Types of Government in New Jersey
All 564 municipalities in New Jersey, regardless of their form of government, can be classified as belonging to one of five types of municipal government:
All 564 New Jersey municipalities, regardless of type, can be classified under one of the 12 forms of government:
- Council-Manager Act of 1923
- OMCL Mayor-Council Plan
- OMCL Council-Manager Plan
- OMCL Small Municipality Plan
- OMCL Mayor-Council-Administrator Plan
- Special Charters
The first five forms are associated with a particular type of municipality. Each of these five types has a unique form of government historically associated with it. The next seven forms are "optional" forms of government available for adoption, with the exception of the OMCL Small Municipality Plan (which is available only to municipalities with a population of under 12,000).
- Township NJSA:40A:63-1 et. seq.
- Borough NJSA:40A:60-1 et. seq.
- City NJSA:40A:61-1 et. seq.
- Town NJSA:40A:62-1 et. seq.
- Village NJSA:40A:63-8
- Commission NJSA:40:70-1 et. seq.
- Municipal Manager Act of 1923 NJSA:40:79-1 et. seq.
- Faulkner Act (OMCL) Mayor-Council NJSA:40:69A-31 et. seq.
- Faulkner Act (OMCL) Council-Manager NJSA:40:69A-81 et. seq.
- Faulkner Act (OMCL) Small Municipality NJSA:40:69A-115 et. seq.
- Faulkner Act (OMCL) Mayor-Council-Administrator NJSA:40:69A-149 et. seq.
- Special Charters
NJLM publishes a printed guides on this topic:
- NJ 5 Traditional Forms of Government
- Faulkner Act - NJ Optional Charter Law
Please visit the publication page for information on ordering these guides.
Forms of Government - Everything You always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask
An article titled Forms of Government - Everything You always wanted to know, but were afraid to ask, authored by Michael Cerra, then Senior Legislative Analyst, which appeared in the March 2007 issue of NJ Municipalities.
Change in New Jersey Municipal Organization
Authored by the Center for Government Services Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Rutgers University. A discussion of the motivation and methods of changing a form of government and the work of a charter study commission.
New Jersey Databook
This database of information includes statistics on New Jersey's municipalities, legislative districts, counties, schools, elections and people. Published by the Rutgers' Center for Government Services (CGS), registration is required but free.