Author: Angela Rosa

New Notary Educational and Testing Requirements

Source: NJ DORES

Under New Jersey’s new notary public law (P.L. 2021, c. 179), the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services (DORES) is responsible for implementing various changes designed to modernize the notary commissioning process and general notarial practices in this State.

Among the key changes are educational and testing requirements for New Jersey notaries public. Beginning July 2022, the following statutory provisions become effective:

For initial commissions. Non-attorney applicants for initial notary public commissions must provide proof that they have:

  1. Completed a six-hour course of study approved by the State Treasurer; and
  2. Passed an examination prescribed by the State Treasurer.

Procedures for compliance with the above provisions will be made available via DORES’s web site: nj.gov/njbgs. Please check the site periodically for updates.

For renewed commissions. A commissioned notary public applying to renew a commission who has satisfactorily completed the six-hour course of study and passed an examination prescribed by the State Treasurer at least one time, or those who were commissioned for the first time before the October 22, 2021 effective date of P.L. 2021, c.179 must complete a three-hour continuing education course. Procedures for compliance with this provision will be made available via DORES’s web site. Please check the site periodically for updates.

May 2022 – Beware of scammers posing as Sussex County Clerk personnel

The Sussex County (NJ) Clerk’s Office has received numerous calls from concerned citizens (inside and out of our county) who have received phone calls from someone claiming to represent the County Clerk’s Office. The caller makes further claims that our office has information that can be used against them, which can be removed from record upon payment to our office.

THIS IS A SCAM. These calls are NOT coming from our office.

Our phone number and office are being used as a means to scam people out of money.

If you feel you were the victim of this scam, contact the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-383-1570 and ask for the Duty Detective.

 

Tech upgrade results in temporary interruption of onsite record searches

The County Clerk’s Office is currently undergoing a major technology upgrade. Unfortunately, that upgrade resulted in some incompatibilities, temporarily limiting access to our onsite digitized land records.

We apologize for this inconvenience and want you to know our information technology staff are working hard to correct the problem. In the interim, land records recorded from 1950 to present can be viewed via our web search engine. Records prior to 1950 can be searched in our records room in book/paper form.

If you’re planning to visit the Clerk’s Office to search onsite records, please call ahead to confirm the system is working properly (973-579-0900) before making the trip.

Sussex County Ballot Drop Box Locations

  1. Sussex County Clerk’s Office, Newton
  2. Andover Township Municipal Building
  3. Byram Township Municipal Building
  4. Frankford Township Municipal Building
  5. Franklin Borough Municipal Building
  6. Fredon Township Civic Center
  7. Hampton Township Municipal Building
  8. Hardyston Township Municipal Building
  9. Hopatcong Borough Municipal Building
  10. Montague Township Municipal Building
  11. Sandyston Township Municipal Building
  12. Sparta Township Municipal Building
  13. Vernon Township Municipal Building
  14. Wantage Township Municipal Building

The ballot boxes will be monitored (security camera surveillance) and will have daily pickups by the County Board of Elections.

Ballot positions to be drawn Aug 9 at 3 p.m.

An official drawing to determine ballot position for races on this November’s general election will be conducted at the County Clerk’s Office August 9th at 3 p.m.

Because County Clerk Jeff Parrott is running for office this year and his name is on the ballot, Deputy Clerk Angela Rosa will be conducting the draw in his place.

The draw will first determine which of the two major parties will appear in first position on the ballot, and then will determine order among candidates in specific races.

Once available, the result of the drawings will be posted to the Clerk’s website under “Who’s On the Ballot.”