New Jersey Joins Florida in the Digital Legal Notices Revolution

As print newspapers decline in circulation and relevance, states are rewriting the rules for how legal notices are published. New Jersey is the latest to take bold legislative action. What does this mean for New Jersey municipalities? And what states could be next?

What Changed in New Jersey?

On June 30, 2025, Governor Phil Murphy signed S-4654 (Senate)/A-5878 (Assembly), making New Jersey the first state to mandate that all legal notices be published on municipalities official websites—a law that goes into effect on March 1, 2026.

Key elements of the law include:

• Legal notices must be conspicuously posted on the homepage of a government entity’s website.
• They must remain online for at least one week and be archived for at least one year.
• Agencies must provide a notarized declaration or affidavit proving the notice was published online.

This is more than a passive modernization effort; it’s a proactive statewide overhaul.

Florida Paved the Way

New Jersey’s approach was informed by Florida’s 2023 legislation (HB 7049), which offers counties and municipalities the option to post legal notices online rather than in newspapers. Counties that opt in designate a single digital provider, and all municipalities within that county must follow suit.

Florida’s model still allows publication in traditional newspapers, but it’s increasingly being adopted as a cost-effective, resident-friendly alternative. Notices can be posted on designated county websites, and digital affidavits, often notarized electronically, are part of the compliance workflow.

Why This Matters

Legal notices aren’t just red tape. They’re essential to:

• Zoning decisions
• Public bids
• Foreclosure and lien notices
• Environmental impact disclosures
• Government hearings

In short: Legal notices are integral to transparency and accountability in local government.

These new laws are not just upgrades; they are necessary evolutions to preserve public access through ongoing digital transformation.

Benefits for Governments and Residents

The digital transformation of public notices offers multiple advantages:

• Cost Savings: Printing legal notices in newspapers can be costly over time. Moving online slashes those costs and streamlines workflows.
• Increased Accessibility: Digital notices are searchable, screen-reader friendly, and available 24/7, which represents an impactful shift in the status quo that will support greater accessibility for all residents.
• Staff Efficiency: Modern platforms like CivicPlus Process Automation and Digital Services allow staff to create, post, archive, and notarize notices from a single interface.

Other States to Watch

As New Jersey and Florida break new ground, other states are exploring similar changes:

• Ohio: Already allows municipalities to publish notices online; additional legislation could expand this to townships.
• Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Indiana: Considering laws that permit either government or news websites to serve as official notice outlets.
• Massachusetts (Lexington): Piloting a local bill that authorizes digital-only notice publication.
• Maryland: Proposed bills would require legal notices to be published in both print and digital formats and expand the definition of a “newspaper” to include digital-only publications.

The Future of Legal Notices

With two states now pioneering online publication and others considering its place in resident engagement and accessibility strategies, the legal notice landscape is joining a greater paradigm shift in civic engagement.

As local government moves to meet residents where they are—online—the tools, regulations, and expectations are evolving in tandem. CivicPlus is at the forefront, offering secure, efficient, and legally compliant solutions that ensure no notice goes unread.

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