How to get a tax delinquent list in New Jersey
In New Jersey, unpaid property tax is collected by the municipal tax collector. The system for unpaid tax is: tax sale certificates. LeadCounty tracks 20,718 tax-delinquent properties in 6 New Jersey counties, refreshed weekly. Some counties publish their list free; LeadCounty matches, scores and filters the records for you.
Where the official list lives
The office is the municipal tax collector. Whether it shows a full delinquent list, a parcel-by-parcel search or a sale notice, and whether there is a fee, is decided by each county, so check the office's website for your county.
Property tax rolls and ownership come from the county auditor, assessor or appraiser. A parcel number links the tax record to the deed and the owner's mailing address.
The free route
Many counties let you look up a parcel's tax status for free, and some publish the whole list. If you only need one list in one county, the county office may be enough. LeadCounty is useful when you want the records of many offices matched to the right property, scored with reasons, and refreshed every week, with filters such as years behind, amount owed and absentee owner.
Tax delinquent properties in New Jersey counties we cover
| County | Tax delinquent | Properties |
|---|---|---|
| Monmouth County | 8,018 | 259,441 |
| Essex County (Newark) | 7,197 | 190,100 |
| Middlesex County (New Brunswick) | 2,145 | 252,093 |
| Union County (Elizabeth) | 2,076 | 150,201 |
| Hudson County (Jersey City) | 648 | 154,319 |
| Bergen County | 634 | 285,070 |
New Jersey tax sale rules at a glance
- Unpaid tax
- Tax sale certificates. Each town sells tax sale certificates at a yearly auction; bidders bid the interest rate down from 18% and then bid premiums.
- Redemption period
- A private certificate holder can sue to foreclose the right of redemption 2 years after the sale (6 months for a town-held certificate); 2024 changes protect the owner's surplus equity.
- Mortgage foreclosure
- Judicial. Foreclosures go through the Superior Court (Chancery Division) and end with a sheriff's sale.
- Statute
- N.J.S.A. 54:5-1 and following (Tax Sale Law)
General information, not legal advice. Check the statute and the county office before you act.
Questions
Who has the tax delinquent list in New Jersey?
Unpaid property tax is collected by the municipal tax collector. Some counties publish the full list on that office's website; others only let you search one parcel at a time. The format and any fee are set by each county.
Is the tax delinquent list in New Jersey free?
Often the county shows delinquent accounts for free, one parcel at a time. Some publish a full list or sell it. LeadCounty's value is matching, scoring and filtering the records, not owning them.
What happens to a tax delinquent property in New Jersey?
See the table above for the sale type and redemption period. Check the statute and your county office for the current rules.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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