Search Essex County Phone Directory

Essex County has one of the largest populations in New Jersey with roughly 863,000 residents spread across 22 municipalities. The Essex County phone directory puts you in touch with government offices based in Newark, the county seat. You can find phone numbers for the Register of Deeds, the County Clerk, courts, and dozens of local departments here. This directory covers every major office in Essex County. Use it to reach the right person without wasted calls. Every listing pulls from official county sources and is checked for accuracy.

Essex County Register Phone Directory

The Essex County Register of Deeds and Mortgages is led by Hon. Juan M. Rivera, Jr. This office preserves and records property transactions for all 22 municipalities in the county. The phone number is 973-621-4960. The office is at 465 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Hall of Records, Room 130, Newark, NJ 07102. Hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The Essex County Register website has forms, fee schedules, and contact information for every division.

Essex County keeps deeds and mortgages on file going back to 1637. That means nearly 400 years of land records are stored in the Record Room. Since 1988, the office has used a computerized system for recording and indexing. Images have been on office computers since 2001. The Public Records Electronic Search System, known as PRESS, lets you search indexed documents online. The office processed 248,971 documents in a recent year, which shows the high volume of real estate work in Essex County.

The Register also offers the RECORD ALERT system. This free service tells property owners when a document is recorded against their property. It helps catch fraud early. If you suspect fraud, call Financial Crimes at (973) 266-7220.

A look at the Essex County Register of Deeds main page is available at essexregister.com.

The Register site provides fee details, recording instructions, and links to the PRESS search tool.

Note: The Register's Office cannot perform title searches by law; staff can only assist with accessing records that are already on file.

Essex County Phone Directory for Fees

Call 973-621-4960 to confirm current fees. The Essex County fee schedule lists costs for recording, copies, and certifications. Deed recording costs $45.00 for the first page with tax abstract. Each added page is $10.00. Mortgages are $35.00 for the first page. Certified copies cost $8.00 for page one and $2.00 for each page after that.

Other fees in Essex County include:

• Mortgage assignments: $40.00 first page
• Mortgage discharges: $45.00 first page
• Foreclosure lis pendens: $40.00
• Map recording: $55.00
• Federal tax lien recording: $25.00

Payment options are cash, checks, and Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. An ATM is on site. Frequent users can open a charge account for monthly billing by calling the Finance Department at 973-621-4960 x 6202. Checks go to "Essex County Register." The homelessness trust fund surcharge has been folded into recording fees since July 1, 2015.

The fee schedule page at essexregister.com shows a breakdown of every recording cost in Essex County.

Public Records and OPRA in Essex County

Under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, every person has the right to access government records in New Jersey. You do not need to give a reason for your request. Essex County processes OPRA requests through each department's records custodian. The NJ OPRA Portal for Essex County lets you file requests online. The portal covers police reports, building permits, budgets, contracts, and more. It handles delivery to the right custodian and tracks your request.

Agencies must respond within seven business days. If your request is denied, you can appeal to the Government Records Council or file in Superior Court under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-5. The Essex County phone directory includes the OPRA custodian for each office. Start with the main clerk number if you are unsure who to contact.

The NJ OPRA Portal covers 1,250 or more agencies across New Jersey, including all Essex County departments.

Note: Requestors do not need to explain why they want records; the law protects your right to access under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-7.

Essex County Historical Phone Directory

Essex County was formed on March 7, 1683. It is one of the original counties in the Province of East Jersey. Portions later became Passaic County in 1837 and Union County in 1857. The New Jersey State Archives holds rare records from Essex County. These include slave manumissions from 1804 to 1817, birth certificates of children of slaves from 1804 to 1843, and Civil War volunteer records from 1861 to 1865. Veterans grave records cover roughly 1776 to 1980 across 30 reels of microfilm.

The archives also hold lis pendens records from 1876 to 1902, non-resident marriage license applications from 1897 to 1910, and miscellaneous records from 1802 to 1922. For additional records, contact the Essex County Register at 465 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Newark, NJ 07102, or call 973-642-0614. The Record Room is open to the public. Any citizen can view documents held by the office. The Essex County phone directory for historical research starts with the Archives Division or the State Archives in Trenton.

The State Archives catalog lists every collection held for Essex County, with dates and finding aids.

Find Numbers in Essex County

The Essex County phone directory covers offices spread across Newark and the wider county. Start with the main numbers below. If you need a specific division, call the main line and ask to be transferred. Most offices answer from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays.

For court-related numbers, use the New Jersey Courts website. Property records are searchable through the PRESS system. The NJ Courts Self-Help Center has forms and guides for anyone without a lawyer. The Essex County phone directory is your quickest way to reach the right office on the first try. Under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-11, you can also file a complaint if an agency fails to respond to your records request on time.

The statewide OPRA Portal lets you file public records requests with any agency in Essex County or across New Jersey.

Cities in Essex County

Essex County has 22 municipalities. All county-level phone directory listings are managed from offices in Newark. Each city also has its own municipal clerk for local records.

Other municipalities in Essex County include Maplewood, South Orange, Nutley, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Millburn, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, and West Caldwell.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Essex County. If you need a phone number for an office in a neighboring area, check the directory for that county.