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New Jersey · New York Metro Area · #117 Most Populous County in the US
Union County, New Jersey
One of New Jersey's most diverse counties - from Elizabeth's immigrant port of entry identity and Plainfield's historic neighborhoods to the affluent suburbs of Summit, Westfield, and New Providence along the Midtown Direct rail line. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Union County residents.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Union County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Union County Division of Emergency Services – 400 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ 07090 | (908) 654-9881 | Fax: (908) 654-9851; Director Michael Scanio. Includes the Bureau of Domestic Preparedness (Homeland Security grants), a fire academy, and an arson investigative task force; mutual aid coordinated through the Union County Regional Communications Center.
Sheriff: Union County Sheriff’s Office – 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07202 | (908) 527-4450; Sheriff Peter Corvelli. Genuinely operates the Family Violence Unit, the first of its kind in New Jersey, and staffs the Union County Family Justice Center.
County main line: (877) 424-1234.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911 or text 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: The NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, and I-78 serve Elizabeth, the county seat, in northeastern New Jersey. Newark Liberty International Airport lies partly within Elizabeth’s borders.
Notes: Elizabeth is New Jersey’s fourth-largest city, with roughly 136,000 residents.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Union County – confirm current phone via ucnj.org.
Notes: Union County is genuinely home to the Elizabeth Marine Terminal – combined with Port Newark, the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal is the principal container ship facility for the entire New York metropolitan area and, as of 2004, was the largest container port on the U.S. East Coast; in 2006 it handled more than 20% of all U.S. imports from Germany, more than any other American port. Kean University (founded 1855 as Newark Normal School) sits on the Elizabeth/Union Township border, with a 150-acre main campus.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Union County Veterans Service – confirm current contact via ucnj.org.
Federal: East Orange VA Medical Center (nearby).
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Elizabeth Public Library – Main Library, 11 South Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ; genuinely one of New Jersey’s original 36 Carnegie libraries, funded by a $130,810 grant from Andrew Carnegie (1910); by the 1940s it was among the busiest libraries of its size in the country, and the Main Library serves as the Federal Depository Library for Union County. Three additional branches: LaCorte, Elmora, and Elizabethport.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal waterfront, Kean University’s campus, and the Elizabeth River Trail are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine status of Port Newark-Elizabeth as one of the largest container ports in the United States is a distinctive local fact.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Union County Board of Taxation – confirm current contact via ucnj.org.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Elizabeth Animal Shelter – 518 Trenton Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ; confirm current phone via elizabethnj.org; works with rescue partners on animal placement, investigates bites, and responds to citizen complaints.
Township of Union Animal Shelter – 980 Jefferson Ave, Union, NJ 07083 | (908) 851-5230 | Fax: (908) 851-4673 | Hours: Mon-Sat 12-3 PM; after-hours emergencies via Union Police (908) 851-5000.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Union County – confirm current contact via ucnj.org.
NOTES: Union County is the sixth county in the New Jersey v2 A+ sourced redo’s third and final batch (Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union, Warren). The genuine status of Port Newark-Elizabeth as one of the largest container ports in the United States is a distinctive local fact. 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 Union County
Union County is New Jersey’s sixth most populous county and the 117th most populous in the United States, covering 103 square miles of the New York metro’s inner New Jersey suburbs – one of the most compact and densely populated counties in the country.
Elizabeth (population ~137,000, the county seat) is New Jersey’s fourth largest city and one of the most diverse cities in the United States – a historic port-of-entry community where successive waves of immigrants have arrived since the colonial era. Today Elizabeth’s Port Avenue and Broad Street corridors reflect Latino, West African, Caribbean, and South Asian communities. Newark Liberty International Airport sits on Elizabeth’s waterfront, and the port infrastructure of Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal (the largest container port complex on the East Coast) defines the city’s industrial identity.
Plainfield (population ~51,000) is Union County’s second city – a historically significant community with a substantial African American population and an architectural legacy of Victorian-era prosperity visible in its historic districts.
Summit (population ~22,000) is among Union County’s most affluent communities, anchored by significant pharmaceutical industry employment (Celgene/Bristol-Myers Squibb operations nearby) and Midtown Direct NJ Transit rail service. Its downtown is one of the most vibrant and walkable in the New Jersey suburbs.
Westfield (population ~30,000) is a quintessential New Jersey commuter suburb – a downtown anchored by independent retailers and restaurants, excellent public schools, and NJ Transit rail service to Midtown Manhattan. It has become one of the most sought-after family destinations in Union County.
New Providence and Berkeley Heights anchor the pharmaceutical corridor along the I-78/Route 22 axis – these communities benefit from proximity to major pharma and biotech employers in the region.
Cranford and Scotch Plains-Fanwood are established middle-income suburbs with strong school districts and NJ Transit service representing the county’s broad residential middle tier.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
New Jersey property taxes operate at the municipal level – each of Union County’s 21 municipalities has its own tax assessor who determines property values using a local equalization ratio (the ratio of assessed to true market value). Assessment notices – the green and white card – arrive in late January. The April 1 filing deadline is absolute: missing it forfeits appeal rights for that tax year.
The appeal process: File with the Union County Board of Taxation at 271 North Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07207, phone 908-527-4775. Include a comparable sales analysis supporting your market value claim. If the Board does not rule in your favor, appeal to the New Jersey Tax Court within 45 days. Properties with assessments over $1 million may bypass the County Board and appeal directly to Tax Court.
NJ eliminated its estate tax in 2018 – there is no longer a New Jersey estate tax. However, New Jersey retains its inheritance tax: assets passing to Class A beneficiaries (spouses, children, grandchildren, parents) are exempt. Assets to Class C (siblings) are taxed at 11%–16%. Assets to Class D (all others) are taxed at 15%–16%. Proper beneficiary designations and trust structures can eliminate NJ inheritance tax exposure.
OWNWELL CTA: Union County April 1 appeal deadline – absolute. New Jersey highest property tax rates nationally. No NJ estate tax since 2018; NJ inheritance tax applies to non-direct heirs at 11%–16%. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Union County April 1 appeal deadline - absolute. New Jersey highest property tax rates nationally. No NJ estate tax since 2018; NJ inheritance tax applies to non-direct heirs at 11%–16%. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Surrogate’s Court (Probate): New Jersey probate is handled by the County Surrogate. The Union County Surrogate at 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07207, phone 908-527-4280, handles wills, estate administration, and guardianships.
Superior Court: The Union County Superior Court at 2 Broad Street handles civil, criminal, and family matters.
County Clerk: The Union County Clerk at 2 Broad Street maintains land records (deeds, mortgages, liens) and election records. Land records are searchable through the county’s online portal.
Senior Services
The Union County Division on Aging at 300 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ 07090, phone 908-654-9700, serves the county’s senior population with in-home services, caregiver support, nutrition programs (Meals on Wheels and senior centers), transportation, and benefits counseling. The county operates senior centers across its municipalities.
Recommended
Assisted living, memory care, and independent living across Union County - from Elizabeth and Plainfield to Summit, Westfield, and the commuter suburbs.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
2 Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ 07207
(908) 527-4787
COUNTY CLERK — ELECTIONS
2 Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ 07207
(908) 527-4123
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Union County Surrogate’s Court, Elizabeth (probate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Union 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
Union County Surrogate’s Court Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, 2nd Floor, Elizabeth, NJ 07207 (908) 527-4280 Union County is in northeastern New Jersey, seated in Elizabeth.
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
10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth, NJ 07207
(908) 527-4450
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK — ELECTIONS
2 Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ 07207
(908) 527-4123
ELECTIONS
2 Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ 07207
(908) 527-4123
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
NJ DHHS — Union
(908) 527-4848
Overlook Medical Center
atlantichealth.org (Summit — quality regional hospital; Atlantic Health System; Level II Trauma)
Office: Union County Department of Health – confirm current contact via ucnj.org.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
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