Can You File Small Claims Online in New Jersey?

Claim limit: $5,000
Court: Special Civil Part
File online: Yes (statewide)
Appeal window: 45 days

What Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS) is

New Jersey's statewide portal is where electronic filings go:

System: Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS)
A filer representing themselves may register and file
3 of the 3 New Jersey counties we cover accept an electronic filing
Filing electronically does not change the fee, and does not serve the defendant

However you file, service of the defendant is a separate step with its own cost and its own proof.

New Jersey counties that take an electronic filing

Of the counties Small Claims Desk covers:

Bergen County — Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS)
Essex County — Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS)
Middlesex County — Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS)

Filing without going to the courthouse

Where the portal is closed to you, or your county is not on it, the counter is not the only route:

Check whether your clerk takes a mailed filing. Many do, and it is the most commonly missed option. Each county page on this site lists the filing methods that court accepts.
Send the complete set, not the form alone. The claim form, any document the claim is based on, the fee in the form the clerk accepts, and a return address. An incomplete mailed filing comes back, and the round trip costs a fortnight.
Pay in a form that survives the post. Clerks that take mailed filings generally want a money order or a cashier’s cheque rather than cash or a personal card number.
Remember that filing is not serving. However the case gets to the court, the defendant still has to be formally served, and that is a separate step with its own cost and its own proof.

Confirm with your clerk before posting anything. A rejected filing is charged again when you refile.

Common questions

Can you file a small claims case online in New Jersey?

New Jersey offers statewide e-filing through Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS). Some counties also accept in-person or mail filing.

Is e-filing open to people without a lawyer in New Jersey?

Yes — New Jersey lets a filer representing themselves register for Judiciary Electronic Document Submission (JEDS).

Does filing online cost more in New Jersey?

The filing fee is the same. Card payment may carry a processing surcharge, which your county's fee page sets out.

If I file online, is the defendant notified?

No. Filing and service are separate steps. Filing electronically does not serve anybody.

Pick your county to see how it accepts filings

Small claims is filed at the county level. Pick your county for its court, fee, and forms — or start your claim and we'll ask where you'd sue.

Start my claim

Your small claims filing packet — $49

Everything above, assembled and filled in with your facts:

Your court's own forms, with your claim written in the language the court expects
A demand letter built from the same facts
A filing checklist with your court's address, hours, and fee
What to bring to your hearing