On Tuesday, September 11, 2012, a delivery truck carrying mail addressed to the New Jersey Division of Taxation was involved in an accident on the New Jersey Turnpike and caught fire. The contents of the truck were destroyed beyond recognition, with the exception of a small number of certified mail pieces, some of which could be identified as mail intended for Taxation and other State agencies. The U.S. Postal Service notified the State about this incident on September 20, 2012.



Postal officials reported that the destroyed mail originated in North Jersey and had been picked up from street collection boxes located in the following counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren.



The Division of Taxation cannot determine which returns, payments, correspondence, or other submissions were destroyed in the fire. Taxpayers who mailed a tax return, payment, or sent other correspondence to the Division of Taxation from North Jersey in early September and who think their mailing may have been affected by the September 11 mail truck fire should proceed as described below.

You can choose to allow more time to see if your original submission is processed, or you can resubmit a duplicate of the mailing immediately. The Division advises taxpayers to allow two bank statement cycles for payments to be processed. However, you can submit a duplicate payment sooner if you choose. The Division will waive late filing and late payment penalties on filings and payments received on or before October 15, 2012.



Many returns and payments, including estimated payments, can be filed electronically through the Division’s Web site at:

If you decide to stop payment on your original payment check, you must contact your bank to find out how to place a stop-payment order and the amount of the charges, if any, that would apply.

If you receive a billing notice from the Division of Taxation for late filing and/or payment because of mail destroyed in the fire, you must respond to the notice in writing to request an abatement of the penalties. Write “September 11 Mail Truck Fire” in the subject line of your response and explain the circumstances. Indicate when and where the original package was mailed and provide any other pertinent details. If you sent a payment check with your original mailing, include a copy of that check, if available. Otherwise, include a copy of the portion of your checkbook or check register that shows the date of the original payment.

If you have additional questions, call the Division’s Customer Services Center at 609-292-6400 or e-mail the Division



View Press Release