Governor Mikie Sherrill • Lt. Governor Dr. Dale G. Caldwell |
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| News for Local Government Officials |
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Municipal ClerkABC Retail Licensee Clearance Certifications 2026-2027 - 05/18/2026 This Notice is being sent on behalf of the ABC License Verification Unit, New Jersey Division of Taxation. Dear Municipal Clerk: The Alcoholic Beverage Retail Licensee Clearance Certificates (Renewal) have been updated for the 2026 - 2027 season. As of today, Monday May 18, 2026, you are able to view which renewals have been issued and ready for you to print to allow for renewal. Be aware, you must have a renewal clearance in order to pass your resolution for the 2026 - 2027 year. Should a licensee not have clearance, IMMEDIATELY contact the licensee and advise them you have not received their renewal clearance. All of the licenses have been cleared except for the older licenses that were not cleared last year. Please advise the licensee that they can either: 1) Contact the caseworker they are currently corresponding with at the New Jersey Division of Taxation, or 2) They can reach out via email to the ABC Licensing Unit at: ABCclearance.Public@treas.nj.gov. Statuses will not be discussed with the Clerks. If you have a licensee that has transferred their license after December 31, 2025 and you have BOTH a Renewal Clearance in the name of the prior licensee AND an Alcoholic Beverage Retail Licensee Clearance Certificate (Transfer) to the current licensee in your possession, they are in compliance and can be renewed. Should an active licensee obtain a renewal clearance and the final meeting before July 1, 2026 has passed, they must obtain an ad-interim to get them to the next meeting in order to continue to sell alcohol. To view the list of licensees in your municipality and those cleared by Taxation, login to your myNJ/GovConnect account at http://Portal.NJ.Gov and click the "Annual ABC License Clearance" link located in the GovConnect Links section. Here you will see all licensees that are clear or need to be cleared within your municipality. NOTE: If you are a Municipal Clerk and DO NOT HAVE a User ID & Password for login to the myNJ/GovConnect website, please email your request for a "GovConnect Authentication Code" to EGG@dca.nj.gov. NOTE: If you are a Municipal Clerk and HAVE a User ID & Password and CAN login to myNJ/GovConnect but DO NOT HAVE THE LINK "Annual ABC License Clearance," please email your request for a "GovConnect Authentication Code" to EGG@dca.nj.gov. NOTE: If you are an ABC SECRETARY and do not have access to the listing for your Municipality, please email ABCclearance.Public@treas.nj.gov with information to set up your access. Thank you, ABC License Verification Unit New Jersey Division of Taxation Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suarez is excited to share the launch of the NJHOMES Affordable Building Club (ABC). NJHOMES ABC was developed to help municipalities navigate their affordable housing needs, and in creating an actionable development strategy with expert guidance. ABC is a no-cost, monthly, virtual educational series covering essential affordable housing topics including analyzing housing needs, identifying funding sources, exploring data tools, understanding life-cycle housing, efficient project development, positive community engagement, and more. Session details and welcome video from Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suarez and Assistant Commissioner and Division of Housing and Community Resources Director Janel Winter are available at: https://NJHOMESABC.nj.gov. REGISTER TODAY FOR THE PRELIMINARY INFORMATION SESSION: https://bit.ly/NJHOMESABCInfoSession. or via email: NJHOMES@dca.nj.gov. Info Session Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026 Time: 12:00 to 12:30 p.m. Registration Deadline: June 15, 2026 A session recording will be available after June 17, 2026. As municipalities across New Jersey navigate affordable housing needs, having a clear, actionable development strategy is more important than ever. Join NJHOMES ABC and take the lead in shaping your community housing future. Together, we will build a more affordable New Jersey. REGISTER TODAY FOR THE PRELIMINARY INFORMATION SESSION: Municipal clerks please forward this notice to Mayors, Council Members, Policing, Planning & Development and Housing Liaison. Municipalities throughout the State have adopted ordinances authorizing and regulating short-term rentals through online marketplaces such as, but not limited to, Airbnb and VRBO. With the FIFA World Cup, America 250th Anniversary celebrations, and other major events this summer and beyond, Local Finance Notice 2026-09 reminds municipalities of their authority to allow New Jersey residents to participate in the short-term rental market, helping them generate income while keeping tourism dollars within their communities. Available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2026/2026-09.pdf, the Notice explains how municipalities can license and collect revenue from short-term transient accommodations. Municipal Clerks should pass this Notice along to their elected officials. Financial Disclosure Statement (FDS) Filing Process LFN 2026-06 (LFN) - 02/27/2026Local Finance Notice 2026-06 has now been issued. The LFN contains important information concerning the annual Financial Disclosure Statement (FDS) filing process for Local Government Entity Representatives (LGE Representatives) for 2026. You may view the notice by clicking on this https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2026/2026-06.pdf. Rosters may now be updated. The deadline to complete roster updates is March 31, 2026, as Local Government Officers (LGOs) will be able to start filing shortly thereafter. During this time period for roster updates, LGOs will not be able to access the system to file an FDS for 2026. A separate Local Finance Notice (LFN 2026-07) will be released in the upcoming weeks for distribution to LGOs. The statutory deadline for LGO filing is April 30, 2026. Please wait until LFN 2026-07 has been issued before informing LGOs that they can begin filing. The Local Finance Board has developed numerous resources, including webinars, to help the LGE Representatives with managing the FDS rosters. The webinars, available at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7WdF7A70VAh7emujl7XZOg, show how to manage the FDS roster, as well as how to determine positions that are deemed LGOs, and thus who is required to file. The recording was designed to help LGE Representatives, especially new representatives, understand the FDS system. If you have questions that are not addressed in LFN 2026-06, please see the Help resources at www.fds.nj.gov, e-mail LFB_FDS@dca.nj.gov, or call the Local Finance Board staff at 609-815- 3904. Update to Fair Housing Act Model Affordable Housing Ordinance - 03/16/2026This notice is being sent on behalf of DCA's Division of Local Planning Services. This notice rescinds the notice issued on February 13, 2026 wherein the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) provided notice that it had published a model affordable housing ordinance template on its website to assist municipalities in complying with ordinance adoption requirements of P.L. 2024, c.2 and the Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program. Subsequently, that template was removed from the DCA website. The previously posted template was intended only as a general reference and guidance tool and was removed to avoid potential confusion regarding the governing statutory and regulatory requirements. Municipalities should instead rely on the governing statutes and regulations, including the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (UHAC), and related guidance issued by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA). NJHMFA has issued a Municipal Information Bulletin that provides additional information for municipalities developing their affordable housing ordinances. That document is available at the following location: Municipalities are reminded that the applicable statutes and regulations govern the administration of affordability controls and may be updated over time. Local ordinances should be developed with careful attention to those governing authorities to ensure continued alignment with the controlling state framework. Please bring this matter to the attention of your affordable housing planner and municipal attorney. 2026 Certification Exam Application Deadlines & USPS Postmark Changes - 02/26/2026IMPORTANT EXAM APPLICATION INFORMATION The Division of Local Government Services (Division) is responsible for the administration of five (5) certification exams: Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO), Certified Public Works Manager (CPWM), Certified Tax Collector (CTC), Qualified Purchasing Agent (QPA), and Registered Municipal Clerk (RMC). The application deadlines for each exam are thirty (30) days before the exam date. This deadline is set by statute and does not permit exemptions. Individuals who are planning on applying to sit for the Division's certification exams should be aware of a recent United States Postal Service (USPS) procedure change that will impact their application submittal. Effective January 2026, the USPS changed its policy regarding when postmarks are placed on mail. As a result, a postmark may be placed on a piece of mail days after receipt, which could cause the application to be deemed late by the Division. For the Division's full application deadline policy, please see below. To prevent the possibility of applicants missing the deadline, the Division requests that all applicants scan and e-mail their applications and supporting documentation to DLGS.Certification@dca.nj.gov on or before the application deadline. The Division will acknowledge receipt of any application received via e-mail. After e-mailing the exam application, a hard copy and the application fee should be mailed to the Division. The Division's exam applications can be found on the Certification Unit's website: https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/programs/certification.shtml Division's Exam Application Deadline Policy: Applications are considered timely if, on or before the application deadline, the application is either (1) postmarked by the United States Postal Service (USPS), (2) in the custody of a delivery service company that provides tracking, or (3) is e-mailed to DLGS.Certification@dca.nj.gov by 11:59pm on the application deadline. Applications e-mailed must be followed with a hard copy and the application fee. Applications with no USPS postmark or tracking received after the application deadline will be deemed late and held for the next exam. Dates printed by a postage machine are not accepted as proof of timeliness. The application deadline is set by statute, and there are no exemptions permitted. No deadline extensions will be provided if an application deadline falls on a holiday or weekend. For questions, please contact DLGS.Certification@dca.nj.gov. Municipal Clerks, please forward this to the appropriate staff that may be taking the exam. 2025 Director's Table - AMENDED - 02/26/2026Dear Municipal Clerk: The Division of Taxation is required by law to distribute copies of the 2025 Table of Equalized Valuations to the Commissioner of Education, Municipal Clerks of each municipality and the County Tax Administrators of each County Board of Taxation, as per P.L. 1954, Chapter 86, N.J.S.A. 54:1-35.1 and N.J.S.A. 54:51 A-4(c). To view a copy of the 2025 Table of Equalized Valuations as Amended by the Tax Court of New Jersey, use the link below. https://www.nj.gov/treasury/taxation/lpt/statdata.shtml. For questions, please e-mail Richard.Serrano@treas.nj.gov. New LFNs on Storm Response and Impact of P.L. 2025 c.185 on Local Unit - 01/30/2026Local Finance Notices 2026-04 and 2026-05 are now available on the DLGS website. LFN 2026-04 provides updated budget and procurement guidance relevant to the winter storm of last weekend. LFN 2026-05 explains the impact of recently enacted P.L. 2025 c.185, which amends several key statutory provisions relating to budget and AFS submission deadlines, audit deadlines, filling vacancies in statutory positions requiring DLGS certification, and the mailing of estimated tax bills. These Notices can be accessed at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2026/2026-04.pdf and https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2026/2026-05.pdf. Please review each notice thoroughly. CY 2026 / FY 2027 Transitional Aid to Localities - 01/28/2026Local Finance Notice 2026-03, accessible on the DLGS website at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2026/2026-03.pdf, concerns the CY 2026 / SFY 2027 Transitional Aid application process for both CALENDAR YEAR and FISCAL YEAR municipalities. Transitional Aid is the only discretionary aid available for municipal budgets and will only be available to municipalities that have severe structural difficulties and anticipate problems making payments toward nondiscretionary or critical obligations, including, but not limited to, debt service, contractual obligations, and payroll. A Transitional Aid award is conditioned on the municipality meeting the following requirements: - Submitting to broad State oversight of hiring, procurement, and other matters; - Performing reasonable revaluations or reassessments of property as required by law; and - Submitting to such additional fiscal control measures as may be directed by the DLGS. Applicants who are awarded aid will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the DLGS acknowledging State oversight and committing to compliance therewith. Municipalities intending to apply for Transitional Aid should carefully review LFN 2026-03 and the CY 2026 / SFY 2027 Transitional Aid Application, available on the DLGS website at https://nj.gov/dca/dlgs/resources/transitional_aid/CY2026.FY2027%20TA%20Application%20FINAL.docx. Calendar year applicants must submit a "Notice of Intent to Apply" by February 13, 2026, and a final application by February 27, 2026. Fiscal year applicants must submit a "Notice of Intent to Apply" by August 21, 2026, and a final application by September 25, 2026. Municipal Clerks, please forward this notice to Elected Officials. LFN 2026-01 Changes to Legal Notice Publication Requirements - 01/12/2026Signed into law by Governor Murphy on June 30, 2025, L. 2025, c.72 reflects the transition from traditional print newspapers to online platforms by updating legal notice publication requirements. After March 1, 2026, whenever a public entity is required by law or by order or rule of court to publish or advertise a legal notice, the public entity shall make the complete text of the legal notice publicly accessible on its official Internet website free-of-charge. The website publication requirement will supersede the current newspaper publication of legal notices. Local Finance Notice 2026-01, available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2026/2026-01.pdf, explains the implications of the new law. Please review this Notice closely. New LFN 2025-08 - Contracting Threshold Adjustments - 07/08/2025Local Finance Notice 2025-08, available at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dlgs/lfns/2025/2025-08.pdf, announces contracting thresholds recently updated by State Treasury (public bidding) and by the Office of the State Comptroller (procurement review). The current bid thresholds for Local Public Contracts Law (LPCL) and Public School Contracts Law (PSCL) contracting units are as follows: LPCL without QPA: $17,500 PSCL without QPA: $39,000 LPCL and PSCL with QPA: $53,000 Please review this Notice for a thorough review of procurement-related thresholds applicable to your contracting unit. Notice of Adjustment to Statutory Contract Review Thresholds - 06/02/2025 This Notice is being sent on behalf of the Office of the State Comptroller - Public Contracting Oversight Division. Take notice that, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:15C-10(d), the Office of the State Comptroller, after consultation with the Department of the Treasury, has exercised statutory authority to adjust the threshold amounts set forth in N.J.S.A 52:15C-10 (a) and (b). Accordingly, as of July 1, 2025, all "contracting units" as defined pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:15C-10(a) shall notify the Office of the State Comptroller of contracts that meet or exceed the below thresholds as follows: (1) For contracts involving consideration or an expenditure of more than $3,000,000, but less than $15,200,000, no later than 20 business days after the contract award; (2) For contracts involving consideration or an expenditure of $15,200,000 or more, at the earliest time practicable as the contracting unit commences the procurement process, but no later than the time the contracting unit commences preparation of: any bid specification or request for proposal; concession offering; proposal to purchase, sell, or lease real estate; or other related activities and contracts, but not less than 30 days prior to public advertisement or other public or private solicitation; and (3) For contracts issued pursuant to an emergency or public exigency involving consideration or an expenditure of more than $3,000,000, no later than 30 business days after the award of a contract. For additional information, please refer to https://nj.gov/comptroller/about/work/contracting/contracts.shtml. For questions regarding this program: contracts@osc.nj.gov. Update Required - Mayors' List & GovConnect Authorized Roles - 12/11/2024Dear Municipal Clerk: Please be informed that the municipal contact list is no longer available for use. Our communication process is now being streamlined through GovConnect News to enhance data privacy. As municipal roles change from year to year, we are requesting your assistance in updating the attached Mayors' List. Carefully review the attached Mayors' List information and be sure the spelling of the mayor's name is correct, the date reflects the end of the term of serving as Mayor, and the e-mail address is correct. Also, confirm that the municipality's address and phone number are correct. If the information needs a modification, please respond to this email, egg@dca.nj.gov with the updated information. The Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) recently expanded its capabilities through GovConnect News so that the DLGS may continue its communication outreach with local government officials. GovConnect News provides up to date, important information such as newly issued Local Finance Notices, E-Government to Government (EGG) Notices, updates on recently signed legislation, as well as other important DLGS news, reminders, and dates and ensures that all the authorized roles are registered for GovConnect to comply with recently adopted amendments by the Local Finance Board to N.J.A.C. 5:30-16.2. On the attached Excel file please provide the first name, last name, and email address for the following roles: - Business Administrator and/or Manager - Certified Public Works Manager (CPWM) - Municipal Auditor - Purchasing agent (QPA or non-QPA) The following roles were already obligated to register for GovConnect. Please provide the first name, last name, and email address for them on the attached Excel file. - Clerk - Finance Officer - Tax Collector - Board of Commissioners for each local authority (including regional authorities) - Fire Districts Once the Excel file has been updated, please email it to egg@dca.nj.gov. This needs to be completed no later than Monday, January 13, 2025. If you are a new municipal clerk, please update your e-mail address as the local government entity representative for the Financial Disclosure Statement (FDS) system by contacting the LFB by e-mail at LFB_FDS@dca.nj.gov. If you have not registered for EGG Notices, please email egg@dca.nj.gov with your contact information. |
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Updated: 05/20/2026