Salem County Directory Listings

Salem County is the smallest county in New Jersey by population, with about 64,837 residents as of the 2020 Census. Despite its small size, the county runs a full set of government offices with public phone lines. The Salem County phone directory helps you reach the clerk, surrogate, and court offices from one place. The county seat is the city of Salem, and most offices sit along Fifth Street in the downtown area. This phone directory covers all main departments, hours, and direct numbers so you can connect fast with the right person in Salem County.

Salem County Clerk Phone Directory

The Salem County Clerk's Office is at 110 Fifth Street, Suite 200, in the city of Salem. The main phone number is (856) 935-7510. To reach the County Clerk directly, ask for extension 8605. The Record Room has its own extension at 8219. The office operates by appointment for some services, so call first to confirm what you need.

The Salem County Clerk is an elected official who serves as a constitutional officer. The clerk handles a wide range of tasks. These include filing and recording real estate documents, processing U.S. passport applications, issuing County ID Cards, filing business trade names, and running elections. The Salem County Clerk website has the full list of services and forms you can use.

The website also lists current hours, staff contacts, and the public records search tool for the county.

Note: Salem County still requires hand delivery of documents for recording, unlike most other New Jersey counties that accept electronic filing.

Salem County Record Room

The Record Room sits in the same building as the Clerk's Office at 110 Fifth Street, Suite 200. This is where all land records are stored. Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other documents tied to real property in Salem County are available for public viewing. Staff cannot do a title search for you, but they will help you use the office computers to look up records on your own.

Salem County also offers a web-based public records search at salemcountyclerk.org. You can search by document type and name within a set time range. Any document that has been published on the web is viewable through this system. The phone directory extension for the Record Room is 8219 at the main clerk number.

Recording services at Salem County are handled at the same office for all document types.

Historical Phone Directory for Salem County

Salem County has one of the oldest record collections in New Jersey. The New Jersey State Archives holds Salem County documents going back to the 1680s. This includes deeds from 1786 to 1900 on 91 reels of microfilm, mortgages from 1766 to 1860 on 14 reels, and marriage records from 1680 to 1956 on 7 reels. Military records from around 1860 to 1940 are also on file.

The State Archives search portal lets you find older Salem County records that are no longer stored at the local office.

The collection also holds unique items. These include records of slave manumissions and birth certificates of children of slaves from 1800 to 1841. There are also chattel mortgage books from 1864 to 1872, sheriff's bond records from 1807 to 1926, and court fee receipt books from 1864 to 1869. For anyone doing deep historical research in Salem County, these files are a key resource.

Note: For records before the county's formation, check with the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton at (609) 292-6260.

Salem County Surrogate Court Contacts

The Salem County Surrogate's Court is at 110 Fifth Street, Suite 1000, in Salem. The phone number is (856) 935-7510, extension 8323. The Surrogate handles probate matters, estate work, and guardianship cases. You can also reach related agencies through the surrogate office phone directory.

The Surrogate's Court provides a Records Request Form for copies of probate records. Copy fees are $3 per page when staff make the copies. If you use your own equipment at the self-service stations, there is no charge. The office also gives out contact numbers for related agencies. The Salem County Clerk can be reached at extension 8206 for deeds and mortgages. The State Department of Health, Division of Vital Statistics, is at (609) 292-4087 extension 582 for birth, death, and marriage certificates.

The surrogate website lists forms, fee details, and step-by-step guides for estate matters in Salem County.

Court Records in Salem County

Salem County court records are public under OPRA. You can visit the courthouse on workdays during normal hours to search for records or file a request with the court clerk. The court clerk serves as the records custodian. Records cover judgments, motions, filing dates, and case numbers.

The Superior Court in Salem County handles civil, family, and probate matters. The Family Division deals with child custody, child support, and related issues. Some family records that involve minors may be classified or have parts redacted. The phone directory for the Salem County court system connects you with each division so you can reach the right staff member for your needs. You can also use the NJ eCourts system to look up case details by name or docket number.

Salem County OPRA Requests

The Salem County OPRA portal lets you submit records requests online. Under New Jersey law, any person can ask for government records. You do not need to be a Salem County resident. The county must respond within seven business days.

Common records people request through the Salem County phone directory and OPRA process include meeting minutes, budget documents, law enforcement reports, and land use records. If the records you need cost more than $5 to reproduce, the county may ask for a deposit before they start the work. Standard copy fees apply per page. For electronic records, the county provides them by email at no extra charge when they are already in digital form.

Note: Salem County maintains historical court records including Chancery Court and Supreme Court cases dating from 1779 to 1877 at the State Archives.

Salem County Municipalities

Salem County has 15 municipalities. The largest include Pennsville Township, Carneys Point Township, and the city of Salem. Each municipality has its own clerk for local records, but all county-level documents are filed through the Salem County Clerk in the city of Salem. Smaller towns like Woodstown, Pilesgrove, and Alloway also fall under the Salem County phone directory for county services.

Residents across all 15 municipalities use the same county phone lines for property records, vital statistics, and court matters. If you are not sure which office to call, start with the main Salem County Clerk number at (856) 935-7510 and they can direct you to the right department.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Salem County. Use the links below to reach the phone directory for a neighboring county.