A 3178 New Jersey General Assembly · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Revises procedures concerning access to decedent's safe-deposit box.

This bill establishes clear procedures for accessing a deceased person's safe-deposit box to locate their original will or burial documents. It allows "interested persons" (such as spouses, adult children, parents, or named executors) to request access by providing a copy of the death certificate and an affidavit stating their interest in the will or burial arrangements. The bank or financial institution (the "lessor") must then open the box in their presence, remove only the will or burial documents, and send the original to the county Surrogate by certified mail, while providing a photocopy to the requester. The bill does not permit access if a court order exists, a valid objection is raised, or the box's key is unavailable.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee
lower
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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