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New Jersey · Delaware Valley · #716
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Along the Delaware River in central New Jersey's rolling hills, Hunterdon County is consistently New Jersey's wealthiest county per capita - a landscape of horse farms, covered bridges, and gentleman's estates where the New York metro's professional class has established country addresses that preserve the pastoral character of a pre-industrial New Jersey landscape.
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What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Hunterdon County Department of Public Safety / Office of Emergency Management – 201 Cherryville Road, PO Box 2900, Flemington, NJ 08822 | (908) 788-1205 | Fax: (908) 782-0057; created 2005 to consolidate county public safety services.
Communications: Hunterdon County Division of Communications – established 1975, on the air June 23, 1976; genuinely became the FIRST county-wide agency in New Jersey with 911 service (February 1, 1977) – the only one at the time handling all emergency calls through a single central communications center.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Hunterdon Helpline: (908) 782-4357.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-202 and NJ-31 serve Flemington, the county seat, in western New Jersey.
Notes: Hunterdon County was established in 1714.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Hunterdon County – 71 Main Street, PO Box 2900, Flemington, NJ 08822.
Notes: The Hunterdon County Courthouse is genuinely, famously the site of the 1935 “Trial of the Century” – the Lindbergh kidnapping trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, convicted and sentenced to death for the 1932 kidnapping and murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s infant son. Built in 1828 in the Greek Revival style, it’s one of the oldest surviving county courthouses in New Jersey, used continuously until 1985; artifacts including the witness chair and hand-carved jury chairs from the trial remain on display, and the Historic Courthouse offers public tours. The Union Hotel across the street housed trial attorneys, press, and spectators during the 1935 proceedings.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Hunterdon County Veterans Service – confirm current contact via co.hunterdon.nj.us.
Federal: Lyons VA Medical Center (nearby, Somerset County).
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Confirm current library address/hours via co.hunterdon.nj.us.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse and Jail, Round Valley Reservoir, and the antique shops of nearby Lambertville are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine 1935 Lindbergh kidnapping “Trial of the Century” is one of the most historically significant true-crime facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Hunterdon County Board of Taxation – confirm current contact via co.hunterdon.nj.us.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Flemington Animal Control – 38 Park Avenue, Flemington, NJ 08822; confirm current phone via historicflemington.com.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Hunterdon County Transfer Station – confirm current contact via co.hunterdon.nj.us.
NOTES: Hunterdon County is the third county in the New Jersey v2 A+ sourced redo’s second batch (Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris). The genuine 1935 Lindbergh kidnapping “Trial of the Century” and the county’s status as New Jersey’s first county-wide 911 agency (1977) are distinctive local facts. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County’s wealth is of the discreet, land-holding variety – not the conspicuous suburban consumption of Morris County but the horse farms, renovated farmhouses, and river properties of people who have chosen the Delaware Valley’s gentler landscape over the commuter corridor density. The county’s equestrian tradition is genuine: horse boarding facilities, hunt clubs, and the annual horse show circuit reflect a rural gentry culture that has more in common with Loudoun County, Virginia than with the New Jersey Turnpike corridor.
Flemington, the county seat, gained national attention in 1935 as the site of the Bruno Hauptmann trial for the Lindbergh baby kidnapping – one of the most sensational criminal trials in American history – and the historic Union Hotel where the media circus gathered still stands. The county’s Delaware River towns – Milford, Frenchtown, Stockton, Lambertville – are antique shopping and arts destinations drawing visitors from New York and Philadelphia. Flemington’s outlet shopping has diminished but the agricultural and artistic character of the river towns remains.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
New Jersey assesses property at 100% of true value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Taxation. New Jersey’s inheritance tax applies to Class C and D beneficiaries. Hunterdon County’s high property values mean assessments warrant annual review.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
SENIOR SERVICES
Hunterdon County Division of Senior Services
6 Gauntt Place, Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: (908) 788-1361
Senior Services
Hunterdon County Division of Senior Services
6 Gauntt Place, Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: (908) 788-1361
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
71 Main St., Flemington, NJ 08822
(908) 788-1221
COUNTY CLERK — ELECTIONS
71 Main St., Flemington, NJ 08822
(908) 788-1172
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Hunterdon County Surrogate’s Court, Flemington (probate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1828 Hunterdon County Courthouse, part of the Flemington Historic District, is a significant local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Hunterdon County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Hunterdon County Surrogate’s Court Hunterdon County Justice Center, 65 Park Avenue (mail: P.O. Box 2900), Flemington, NJ 08822 (908) 788-1156
Hunterdon County was established in 1714, in northwestern New Jersey, seated in Flemington. The 1828 Hunterdon County Courthouse, part of the Flemington Historic District, is best known as the site of the 1935 Bruno Hauptmann “Trial of the Century” for the Lindbergh kidnapping.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
New Jersey probate is governed by Title 3B of the New Jersey Statutes. The elected Surrogate’s Court in each county handles uncontested probate matters; contested matters are referred to the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part.
Affidavit of Surviving Spouse (N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3) – available only when the decedent died WITHOUT a will (intestate) and the total value of real and personal assets does not exceed $50,000. The surviving spouse, civil union partner, or domestic partner may file this affidavit with the Surrogate’s Court and receive the assets without formal administration. The first $10,000 of the estate is free from the decedent’s debts. There is no affidavit shortcut if a will exists – a will must always be probated regardless of estate size.
Affidavit of Next of Kin (N.J.S.A. 3B:10-4) – available only when the decedent died intestate, there is no surviving spouse/partner, and the estate does not exceed $20,000. One of the next of kin may file this affidavit with the written consent of all other heirs of equal or greater priority.
Regular (Formal) Probate – required whenever there’s a will, or when an intestate estate exceeds the small-estate thresholds above.
Step 2: filing for regular probate
File an Application for Probate with the Surrogate’s Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled (as soon as 10 days after death).
The Surrogate admits the will and issues Letters Testamentary, or – for intestate estates – appoints an administrator and issues Letters of Administration. A surety bond may be required for an administrator.
The Surrogate issues “short certificates,” which the executor/administrator uses as proof of authority – a certificate is typically needed for each asset that must be transferred or sold.
The personal representative notifies creditors and beneficiaries; New Jersey’s creditor claim period is 9 months from death.
The personal representative inventories assets, pays debts and taxes (including any New Jersey Inheritance Tax return, if applicable), and distributes the remaining assets according to the will or New Jersey’s intestacy statute.
The estate is closed with a final accounting filed with the court.
What it costs
Surrogate’s Court filing fees generally range from about $100 to $250 depending on the county and the complexity/value of the estate.
New Jersey does NOT require an attorney for probate, but one is commonly recommended for anything beyond the simplest estates.
UNIQUE TO NEW JERSEY: New Jersey has an INHERITANCE TAX that applies to transfers to “Class C” and “Class D” beneficiaries – nieces, nephews, friends, and other non-immediate relatives – even for relatively small inheritances; there is no minimum exemption threshold. Transfers to a spouse, civil union/domestic partner, parents, children, grandchildren, and stepchildren (“Class A” beneficiaries) are exempt.
New Jersey repealed its separate state ESTATE tax for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2018 – only the inheritance tax remains at the state level.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
71 Main St., Flemington, NJ 08822
(908) 788-1166
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK — ELECTIONS
71 Main St., Flemington, NJ 08822
(908) 788-1172
ELECTIONS
71 Main St., Flemington, NJ 08822
(908) 788-1172
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
NJ DHHS — Hunterdon
(908) 788-6400
Hunterdon Medical Center
hunterdonhealthcare.org (Flemington — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Hunterdon County Department of Health – confirm current contact via co.hunterdon.nj.us.
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Flemington
Population: 128,000
Area: 430 sq mi
Established: 1714
Tier: 3
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Hunterdon County facilities via Amazon.
