6 Common Legal Notice Errors New Jersey Municipalities Must Fix
New Jersey’s updated legal notice requirements were designed to improve transparency and make public information easier to access online. But even well organized municipalities and counties are discovering that small website details can create big compliance problems.
Most of the issues we see aren’t intentional. They come from outdated posting habits, unclear website structure, or simple misunderstandings about what the law expects.
Below are the most common legal notice mistakes New Jersey municipalities are making, and how to correct them before they turn into audit issues.
Mistake #1: Burying Notices Inside Meeting Packets
One of the most frequent issues is posting legal notices only inside meeting agendas or packet PDFs. While this feels efficient, it creates a visibility problem.
Legal notices must be easy to locate without opening multiple documents. If residents or auditors have to click through packets to find a notice, your website may not meet transparency expectations.
How to fix it: Post notices directly on a dedicated notices page, with the full text visible on the page. Attach PDFs only as a secondary option.
Munibit has a built in Legal Notice tool that supports NJ Senate Bill No. 4654.
Mistake #2: Using PDFs as the Only Format
PDFs are still widely used, but relying on them alone can create accessibility and search issues.
Screen readers often struggle with scanned or poorly formatted PDFs, which can put your municipality at risk as ADA standards become more strictly enforced.
How to fix it: Publish the notice text directly on the webpage whenever possible. This improves accessibility, search-ability, and resident experience.
Munibit automatically converts all PDF documents to an Accessible HTML Version.
Mistake #3: No Clear Notices Page
Some websites technically post notices, but they’re scattered across departments or hidden deep in subpages.
If a resident can’t easily find where notices live, the posting may not meet the spirit of the law.
How to fix it: Create a clearly labeled “Legal Notices” page and link it directly from your main navigation. You can also create a direct link on your home page for increased visability.
Munibit easily allows you to add a Legal Notice page and link to it from anywhere on your site.
Mistake #4: Missing Posting Dates or Retention Timelines
Notices without visible posting dates create confusion and weaken your compliance record. In some cases, notices are removed too early or left up too long.
Both scenarios can raise questions during audits or public inquiries.
How to fix it: Always include posting dates and organize notices by year or category. Make sure your website supports retention requirements without manual tracking.
Munibit tracks posting dates and automatically archives notices based on your settings.
Mistake #5: Inconsistent Posting Process
When multiple people post notices without a clear process, consistency breaks down. This often leads to formatting differences, missing information, or late postings.
How to fix it: Use a standardized posting workflow and tools that enforce consistency automatically.
Munibit helps clerks post notices quickly while keeping everything organized and audit ready.
Mistake #6: Assuming Website Reliability Doesn’t Matter
If your website goes down or notices fail to load, compliance can be affected. Temporary outages still impact public access.
How to fix it: Make sure your website is hosted securely with monitoring and support in place. Reliability matters just as much as content.
Munibit’s layered security approach protects your experience from the network edge to the application and data layers, leveraging industry-leading technologies and practices to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Why These Mistakes Matter More in 2026
New Jersey’s Legal Notice Law (Senate Bill No. 4654) is part of a broader online trend. Digital compliance is becoming more detailed, and expectations around accessibility, visibility, and consistency are increasing.
Small issues that were overlooked in the past are now easier to spot and more likely to raise concerns.
Fixing them early reduces risk and saves time later.
Want to Review Your Notices Page?
A quick review can help identify gaps and make sure your Legal Notices meet New Jersey’s expectations ahead of the June 1, 2026 deadline. Explore our Legal Notice Tool, or schedule a short demo to see how a website update can help you stay compliant and improve your site.
TL;DR - Common Legal Notice Errors New Jersey Municipalities Must Fix
Many New Jersey municipalities are unintentionally falling out of compliance by burying notices in PDFs, lacking a clear notices page, missing posting dates, or relying on inconsistent processes. The good news is that these issues are easy to fix with the right website structure and tools. Addressing them now helps avoid audit issues and makes public information easier for residents to access.