The Somerset County Clerk's Office
Steve Peter is the elected Somerset County Clerk. He serves a five-year term that runs through December 31, 2027. The office sits in the Somerset County Administration Building at 20 Grove Street in Somerville, the same building that houses the Surrogate and several other county offices. The mailing address is P.O. Box 3000, Somerville, NJ 08876. The main phone is 908-231-7013. You can reach the office by email at CountyClerk@somersetcountyNJ.gov.
Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. On Wednesdays the office stays open until 6:00 p.m., which is useful for people who cannot get there during the regular workday. Appointments are available for most services if you prefer to schedule ahead rather than walk in. Parking in the county deck is free, and the Administration Building is accessible by elevator from the Green Level of the deck.
Somerset County Clerk
20 Grove Street, P.O. Box 3000
Somerville, NJ 08876
908-231-7013
Mon-Fri, 8:15 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Wednesday until 6:00 p.m.
What the Somerset County Clerk Records
The County Clerk handles a broader range of services than most people realize. The land-records function gets the most traffic, but the office covers several other areas tied to county government and state law. Each duty is set by statute and has its own fee schedule or process.
The six main areas of responsibility are listed below. Land records are covered in depth in the sections that follow. The others, including elections and passports, are covered in a later section.
- Land Records: records deeds, mortgages, tax liens, and related property documents for Somerset County.
- Notary Public: administers the oath of office to notaries public commissioned in New Jersey.
- Trade Names: records trade name and business name certificates filed under state law.
- Passports: serves as an acceptance facility for U.S. passport applications.
- Veterans: files military discharge documents (DD-214) and issues identification cards for honorably discharged veterans, peddler's license eligibility, and Gold Star families.
- Elections: receives candidate petitions for certain offices, designs ballots, issues vote-by-mail ballots, and certifies election results for Somerset County.
Note: The County Clerk does not handle court case files or Superior Court records. Those requests go to the Clerk of Court and the NJ Courts system.
Somerset County Land Records Overview
The Clerk records documents that affect real property ownership and transfer in Somerset County. That includes deeds, mortgages, tax liens, notices of settlement, federal tax liens and releases, lis pendens, UCC filings, subdivision maps, construction lien claims, and related instruments. Once recorded, each document becomes a permanent part of the county land record and is indexed by grantor, grantee, and document type.
The Records Room is open to the public during regular office hours. Staff can show you how the indexing system works and help you navigate the computer terminals. They cannot, however, conduct a title search on your behalf. If you need a full title search or a chain of title, you will need to hire a title company or real estate attorney who does that work for a fee. The County Clerk's role is to maintain and index the records, not to interpret them or certify the status of title.
All documents submitted for recording, including those sent through e-recording services, must include the Somerset County cover sheet. The cover sheet is part of the instrument and counts as a recorded page for fee-calculation purposes. E-recording is available through three authorized services: CSC, Simplifile, and ePN. Submitters who use e-recording should confirm the cover sheet requirement with their platform before sending a batch.
Surveys are not recorded in the County Clerk's Office. If a survey is part of a deed or subdivision, the subdivision map itself is recorded, but standalone surveys go elsewhere. Check with a surveyor or title professional if you need that kind of document.
The Acclaim Land Records Search System
Somerset County uses the Harris Recording Solutions Acclaim platform for its online land-records portal. The public search site is at liveacclaim.co.somerset.nj.us. You can search by several methods: Name, Book/Page, Instrument Number, Legal Description, Document Type, Consideration, Record Date, and Alpha Index. Most recent searches start with Name or Document Type.
Searching the index is free and does not require an account. To view document images, you must create a free account on the Acclaim site. The registration process takes a few minutes: click Log In, select Register as a new user, enter your email address and choose a password, then activate the account through the confirmation link the system sends. Once logged in, images are available at no charge. Every image displays an UNOFFICIAL watermark. These copies are suitable for reference but are not certified copies for legal use.
Documents from before January 1, 1977 are not in the main search index. They are available in the Alpha Index section of Acclaim. If you are researching older title chains, plan to use both the regular search and the Alpha Index. Pre-1977 documents may also require in-person review at the Records Room.
Certified copies can be ordered through Acclaim by adding a document to the cart. The fee is $10 per instrument plus $1 per page, and the office mails the certified copy by USPS after processing. Plain uncertified copies are available in person at the Records Room for $0.07 per page. Bring exact change or check if you plan to pay in person.
How to Search Land Records Step by Step
The name search is the most common starting point. Here is how it works from beginning to end.
- Go to the Acclaim Name Search page. If you need to search by document type instead, go to the Document Type Search.
- Enter the name in LASTNAME FIRSTNAME format. For example, type SMITH JOHN or SMITH J. Partial names work; a broader entry returns more results.
- Choose a Name Match option: Starts With returns names beginning with your entry; Contains returns any name including those characters; Exact limits results to that exact string.
- Set optional filters for Party Type, Doc Type, and Date Range if you want to narrow results. Leaving these blank returns all matching records.
- Click Search. Review the results list. Each result shows document type, recording date, parties, and instrument number.
- Click a result to open the record detail. To view the image, you must be logged in with a free account. The image loads with the UNOFFICIAL watermark.
- To get a certified copy, click Add to Cart, complete the order, and pay the $10 per instrument plus $1 per page fee. The office mails it by USPS.
Acclaim Search Fields for Somerset County Land Records
The Name Search in Acclaim has a set of fields that control how results are filtered. Understanding each field helps you get precise results without missing documents recorded under slightly different name formats. The table below lists every field in the Name Search interface and explains what it does.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Yes | Business: full or partial name. Personal: LASTNAME FIRSTNAME (e.g., SMITH JOHN or SMITH J.). |
| Name Match | Option | Yes | Starts With, Contains, or Exact Match. |
| Party Type | Dropdown | Optional | Grantor or grantee style; limits results to one side of the transaction. |
| Doc Type | Dropdown / Select | Optional | Limit by document type or groups of document types such as deeds, mortgages, or liens. |
| Date Range | Dropdown / Select | Optional | Specific date range or pre-selected date ranges. |
| From Date | Date | Optional | Sets the earliest recording date for the search. For maps or UCC filings, the county suggests changing From Date as early as 1/1/1800. |
| To Date | Date | Optional | Sets the latest recording date for the search. |
Note: The Document Type Search at liveacclaim.co.somerset.nj.us uses Doc Type as the primary field, with the same date filters. Use it when you know what kind of document you need but not a party name.
Recording and Copy Fees for Somerset County Land Records
Fees for recording documents with the Somerset County Clerk are set by state statute and applied uniformly. The cover sheet is required for all recordings and counts as a page. E-recordings submitted through CSC, Simplifile, or ePN follow the same fee structure. The table below lists the main recording fees from the County Clerk land records page.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First page recording | $45.00 |
| Each additional page | $10.00 |
| Notice of Settlement, two parties | $20.00 |
| Notice of Settlement, three parties | $40.00 |
| Notice of Settlement Discharge | $25.00 |
| Cancellation, mortgage and tax sale certificates | $25.00 |
| Subdivision maps, per page | $55.00 |
| Federal tax lien / release | $25.00 |
| Inheritance tax waiver | $15.00 |
| Disclaimer | $15.00 |
| Construction lien claim / notice of unpaid balance | $15.00 |
| Discharge of construction lien claim | $20.00 |
| Discharge of construction lien by bond | $30.00 |
| Lis pendens to foreclose a lien | $40.00 |
| Lis pendens other, first page | $35.00 |
| Lis pendens other, each additional page | $10.00 |
| Discharge of lis pendens | $40.00 |
| UCC / UCC termination / continuation / assignment / amendment / release | $25.00 |
| Certified copy (online order through Acclaim) | $10.00 per instrument plus $1.00 per page |
| Plain copy in Records Room | $0.07 per page |
If you are recording a multi-page deed or mortgage, the math is straightforward: first page is $45, and each additional page adds $10. A five-page deed costs $85 to record. The cover sheet page adds to that total. Always confirm the current fee with the office before submitting a large batch of documents, as state legislation can change fees.
Elections, Passports, and Trade Names
Three other common reasons people visit the County Clerk's Office are election services, passport applications, and trade name filings. Each is a separate function but handled at the same location on Grove Street.
For elections, the County Clerk receives candidate petitions for certain offices, designs ballots, distributes vote-by-mail ballots, and certifies results after each election cycle. Somerset County residents who want to register as a candidate for an office that routes through the Clerk, or who have questions about vote-by-mail, should contact the office directly at 908-231-7013.
For passports, the office is a U.S. State Department acceptance facility. You can apply for a new passport or renew an existing one here. Bring your completed DS-11 or DS-82 application form, proof of U.S. citizenship, a government-issued photo ID, and a passport photo. Federal passport fees are paid separately to the U.S. Department of State; the county may charge a separate acceptance fee. Call ahead to confirm current requirements and whether an appointment is needed, as federal passport processing requirements can change.
Trade name certificates, sometimes called doing-business-as or DBA registrations, are filed with the County Clerk under New Jersey law. A sole proprietor or partnership operating under a name other than the owner's legal name must file a trade name certificate in the county where the business is located. The certificate is a public record. If you plan to open a bank account or enter contracts under a business name, the trade name filing is often required first. Contact the office for the current form and fee.
Veterans services cover two functions. The office files military discharge documents, known as DD-214 forms, as a permanent county record. These filings are confidential and protected from public disclosure, but the veteran or authorized person can get certified copies when needed. The office also issues identification cards for honorably discharged veterans that can help with peddler's license applications and other county programs. Gold Star family ID cards are issued as well.
Somerset County Clerk Wedding Ceremonies
The Somerset County Clerk officiates civil marriage ceremonies at the Administration Building on Grove Street. This is a free service. The cost of the marriage license and any certified copies of the marriage certificate are separate from the ceremony itself. Many couples choose this option when they want a simple civil ceremony without the cost of a venue or officiant.
Ceremonies are by appointment only and are held on Tuesdays and Fridays. The office can accommodate up to 20 people total, including the couple. If you have more than 18 guests, that is the full room. Witnesses are required, and if you do not have two witnesses available, the office can provide them. The ceremony can be conducted in Spanish as well as English, so couples who prefer to exchange vows in Spanish can request that when scheduling.
To book a ceremony, you need a valid New Jersey marriage license. The license is not issued by the County Clerk. It comes from the municipal registrar in the town where either party resides, or in the town where the ceremony will occur if neither party is a New Jersey resident. After the ceremony, the Clerk files the license with the Borough of Somerville. About five days after filing, certified copies of the marriage certificate can be obtained from Somerville Borough Hall at 908-725-2300, extension 1980. For more about Somerset County marriage and divorce records, see the marriage and divorce records page.
To book a wedding, call the office at 908-231-7013 or email CountyClerk@somersetcountyNJ.gov. The county weddings page has additional details on what to bring and what to expect on the day of the ceremony.
Note: The 72-hour waiting period for a New Jersey marriage license applies from the time you file the application, not from the ceremony date, so plan accordingly when scheduling.