Littering
N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.3 — $100 to $500 on foot, and $200 to $1,000 for anything out of a car
A person who throws, drops, discards or places litter of any nature on public or private property, anywhere but a litter receptacle, commits a petty disorderly persons offense with a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500. The court may add 20 to 40 hours of community service picking up litter.
Who handles this in New Jersey: Essex County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the New Jersey directory.
A second time within six months. A conviction within six months after an earlier one carries a fine of $250 to $1,000, up to 60 days in jail, and 40 to 80 hours of community service.
From a car, a cigarette counts. No one may throw or drop any bundle, object, article or debris from a vehicle on a highway, moving or not, and the section names a cigarette, cigar, match or ashes as included. The fine is $200 to $1,000 for each offense. When it cannot be told which occupant did it, the registered owner if present, or else the driver, is presumed responsible.
Dumping in quantity and solid waste violations are under other sections not covered here. Whether a particular ticket fits is a question for a licensed New Jersey attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- N.J.S.A. 13:1E-99.3 — Penalties for littering
- N.J.S.A. 39:4-64 — Highway littering ban
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Jersey attorney.