Burlington County, New Jersey: Government Structure and Services

Burlington County is New Jersey's largest county by land area, covering approximately 819 square miles across 40 municipalities in the central and southern region of the state. The county operates under a Board of County Commissioners form of government, administering a broad range of public services from public health and transportation to court administration and social services. Understanding the county's governmental structure is relevant to residents, contractors, businesses, and researchers engaging with public agencies in the region.

Definition and scope

Burlington County was established in 1694, making it one of New Jersey's original counties (New Jersey State Archives). It is bounded by Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties to the east and north, and by Camden and Gloucester counties to the west. The county seat is Mount Holly. Its 40 municipalities include cities, boroughs, townships, and towns — each with independent municipal governments operating alongside county-level administration.

The county functions as a political subdivision of the State of New Jersey under New Jersey county government structure as defined by Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 40A). County authority is distinct from but coordinated with state agencies including the New Jersey Department of Health, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

Scope and coverage limitations: This page covers the governmental structure and public services of Burlington County as a county-level entity. It does not address the internal governance of Burlington County's 40 individual municipalities, which operate under separate municipal charters. Federal programs administered locally fall outside the scope of county governmental authority as described here. Neighboring counties — including Camden County, Ocean County, and Mercer County — maintain separate governmental structures and are not covered on this page.

How it works

Burlington County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners (Burlington County Board of County Commissioners), elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered schedule. Commissioners set county policy, approve the annual budget, and oversee county departments. Day-to-day administration is carried out by a County Administrator appointed by the Board.

The county government is organized into functional departments and offices:

1. County Clerk — maintains official records, processes property filings, and administers passport acceptance services.
2. Sheriff's Office — provides court security, civil process service, and operates the county jail.
3. Surrogate's Court — handles probate, guardianship, and estate administration matters.
4. Board of Taxation — administers property tax assessment appeals across all 40 municipalities.
5. Health Department — enforces public health codes, operates vaccination programs, and inspects food establishments.
6. Division of Transportation — manages county roads, bridges, and the Burlington County Transportation (The LINK) paratransit program.
7. Office of Emergency Management — coordinates disaster preparedness and response under the county's Office of Emergency Management Director.
8. Division of Social Services — administers benefits programs including Medicaid, food assistance, and general assistance under delegation from the New Jersey Department of Human Services.

The county operates the Burlington County Bridge Commission, which maintains two toll bridges over the Delaware River connecting New Jersey to Pennsylvania. The Burlington County Library System serves the county through 7 branch locations. The county also funds and oversees the Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT), a vocational and technical school district serving students across the county.

Burlington County's annual budget exceeds $300 million (Burlington County Annual Budget), with funding drawn from property tax levies, state aid, and federal grants. Property tax administration involves the county Board of Taxation setting equalization ratios for each municipality, with individual assessment functions remaining at the municipal level.

Common scenarios

Residents and professionals interact with Burlington County government across a defined set of administrative functions:

• Property tax appeals: Property owners disputing assessed valuations file with the Burlington County Board of Taxation. The deadline for standard appeals is April 1 of the tax year (N.J. Tax Court Rules).
• Deed and mortgage recording: Instruments affecting Burlington County real property are recorded with the County Clerk's office in Mount Holly.
• Probate and estate administration: Executors and administrators of decedents' estates file with the Burlington County Surrogate's Court.
• Business licensing and permits: Certain food service, health, and environmental permits are issued at the county level through the Health Department, distinct from municipal construction permits.
• Public records requests: Requests under the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (N.J. Stat. Ann. § 47:1A-1) are directed to the custodian of each county department separately from state-level OPRA requests addressed under New Jersey public records OPRA procedures.
• Social services enrollment: Applications for county-administered benefit programs are processed through the Division of Social Services, which coordinates with state eligibility systems.

Burlington County's geographic position along the Delaware River places it adjacent to South Jersey regional governance structures, including coordination with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), which produces transportation and land use plans covering the Philadelphia metropolitan area including Burlington County (DVRPC).

Decision boundaries

Burlington County government authority is bounded by clear jurisdictional lines that determine which agency handles a given matter:

County vs. municipal jurisdiction: Road maintenance responsibility divides between county-designated routes and municipal streets. Burlington County maintains county roads; municipal streets are the responsibility of individual township or borough public works departments. Zoning and land use approvals — including subdivision and variance applications — are determined at the municipal level, not the county level, in all 40 municipalities.

County vs. state jurisdiction: State agencies retain direct authority over state highways (including Route 130 and the New Jersey Turnpike corridor through the county, governed in part by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority), state parks, and correctional facilities. The Burlington County Jail is a county facility; state prison operations are administered by the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

County vs. special district jurisdiction: Burlington County contains independent school districts that operate separately from county government, governed by elected Boards of Education. The New Jersey Pinelands Commission (New Jersey Pinelands Commission) exercises land use review authority over approximately one-third of Burlington County's land area, superseding both county and municipal zoning in designated areas under the Pinelands Protection Act.

For a broader orientation to how county government fits within the full structure of New Jersey's public sector, the New Jersey Government Authority provides reference coverage across state agencies, county entities, and regional bodies.

References

• Burlington County Board of County Commissioners
• New Jersey State Archives — County Formation
• New Jersey Legislature — Title 40A (County Government)
• New Jersey Courts — Tax Court Rules and Property Tax Appeals
• Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC)
• New Jersey Pinelands Commission
• New Jersey Open Public Records Act — N.J. Stat. Ann. § 47:1A-1