On June 30th, bill No. 4654 was enacted making significant changes to the requirements for the publication or advertisement of legal notices including those required under the Municipal Land Use Law (“MLUL”). Historically legal notices were required to be published in newspapers of general circulation to provide the general public an opportunity to participate in hearings and meetings. With the advent of online publication and the end of many print publications, changes were required to the existing law to assure that information was still communicated and available to the general public. The new law addresses these issues.
As of March 1, 2026, all NJ governmental and public entities will be required to publish or advertise legal notices on the municipality’s or entity’s official website. The website will be required to have a link on its home page directing the public to the legal notices. No cost will be imposed upon the public for accessing the legal notices. The notices will be required to be maintained on the website for at least a week or for such other time as required by law, and thereafter must be stored by the municipality or entity for at least a year.
The NJ Secretary of State will also create on its website a link to the legal notice web page for each public entity.
In addition, a public entity may also continue to have its legal notice published in an “eligible online news publication.”
It is important to note that these new requirements do not eliminate the need for any corporation, individual or other entity that is not a public entity to publish or advertise a legal notice but now they can do so in an online publication. Additionally, the certified mail hearing notice requirements as set forth in the MLUL remain in place.
