public who is a stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent of a financial institution or other corporation may administer an oath to any other stockholder, director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation. b. A notary public employed by a financial institution may follow directions or policies of the employer which provide that during the hours of the notary public's employment by the financial institution the notary public shall not administer oaths except in the course of the business of the employer. As used in this section, "financial institution" means a State or federally chartered bank, savings bank, savings and loan association or credit union. Amended 1997, c.340.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-3.1 County detectives and investigators may administer oaths

County detectives and investigators attached to the office of the county prosecutor in the several counties of this State are hereby authorized and empowered to administer oaths; provided, however, that such oaths are administered only in relation to a matter involving a violation or an attempted violation of the criminal laws of this State. L.1939, c. 276, p. 697, s. 1. Amended by L.1953, c. 39, p. 753, s. 2, eff. March 19, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-3.2 State detectives, investigators, certain, administration of oaths.

1. State detectives and investigators assigned to the Division of Criminal Justice or the Division of State Police may administer oaths, if the oaths are administered only in relation to a matter involving a violation or an attempted violation of the criminal laws of this State. L.1982, c.221, s.1; amended 2017, c.280.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-4 Duty to administer oath of allegiance

Any court of judicature or any commissioned officer of the United Army, Navy or Marine Corps shall administer the oath of allegiance to such person as shall be by law required to take the same in such court; provided, that when said oath of allegiance shall be taken before a commissioned officer there shall be a recital that he is such commissioned officer including a recital of his rank and official designation as such and that the person taking such oath is in the military or naval service of the United States. Amended by L.1944, c. 59, p. 118, s. 1, eff. April 4, 1944.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-5 Oath of allegiance when official oath required; recital where taken before commissioned officer

It shall be lawful for every court, body corporate, judge, magistrate, any commissioned officer of the United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps or other person, before whom it is or shall be incumbent for any person, elected or appointed to office, to take his official oath, to administer at the same time the oath of allegiance to such person, if he is or shall be required by law to take the same; provided, that when said official oath shall be taken before a commissioned officer there shall be a recital that he is such commissioned officer including a recital of his rank and official designation as such and that the person taking such oath is in the military or naval service of the United States. Amended by L.1944, c. 59, p. 119, s. 2; L.1953, c. 39, p. 753, s. 3, eff. March 19, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-6 Oath of allegiance when official oath not required

Except as otherwise provided, where the oath of allegiance is or shall be required by law, without any official or other oath, the same may be administered by any justice, judge or magistrate of any court of this State, who shall administer the oath of allegiance to any person who shall apply to take the same. Amended by L.1953, c. 39, p. 753, s. 4, eff. March 19, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-7 Oath of office and of allegiance of governor

The Chief Justice, or any associate justice of the Supreme Court, or any member of the Senate, shall be and is hereby authorized to administer the oaths of office and allegiance to the Governor, elect or acting, which oaths, if the Legislature be in session, shall be administered in the presence of the Senate and General Assembly at such place as they may designate. Amended by L.1953, c. 39, p. 753, s. 5, eff. March 19, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-8 § 41:2-8

Any member of the senate or of the general assembly may administer the oath of allegiance to his fellow members of the same house.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-10 Oaths of office; administration

41:2-10. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, any associate justice thereof, any judge of the Superior Court or judge of the tax court may administer the oaths of office and of allegiance to any person appointed to the office of Clerk of the Supreme Court, Clerk of the Superior Court, Secretary of State or Attorney General, and the aforesaid justices and judges and the Governor and members of the Legislature may administer the oaths of office and of allegiance to any person elected or appointed to any other elective or appointive office as to which no other provision is made by law. Amended 1953,c.39,s.6; 1983,c.408; 1988,c.80,s.1; 1991,c.365.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-11 Oaths of office and of allegiance; recital where taken before commissioned officer

The county clerk of each county or any commissioned officer of the United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps may administer the oath of office and allegiance to every person chosen or appointed as a coroner in or for said county; provided, that when said oaths of office and allegiance have been administered by a commissioned officer there shall be a recital that he is such commissioned officer including a recital of his rank and official designation as such and that the person taking such oath is in the military or naval service of the United States. Amended by L.1944, c. 59, p. 119, s. 3; L.1948, c. 145, p. 872, s. 1; L.1953, c. 39, p. 754, s. 7, eff. March 19, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-12 Enrollment by county clerk of names of persons taking oaths before him

The county clerk shall enroll the name of every person to whom he shall administer the oaths mentioned in section 41:2-11 of this Title, together with the time of administering the same, to be by him filed in his office, and shall transmit, within twenty days after administering such oath, a copy of the enrollment to the Secretary of State to be by him filed in his office. Amended by L.1953, c. 39, p. 754, s. 8, eff. March 19, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-13 Judge to act in absence of county clerk

41:2-13. If the county clerk be absent, removed or dead, then any judge of the Superior Court may administer the oaths of office and allegiance to the persons, or any of them, required to take the same in and by section 41:2-11 of this Title. The judge shall report the name of the person to whom said oaths were administered, and the date thereof, to the said clerk or his successor, who shall enroll the same and transmit a copy of such enrollment to the Secretary of State, as is directed by section 41:2-12 of this Title. Amended 1953,c.39,s.9; 1991,c.91,s.406.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-14 Oaths of office of notaries, etc.

41:2-14. In case of the absence, removal, death, or any other disability of the county clerk of any county, any judge of the Superior Court may administer the oaths of office and allegiance to commissioners of deeds, notaries public or other persons required to take the same before such clerk, and any official's oath so administered shall be as effectual in law as if taken in the manner prescribed by law. Amended 1953,c.39,s.10; 1991,c.91,s.407.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-15 Oath of office and of allegiance of county clerk

41:2-15. Any judge of the Superior Court or any commissioned officer of the United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps may administer the oaths of office and allegiance to the person who shall be elected or appointed county clerk; and the clerk shall thereupon enroll his own name and the time of his being sworn into office, and transmit a copy of such enrollment to the Secretary of State to be by him filed in his office; provided, that when said oaths of office and allegiance have been administered by a commissioned officer there shall be a recital that he is such commissioned officer including a recital of his rank and official designation as such and that the person taking such oath is in the military or naval service of the United States. Amended 1944,c.59,s.4; 1953,c.39,s.11; 1991,c.91,s.408.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-17 Officers authorized to administer or take; jurat; certificate.

41:2-17. Officers authorized to administer or take; jurat; certificate. Any oath, affirmation, or affidavit required or authorized to be taken in any suit or legal proceeding in this State, or for any lawful purpose whatever, except official oaths and depositions required to be taken upon notice, when taken out of this State, may be taken before any notary public of the state, territory, nation, kingdom, or country in which the same shall be taken, or before any officer who may be authorized by the laws of this State to take the acknowledgment of deeds in such state, territory, nation, kingdom, or country; and a recital that he or she is such notary or officer in the jurat or certificate of such oath, affirmation, or affidavit, and his or her official designation annexed to his or her signature, and attested under his or her official seal, shall be sufficient proof that the person before whom the same is taken is such notary or officer. amended 2021, c.179, s.33.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-18 § 41:2-18

The president of the council of proprietors of West Jersey, or, in his absence, the vice president or president pro tempore, may administer oaths or affirmations to witnesses, touching any dispute or controversy that may come before said council for their adjudications.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-19 § 41:2-19

Deputy surveyors of the western division of New Jersey may take depositions or affirmations of citations being duly served, as also, in relation to corner lines and boundaries of land, wherein they are called to survey or resurvey, which depositions or affirmations they are hereby authorized to administer.

N.J. Stat. § 41:2-20 § 41:2-20

All oaths and affirmations authorized to be administered by either section 41:2-18 or 41:2-19 of this title shall have the same force and effect as if they had been taken before a justice of the peace of the proper county. The officer administering any such oath or affirmation shall cause the name of the witness and the purpose for which he was sworn or affirmed to be entered on the journals of the council of proprietors.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026