Paterson Phone Directory Lookup
Paterson is the county seat of Passaic County and one of the largest cities in New Jersey with about 159,000 residents. The Paterson phone directory covers city hall, the city clerk, police, fire, public works, and all other municipal departments. As the county seat, Paterson also hosts the Passaic County Clerk's Office and other county offices. This guide walks you through how to search for phone numbers in Paterson, submit records requests, and reach the correct office for your needs.
Paterson Quick Facts
Paterson City Clerk Phone Numbers
The Paterson City Clerk is the primary contact for public records and phone directory requests at the city level. The clerk handles OPRA requests, maintains official city documents, and keeps records of meetings and resolutions. You can find the clerk's page at patersonnj.gov for current phone numbers and office details.
A screenshot of the Paterson City Clerk page shows the department layout and contact options for the public. Visit the Paterson City Clerk website for forms and updated hours.
The clerk page lists direct lines for each division within the office, making it a solid starting point for any Paterson phone directory search.
Since Paterson is the county seat, the Passaic County Clerk's Office is also in the city. That office is at 401 Grand Street, Room 130, Paterson, NJ 07505, phone (973) 225-3690. Danielle Ireland-Imhof serves as County Clerk. Appointments are required. The Registry Division is in Room 113 at the same address, phone (973) 881-4777. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM.
How to Search Paterson Phone Listings
Start your Paterson phone directory search on the city website. Each department page lists direct lines and email contacts. If you need a number that is not posted, call the main switchboard and ask to be transferred. The NJ OPRA Portal at njopraportal.com covers over 1,250 agencies including Paterson and all Passaic County offices.
Under OPRA, set out in N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, government records must be open to the public. Phone directory data from Paterson offices falls under this law. The records custodian must respond within seven business days. If your request is denied, you can file a complaint with the Government Records Council at 866-850-0511 or through nj.gov/grc.
The Passaic County Land Records Vault at 77 Hamilton Street, Basement, Paterson, NJ 07505 is another resource. The vault phone is (973) 881-4785 and the Map Room can be reached at (973) 881-4791. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:15 PM. Get there by 4:00 PM for help. The vault provides public access to recorded instruments for anyone doing property research in Paterson.
Paterson OPRA Records Requests
OPRA governs public records access in Paterson. The law gives you the right to request records from any government body. Passaic County maintains court records, property records, vital records, business records, tax records, voting records, meeting minutes, budget documents, and law enforcement records. All of these are available under OPRA with limited exceptions.
Passaic County provides free access to several types of records. You can inspect records in person at no charge during regular business hours. Online resources like meeting minutes and budgets are free. Basic court case information through the NJ Courts portal costs nothing. Electronic records delivered by email are also free when they are already in digital form. The law at N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5 details the fee rules for Paterson phone directory and records requests.
Certified copies from the Passaic County Clerk cost $10.00 for the first page and $2.00 for each page after. The County Homelessness Trust Fund Act adds a $5 surcharge per document. Recording fees for deeds start at $40 to $45 for the first page plus $10 for each extra page. Mortgage recordings run $30 to $35 for the first page. These fees apply to any Paterson property document filed with the county.
Note: The Passaic County Clerk only accepts Attorney Trust Account Checks, Title Agency Trust Account checks, Certified Checks, or Cash for the Realty Transfer Fee.
Passaic County Phone Directory in Paterson
Because Paterson is the county seat, most Passaic County offices are in the city. The county clerk records deeds, mortgages, and other property documents. The Elections Division at (973) 881-4127 handles ballots and election results. A satellite office at 1237 Ringwood Avenue, Wanaque, NJ 07465, phone (973) 513-9900, serves residents in the northern part of the county.
The Passaic County Clerk does not perform title searches. Independent title searchers can be reached at 973-881-4769. Surveys are not recorded in the clerk's office. All documents must be fully prepared before recording. An Official County Cover Sheet is required on every document, and submitting without one costs an extra $20. As of July 2025, deeds with a consideration over $1,000,000 may be subject to a revised realty transfer tax under P.L. 2025, c. 69.
The Passaic County Clerk offers a Property Fraud Warning System. This free service alerts Paterson property owners when documents are recorded against their property. It provides early warning of potential fraud. You can also search recorded documents through the Passaic County online records portal. The OPRAMachine portal at opramachine.com provides another way to submit electronic OPRA requests to the county clerk.
The state Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services manages records storage and image processing for New Jersey, supporting the records systems that serve Paterson and Passaic County.
New Jersey Phone Directory Tools
Beyond local offices, several state tools help Paterson residents find government contacts. The New Jersey State Archives holds historical records for Passaic County. The New Jersey State Library has genealogical collections, census records, and legislative histories. Both are at state buildings in Trenton and are free to visit.
Penalties for blocking valid records requests are enforced. Under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-11, a first violation can bring a $1,000 fine. A second offense goes to $2,500, and a third reaches $5,000. Requesters can invoke both OPRA and the common law right of access when making requests to the Passaic County Clerk. The common law right may provide access even when OPRA exemptions apply. These rules protect Paterson residents who need phone directory information and other public records.
Passaic County Phone Directory
Paterson is the county seat of Passaic County. The county clerk and other county offices in the city handle records for all municipalities in Passaic County. For more on the county system, fee schedules, office hours, and other resources, visit the Passaic County phone directory page.