Can a landlord change the locks to force a tenant out in New Jersey?
No. A lockout is a disorderly persons offence and the tenant may be restored to possession. Only a court officer executing a warrant of removal may evict. N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1 et seq. In New Jersey a tenant may be removed only through the court process, which is set by N.J.S.A. 2A:18-53, 2A:18-61.1, 2A:18-61.2, 2A:42-10.16; N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1.
| What | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Changing the locks, cutting a utility or removing belongings | Unlawful |
| Who may remove a tenant | Only a court officer acting on a court order |
Notes
New Jersey does NOT require a notice to quit before filing for nonpayment of rent under the Anti-Eviction Act — the only state on this list where that is so. Every other ground does require one, and the periods differ by ground.
Source
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-53, 2A:18-61.1, 2A:18-61.2, 2A:42-10.16; N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1 — last checked 2026-09-16.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
Compare this rule in every state
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- Every New Jersey rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota