N.J. Stat. tit. 35, ch. 1

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-1 Definitions

As used in this title, "official advertising" and "official advertisements" include all matters required by law to be published.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-2 Newspapers qualified as legal newspapers

All newspapers printed and published in the English language within the state at least once a week for at least one year continuously shall be deemed legal newspapers for the publication of official advertisements. Any court or county officer may publish official advertisements in any Sunday newspaper published in the county for the period of at least one year and such publication shall be valid in all respects.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-2a Newspapers published on Sunday; requisites

Wherever publication of a legal notice of any kind is authorized or required to be published in a newspaper, such publication may be made in a newspaper published on any Sunday in the same manner and to the same effect as though such newspaper were published on a day of the week other than a Sunday; provided, that the newspaper in which such publication shall be had is printed and published in the English language, within this State, and has been or shall have been published at least once a week for at least 2 years continuously. L.1957, c. 91, p. 178, s. 1, eff. June 21, 1957.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-2.1 State publications; qualifications of newspapers; unqualified newspaper acquiring a qualified newspaper

Whenever it is required to publish resolutions, official proclamations, notices or advertising of any sort, kind or character, including proposals for bids on public work and otherwise, by this State or by any board or body constituted and established for the performance of any State duty or by any State official or office or commission, the newspaper or newspapers selected for such publication must meet and satisfy the following qualifications, namely: said newspaper or newspapers shall be entirely printed in the English language, shall be printed and published within the State of New Jersey, shall be a newspaper of general paid circulation possessing an average news content of not less than thirty-five per centum (35%), shall have been published continuously in the municipality where its publication office is situate for not less than two years and shall have been entered for two years as second-class mail matter under the postal laws and regulations of the United States. In case a newspaper cannot meet these qualifications, itself, but has acquired another newspaper which meets these qualifications, the acquiring newspaper shall be deemed to meet these qualifications if it is published in the same municipality and entered in the same post office as was the acquired newspaper. Continuous publication within the meaning of this section shall not be deemed interrupted by any involuntary suspension of publication for a period not exceeding six months, resulting from loss, destruction, mechanical or electrical failure of typesetting equipment or printing presses or the unavailability, due to conditions beyond the control of the publisher, of paper or other materials and supplies necessary for operation, or resulting from a labor dispute with a recognized labor union, and any newspaper so affected shall not be disqualified hereunder in the event that publication is resumed within said period of six months. Amended by L.1938, c. 328, p. 838, s. 1; L.1941, c. 147, p. 489, s. 1; L.1941, c. 409, p. 1052, s. 1; L.1953, c. 411, p. 2067, s. 1, eff. Sept. 18, 1953.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-2.2 Publication by counties, municipalities, individuals or corporations; additional qualifications of newspaper

35:1-2.2. a. Whenever, until March 1, 2026, by law, it is required that there be published by printing and publishing in a newspaper or newspapers, ordinances, resolutions, or notices or advertisements of any sort, kind, or character by any county, city, or other municipality or municipal corporation, or by any municipal board or official board, or body, or office, or officials, or by any person or corporation, the newspaper or newspapers shall, in addition to any other qualification now required by law, meet the following qualifications, namely: the newspaper or newspapers shall be entirely printed in the English language, shall be printed and published within the State of New Jersey, shall be a newspaper of general paid circulation possessing an average news content of not less than 35 percent, shall have been published continuously in the municipality where its publication office is situate for not less than two years and shall have been entered for two years as second-class mail matter under the postal laws and regulations of the United States. In case a newspaper cannot meet these qualifications itself but has acquired another newspaper which meets these qualifications, the acquiring newspaper shall be deemed to meet these qualifications if it is published in the same municipality and entered in the same post office as was the acquired newspaper. Continuous publication within the meaning of this section shall not be deemed interrupted by any involuntary suspension of publication for a period not exceeding six months resulting from loss, destruction, mechanical or electrical failure of typesetting equipment or printing presses or the unavailability, due to conditions beyond the control or the publisher, of paper or other materials and supplies necessary for operation, or resulting from a labor dispute with a recognized labor union, and any newspaper so affected shall not be disqualified hereunder in the event that publication is resumed within said period of six months. For the purposes of this section and for the purpose of qualifying for legal advertisements generally, any newspaper which for not less than two years shall have been continuously printed in a building located within two municipalities and which for not less than two years shall have continuously maintained its editorial and business offices in said building shall be deemed to have been published continuously in each of said municipalities during that period and its publication office shall be deemed to have been situate in each municipality during that period. In the event any newspaper which shall have been qualified to publish legal advertisements shall move its publication office to any municipality in the same county or in an adjacent county in this State and which shall otherwise continue to meet the qualifications of this section, it shall be qualified to publish legal advertisements which it was qualified to publish prior to moving said publication office for a period of two years after the date of the moving of its publication office or such period as the newspaper shall have the highest paid circulation of any newspaper within the county or municipality which shall use said newspaper for legal advertisements. b. In lieu of the requirements of subsection a. of this section, whenever, until March 1, 2026, by law, it is required that there be published by printing and publishing in a newspaper or newspapers, ordinances, resolutions, or notices or advertisements of any sort, kind, or character by any county, city, or other municipality or municipal corporation, or by any municipal board or official board, or body, or office, or officials, or by any person or corporation, the newspaper or newspapers may be published consistent with section 2 or 3, as applicable, of P.L.2025, c.72 (C.35:3-2 or C.35:3-3). c. After March 1, 2026 whenever, by law, it is required that there be published by printing and publishing in a newspaper or newspapers, ordinances, resolutions, or notices or advertisements of any sort, kind, or character by any county, city, or other municipality or municipal corporation, or by any municipal board or official board, or body, or office, or officials, or by any person or corporation, the newspaper or newspapers shall be published consistent with section 2 or 3, as applicable, of P.L.2025, c.72 (C.35:3-2 or C.35:3-3). Amended by L.1938, c. 328, p. 838, s. 1; L.1941, c. 147, p. 490, s. 2; L.1941, c. 409, p. 1053, s. 2; L.1953, c. 342, p. 1903, s. 1; L.1953, c. 411, p. 2068, s. 2; L.1962, c. 186, s. 1, eff. Dec. 7, 1962; L.1973, c. 332, s. 1, eff. Dec. 27, 1973; L.1979, c. 84, s. 1, eff. May 7, 1979; 2025, c.72, s.8.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-2.2a Publication in county or municipal newspaper; exception

Notwithstanding any other provision of law whenever, by law, it is required that there be published by printing and publishing in a newspaper, which meets the qualifications set forth in Revised Statutes 35:1-2.2, ordinances, resolutions or notices or advertisements of any sort, kind or character by any county, or by any city or other municipality or municipal corporation, or by any municipal board or official board, or body, or office, or officials, or by any person or corporation of such county, such notice or advertisement may be published in a newspaper published in such county or municipality, as may be required by the statute prescribing the method of publication, except that there shall hereafter be no requirement that the newspaper be printed in any such county or municipality provided that the said newspaper is printed in the State of New Jersey. L.1968, c. 133, s. 1, eff. July 9, 1968.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-2.4 Legal newspaper whose owner enters military or naval service; resumption of publication after discharge or death

If any person heretofore and subsequent to December seventh, one thousand nine hundred and forty-one, entered, or hereafter, in time of war, shall enter the active military or naval service of the United States, or the active service of the United States Merchant Marine, and such person at the time of such entry was or is the owner of a legal newspaper meeting and satisfying all the qualifications for the publication of official advertisements, and such newspaper was or is obliged to suspend publication because of such entry of such person, such newspaper upon resumption of publication within six months after the time of such person's discharge from such service, or within six months after the time of such person's death while in service, shall be deemed to have met and satisfied all the qualifications of a legal newspaper for the publication of official advertisements during the whole of such period of suspension. L.1943, c. 105, p. 337, s. 1, eff. April 7, 1943.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-3 Change of name; certificate, record and filing

The name of any newspaper published within the state may be changed by recording and filing a certificate under the hand of its proprietor, or if its proprietor be a corporation under the corporate seal, setting forth the name of the newspaper, its proprietorship, place of publication, the new name adopted and the date when the change of name shall take effect, which shall be not less than one week after the filing of the certificate. The execution of the certificate shall be proved or acknowledged as required for deeds of real estate and shall be recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose in the office of the clerk of the county in which the newspaper is published, and after being recorded shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state. The certificate or a copy duly certified by the secretary of state shall be competent evidence in any court.

N.J. Stat. § 35:1-4 § 35:1-4

When a newspaper shall change its name as provided in section 35:1-3 of this title, its continuance as a legal newspaper shall not be interrupted nor shall the validity of any legal publication be in anywise affected.

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