NJ Civil Service Navigator

N.J.S.A. 11A:4-6 Duration of lists

The commission shall set the duration of an eligible list, which shall not be more than three years from the date of its establishment, except that it… Cited by 2 other sections of Title 11A.

Title 11A · Chapter 4. Examination, Selection and Appointment of Employees

Current through the close of the 221st Legislature (L. 2025, c. 346). What that means

Reviewed as of July 28, 2026. Official text: njleg.state.nj.us.

In plain language

A list lasts up to three years from the date it is established, extendable by the Commission for good cause, and never more than four years in total. Separately from that clock, the Commission may revive a list to carry out a court order or its own decision on an appeal brought while the list was alive, or to fix an administrative error, or to appoint an eligible whose working test period was terminated by a layoff. Revival is what stops a successful appeal from being worthless because the list expired while it was pending.

Written by the NJ Civil Service Navigator editorial team from the text of this section. The statute itself is below, unabridged.

The commission shall set the duration of an eligible list, which shall not be more than three years from the date of its establishment, except that it may be extended by the commission for good cause and a list shall not have a duration of more than four years. Notwithstanding the duration of a list, the commission may revive a list to implement a court order or decision of the commission in the event of a successful appeal instituted during the life of the list or to correct an administrative error. The commission may revive a list to effect the appointment of an eligible whose working test period was terminated by a layoff.

Enacted by L. 1986, c. 112, effective September 25, 1986. Last amended by L. 2008, c. 29, effective June 30, 2008.

An old amendment date alone does not mean a provision is obsolete. This mirror reflects the source watermark above; later laws and decisions can affect how the text applies.

Legislative history

Session laws, newest first

  1. L. 2008, c. 29, section 35Amended
    effective June 30, 2008
  2. L. 1986, c. 112Enacted
    effective September 25, 1986

How this section has been applied

4 reported decisions cite this section. Citations only: the summaries in the source are the publisher's own writing, and where we describe a case we write it from the decision itself.

Appellate Division 4
  • Gibson v. State145 N.J. Super. 348, 367 A.2d 1180
  • Malone v. Fender158 N.J. Super. 190, 385 A.2d 929
  • Imbriacco v. State Civil Service Com.150 N.J. Super. 105, 374 A.2d 1251
  • Roberts v. Millburn74 N.J. Super. 19, 180 A.2d 397

Commission decisions resting on 11A:4-6

272 decisions of the Civil Service Commission since January 16, 2019 rest on this section: 54 cite it directly, and 218 apply a Title 4A rule adopted under it. The newest:

Search the 54 decisions citing 11A:4-6 directly

Effective-date provisions

Quoted from the session laws themselves.

  • Section 120 of L. 2008, c. 29 provides: “This act shall take effect immediately and any actions necessary to implement this act may be taken any time thereafter. General implementation shall be completed no later than 12 months following enactment.” Chapter 29, L. 2008, was approved on June 30, 2008.

Sections that refer to this one