N.J. Stat. § 18A:3B-103: Transcript fees, conditions.

2. a. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, if a current or former student meeting the criteria enumerated in paragraph (2) of this subsection requests a transcript, an institution shall not, due to an outstanding debt on a current or former student’s account of $2,000 or less of non-mandatory charges:

(a) refuse to provide a transcript for a current or former student on the grounds that the student owes a debt;

(b) condition the provision of a transcript on the payment of a debt, other than a fee charged to provide the transcript;

(c) charge a higher fee for obtaining a transcript, or provide less favorable treatment of a transcript request because a current or former student owes a debt; or

(d) use transcript issuance as a tool for debt collection.

(2) The provisions of this section shall only apply to a current or former student whose credits in a specified payment period were not paid for using funds received from a federal student aid program under Title IV of the “Higher Education Act of 1965” (20 U.S.C. s.1070 et seq.) or funds distributed through any State student financial aid program administered by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, including a student loan issued through the New Jersey College Loans to Assist State Students (NJCLASS) Loan Program established pursuant to N.J.S.18A:71C-21.

b. Except as otherwise provided in subsection c. of this section, an institution may condition the provision of a transcript to a student meeting the criteria enumerated in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section on the student’s agreement to enter into a good faith repayment plan and submission of the first payment on that plan if the student owes the institution:

(1) debt in any amount for unpaid tuition, room and board, or other mandatory student fees or charges; or

(2) debt exceeding $2,000 from non-mandatory charges.

c. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections a. and b. of this section to the contrary, an institution shall not restrict or condition the provision of a transcript to a student meeting the criteria enumerated in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section who attests that the transcript is needed to apply for new student loans or to refinance existing student loans.

d. The provisions of this section shall not apply to an institution’s provision of transcripts to students who reside outside of the United States and:

(1) are not citizens of the United States or;

(2) are current or former students who are or who were previously eligible for federal student aid or State student financial aid pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2018, c.12 (C.18A:71B-2.1).

L.2025, c.353, s.2.