P.L. 2025, c. 72 has changed the publication requirements for official public notices. As you prepare for your reorganization meetings and start the new year, there are two dates to keep in mind with the new law: January 1, 2026 and March 1, 2026.
Starting on January 1, 2026, local governments (municipalities, counties, boards of education, and special districts) must publish public notices twice a month through December 31, 2026. The public notice must include the link to the municipality’s webpage for official notices. The notice must include complete text that each legal notice of the local government may be obtained or viewed on the public entity’s official website and provide the hyperlink. The notices must also include a hyperlink to the Secretary of State’s public notice webpage. Currently that hyperlink is not available as the Secretary of State has until March 1, 2026, to establish the website. The new law took into account that the State’s webpage may not be available by January 1 and includes language that until the Secretary of State’s legal notices webpage is available a local government will be deemed to satisfy this new requirement as long as they published a notice with the local government link.
Starting on March 1, 2026, local governments must publish their legal notices on their official websites. This, however, does not prohibit local governments from using print publications in addition to publishing notices on their official websites. A municipality may publish legal notices in a print or online newspaper if they choose, but they still must publish them on their municipal website. If a local unit uses an online news publication, it must prominently display a hyperlink on its website to the online news publication. Online newspapers must publish any legal notices they receive within 24 hours of receipt. Cost to publish online notices cannot exceed the rate established in N.J.S.A. 35:2-1.
The local government's official website must be accessible, free of charge, with the items conspicuously placed on the website. Notices must be displayed for at least one week, or other time period as required by law, before transferring the notice to the archive. The notices must be archived for at least one year. The archive is not subject to the records retention schedule established by the State Records Committee or the Destruction of Public Records law.
We anticipate that the Division will be issuing guidance shortly. The League will continue to provide updates as information is provided.
Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director, lbuckelew@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x. 112 and Erin Knoedler, Legislative Analyst, eknoedler@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x. 116.