NJ Civil Service Navigator

N.J.A.C. 4A:4-3.3 Duration and cancellation of eligible lists

N.J.A.C. 4A:4-3.3, Duration and cancellation of eligible lists. An eligible list shall be considered issued on the date on which it is available for review by candidates, appointing authorities and members of the public. Full text with 5 recorded amendments, 45 citing decisions, cited by 2 other rul

Selection and Appointment · Eligible Lists

Current through New Jersey Register, Vol. 58 No. 14, July 20, 2026. Reviewed as of July 26, 2026.

This is an annotated mirror, not the official publication. Verify against the Civil Service Commission before relying on it.

In plain language

Three years from the date of establishment for open competitive and promotional lists, unless the Chairperson or designee decides a shorter period fits the circumstances. A list may be extended for good cause before it expires, but no list may run more than four years in total. A name stays on a regular reemployment list no more than three years from the date of resignation, subject to that same extension. Special reemployment, police reemployment, sheriff's officer reemployment and fire reemployment lists have unlimited duration. Two dates are worth separating: a list is issued when candidates, appointing authorities and the public can review it, and promulgated when it can be certified to an appointing authority and appointments can be made from it. Before expiry the Chairperson or designee may cancel a list for fraud, illegality, test invalidity, Commission staff error or other good cause, by an order that provides for notifying eligibles, with affected appointing authorities notified too. Appointments after a list expires are dealt with at 4A:4-4.9.

Written by the NJ Civil Service Navigator editorial team from the text of N.J.A.C. 4A:4-3.3. It is a description of the rule, not the rule itself, and not legal advice.

(a) An eligible list shall be considered issued on the date on which it is available for review by candidates, appointing authorities and members of the public. The list shall be considered promulgated on the date on which it is available to be certified to an appointing authority and from which appointments may be made. #

(b) Open competitive and promotional lists shall be promulgated for three years from the date of their establishment, unless the Chairperson or designee determines that, under the circumstances, a shorter time period is appropriate. #

1. An eligible list may, for good cause, be extended by the Chairperson or designee prior to its expiration date, except that no list shall have a duration of more than four years. #

2. The name of any employee shall not remain on a regular reemployment list for more than three years from the date of resignation, except as provided in (b)1 above. #

3. Special reemployment, police reemployment, sheriff's officer reemployment, and fire reemployment lists shall have unlimited durations. #

(c) The Chairperson or designee may, in cases of fraud, illegality, test invalidity, error by the Civil Service Commission staff, or other good cause, cancel an eligible list prior to its expiration date by issuing an order, which shall provide a means for the notification of eligibles. The Chairperson or designee shall also notify affected appointing authorities. #

(d) See N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.9 for appointments after the expiration date of the eligible list. #

(e) When a promotional list for a law enforcement or firefighter title is extended until a new promotional list is available for certification and appointments, the extended list shall expire when the new promotional list is issued, provided however, that certifications of and appointments from the new list shall not be made until the promulgation date of the new list. #

Amendment history

Rule numbers, effective dates and New Jersey Register citations as published. 5 recorded changes.

  1. AmendedR.2017 d.142
    49 N.J.R. 492(a); 49 N.J.R. 2239(a)
  2. AmendedR.2010 d.123
    41 N.J.R. 4586(a); 42 N.J.R. 1164(a)
  3. AmendedR.1997 d.410
    29 N.J.R. 2732(a); 29 N.J.R. 4279(a)
  4. AmendedR.1996 d.98
    27 N.J.R. 4049(a); 28 N.J.R. 1201(b)
  5. date not statedPetition for rulemaking
    41 N.J.R. 4833(a)

How this rule has been applied

45 decisions have cited N.J.A.C. 4A:4-3.3. The list below is citations to those decisions, not the decisions. We have not written summaries for this section. A citation with no summary is deliberate: we do not paraphrase a decision we have not read. Nothing here is legal advice.

New Jersey Supreme Court (1)
  • 80 N.J. 129; 402 A.2d 2401979
Appellate Division (3)
  • Imbriacco v. State Civil Service Commission150 N.J.Super. 105; 374 A.2d 1251
  • In the Matter of Newark Police Sergeant and Lieutenant List for Dep't of Civil Service149 N.J.Super. 121; 373 A.2d 422
  • Saletta v. Civil Service Comm'n148 N.J. Super. 451; 372 A.2d 1140; 1977 N.J. Super. LEXIS 811
Federal courts (1)
  • Newark Branch, N.A.A.C.P. v. Town of Harrison, N.J., C.A.3 (N.J. 1991)940 F.2d 792
Civil Service Commission final determinations (39)
  • In re Sabol, Mech. Diesel (PM0441V), Woodbridge, CSC Docket No. 2022-7462021 N.J. CSC LEXIS 442Docket 2022-746
  • Newark, CSC Docket Nos. 2022-388 et al. (Consolidated)2021 N.J. CSC LEXIS 430Docket 2022-388
  • In re Lieutenant Campus Police (PS4357J), Rowan Univ., CSC DKT. NO. 2021-16312021 N.J. CSC LEXIS 222
  • In re Parole Counselor Apprentice (S0066V), State Parole Bd., CSC Docket No. 2021-15052021 N.J. CSC LEXIS 205Docket 2021-1505
  • In re Navarro, Jr., Police Captain (PM1353U), Paterson, CSC Docket No. 2021-2192021 N.J. CSC LEXIS 97Docket 2021-219
  • In re Deputy Chief Investigator (PS5694I), Dep't of Corrs., CSC Docket No. 2020-17752020 N.J. CSC LEXIS 82Docket 2020-1775
  • In re Claims Adjudicator Supervisor, Disability Determinations (PS3520N), Dep't of Labor & Workforce Dev., CSC Docket No. 2019-37452019 N.J. CSC LEXIS 462Docket 2019-3745
  • In re Jersey City Police Promotional Appointments, CSC Docket Nos. 2018-3409 et al. (Consolidated)2018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 616Docket 2018-3409
  • In re McElroy, Fire Protection Inspector, Hamilton Twp., CSC Docket No. 2019-2112018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 589Docket 2019-211
  • In re Miranda, Principal Field Representative, Local Prop. Tax, Dep't of the Treasury, CSC Docket No. 2018-30992018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 373Docket 2018-3099
  • In re Hart, Police Lieutenant, Little Egg Harbor, CSC Docket No. 2018-21412018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 240Docket 2018-2141
  • In re Cowan et al., Promotional Police Titles, Jersey City, CSC Docket Nos. 2018-2157 et al. (Consolidated)2018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 185Docket 2018-2157
  • Jersey City, CSC Docket Nos. 2018-2157 et al. (Consolidated)2018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 99Docket 2018-2157
  • In re Alicea, Printing Mach. Operator 2 (PS4834J), N.J. City Univ., CSC Docket No. 2018-23692018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 14Docket 2018-2369
  • In re Supervising Account Clerk (PC0128S), Mercer Cnty. Prosecutor's Office, CSC Docket No. 2018-10772018 N.J. CSC LEXIS 74Docket 2018-1077
  • In re Cobbertt, Dep't of the Treasury, CSC Dkt. No. 2016-42792017 N.J. CSC LEXIS 108
  • In re Cobbertt, Dep't of the Treasury, CSC Dkt. No. 2016-42792017 N.J. CSC LEXIS 69
  • In re Finn, Dep't of Health, CSC Dkt. No. 2016-16422017 N.J. CSC LEXIS 46
  • In re Human Services Specialist 1 (C0771P), Camden Cnty. Bd. of Social Servs., CSC Docket No. 2016-19142015 N.J. CSC LEXIS 15Docket 2016-1914
  • In re Lieutenant, Campus Police (PS9978J), Montclair State Univ., CSC Dkt. No. 2015-25072015 N.J. CSC LEXIS 267
  • In re Matter of Police Sergeant (PM2665L), Ewing, CSC Docket No. 2014-27982014 N.J. CSC LEXIS 554Docket 2014-2798
  • In re Wallbillich, Dep't of Corr.2014 N.J. CSC LEXIS 382
  • In re Open-Competitive Lists for Fire Fighter (M9999M), CSC Docket No. 2014-12522013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 1092Docket 2014-1252
  • In re Police Sergeant (PM2604K), Lakewood, CSC Docket No. 2014-12502013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 1084Docket 2014-1250
  • In re Human Servs. Technician (PS7399K), Ancora Psychiatric Hosp., CSC Dkt. No. 2014-9272013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 1114
  • In re Claims Adjudicator Supervisor (PS2364N), Dep't. of Labor and Workforce Dev., CSC Dkt. No. 2014-5862013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 690
  • In re Judiciary Clerk 1 et al., CSC Dkt. No. 2014-5302013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 725
  • In re Police Chief (PM3565M), Twp. of Middletown, CSC Docket No. 2014-3352013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 778Docket 2014-335
  • In re Director of Automotive Services (M0131R), North Bergen Township, DOP Docket No. 2014-2982013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 723
  • In re Claims Adjudicator Trainee (S0346P) and Claims Adjudicator Trainee, Bilingual Spanish/English (S0431P), CSC Dkt. No. 2014-462013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 373
  • In re Employment Specialist Trainee (S0347P) and Auditor Accountant Trainee (S0344P), Dep't of Labor & Workforce Dev., CSC Dkt. Nos. 2014-134 and 2014-1352013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 376
  • In re Deputy Fire Chief (Pm3645L), Irvington Twp., CSC Dkt. No. 2013-35712013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 677
  • In re Human Services Specialist 4 (PC0941M), Mercer Cnty. Bd. of Social Serv., CSC Dkt. No. 2013-29312013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 607
  • In re Entry Level Law Enforcement Examination (S9999M), CSC Docket No. 2013-25682013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 195Docket 2013-2568
  • In re Police Sergeant (PM2621J), West Milford, CSC Dkt. No. 2013-2412013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 185
  • In re Fire Chief (PM3610L), City of Vineland, CSC Dkt. No. 2013-18452013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 96
  • In re Animal Control Officer, (M0094P), Phillipsburg, CSC Dkt. No. 2013-16502013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 81
  • In re Police Sergeant, Human Services (PS3751K), Department of Human Services, CSC Docket No. 2013-18822013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 40Docket 2013-1882
  • In re Executive Assistant 2, (PS3198I), Dep't. of Corr., CSC Dkt. No. 2013-15402013 N.J. CSC LEXIS 55
Office of Administrative Law initial decisions (1)
  • In re Ottaviano2009 N.J. AGEN LEXIS 945Docket TYP 742-08

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