Grants

A Riparian Grant is a deed from the State of New Jersey for the sale of its formerly flowed tidelands. Obtaining a riparian grant is appropriate if any portion of the upland of a property was, at one time, flowed by the mean high tide. That portion of the property that was formerly tidal is state-owned property despite the fact that it has been filled in and the former waterway is no longer evident. The state-owned section of the property is known as a Tidelands Claim; a Tidelands Claim is a cloud on a property owner’s title regardless of whether or not that property owner is aware of the claim at the time of purchase.

Obtaining a riparian grant is not mandatory; however, a grant may be desired to clear title to a property encumbered with a Tidelands Claim.

Current policy is to issue grants only for filled tidelands. That is, the State of New Jersey no longer sells currently flowed tidelands.

View the instructions and application form for applying for a Riparian Grant

For all policies, applications and guidance documents, please visit our Form & Documents Page.

Licenses

A Tidelands License is a short term rental agreement from the State of New Jersey for the use and occupation of state owned Tidelands. Generally this usually applied to currently flowed tidelands but can also include formerly flowed tidelands (examples include bulkhead fill, or a change in use impacting a formerly flowed claim area).

Licenses must be procured for the following uses:

• Fixed structures (i.e. docks, piers, mooring piles, floating docks, boat lifts, riprap, etc) constructed on currently flowed tidelands
• Bulkhead reconstruction or extensions and associated fill that exceed or will exceed the mean high water line (As formerly flowed tidelands, bulkhead extensions may be purchased from the State if desired; however, they must be rented via a valid License until a Riparian Grant is delivered.)
• Marina slips (defined as five or more rented boat slips)
• Yacht and Boat Club structures
• Dredging within state-owned tidal water
• Utilities or Utility-related structures (i.e. pipes, cable lines) that cross over or under state-owned tidelands
• Bridge construction/maintenance over state-owned tidelands

View the instructions/application for applying for a License

There is a online portal for the submittal of license applications, renew existing licenses, transfer a license to a new owner, and pay a tidelands paper invoice. For more information on this and other Tidelands e-Services

For all policies, applications and guidance documents, please visit our Form & Documents Page.

Statements of No Interest

A Statement of No Interest is an official document issued by the State of New Jersey attesting to the fact that a particular property or area is free from all state tidelands claims. These documents are only issued when an applicant can prove beyond all doubt that the State of New Jersey has no tidelands claim to that particular parcel. The burden of proof lies with the applicant.

Statement of No Interest applications will only be considered in the following circumstances:

1. The state’s claim is in close proximity to the subject property.
2. The subject property is affected by a Tidelands Claim according to the adopted Tidelands map, but the applicant questions the validity of that claim.
3. The subject property has an undefended shoreline that has been augmented by natural accretion.

Statement of No Interest applications will not be considered in these circumstances:

1. The state’s claim is not in close proximity to the subject property.
2. The subject property is affected by a Tidelands Claim according to the adopted Tidelands map, but the claim has been eradicated by an existing valid conveyance such as a riparian grant. If the validity of the existing conveyance is in doubt, please submit a grant application.

View the instructions/application for applying for a Statement of No Interest

For all policies, applications and guidance documents, please visit our Form & Documents Page.

Leases

A Tidelands Lease is a long term rental agreement from the State of New Jersey for the use of currently flowed tidelands. Leases are only issued for projects that involve long term financing issues such as homes that have been constructed over water or large scale development projects. Smaller construction projects over currently flowed tidelands require a Tidelands License rather than a Lease.

Leases must be obtained for all proposed construction as well as any past construction regardless of whether or not the current property owner is responsible for that construction. The state does not grandfather homes over water with respect to Tidelands conveyances.

A home over water, pictured here, is an example of a property that would require a lease.

View the Lease instructions/application forms.

For all policies, applications and guidance documents, please visit our Form & Documents Page.

Tidelands Resource Council