FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * DOWNES LAURENCE M   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol NEW JERSEY RESOURCES CORP [NJR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman, President & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O NEW JERSEY RESOURCES CORPORATION, 1415 WYCKOFF ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 11/15/2016 (Street) WALL, NJ 07719 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 11/15/2016   F   5,179 D $ 34.45 370,794.653 D   Common Stock 11/15/2016   M   26,912 A $ 0 397,706.653 (1) D   Common Stock 11/15/2016   F   13,955 D $ 34.35 383,751.653 D   Common Stock 11/15/2016   M   10,179.063 D $ 0 373,572.59 (2) D   Common Stock 11/15/2016   M   34,671.959 A $ 0 408,244.549 (3) D   Common Stock 11/15/2016   F   17,978 D $ 34.45 390,266.549 D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Performance Shares

(1)

11/15/2016

M

28,864

(1)

(1)

Common Stock

28,864 (4)

$ 0

0

D

Performance Shares

(3)

11/15/2016

M

21,072

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

21,072 (4)

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
DOWNES LAURENCE M C/O NEW JERSEY RESOURCES CORPORATION 1415 WYCKOFF ROAD WALL, NJ 07719	X		Chairman, President & CEO

Signatures

/s/ Richard Reich, as attorney-in-fact for Laurence M. Downes		11/17/2016
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Represents number of Performance Shares, which vested at 85% of the target amount (plus accrued dividends), after a 33-month period beginning on January 1, 2014, upon certification by the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee (LDCC) of the Board of Directors of New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) of NJR's performance versus the applicable performance goal. Performance Shares converted 1 for 1 into shares of NJR common stock. There is no purchase or sale price upon vesting of the Performance Shares.
(2)	The shares of performance-based restricted stock previously reported and granted on 12/19/13 are forfeited due to the applicable performance goal for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016, not being met.
(3)	Represents number of Performance Shares, which vested at 150% of the target amount (plus accrued dividends), after a 36-month period beginning on October 1, 2013, upon certification by the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee (LDCC) of the Board of Directors of New Jersey Resources Corporation (NJR) of NJR's performance versus the applicable performance goal. Performance Shares converted 1 for 1 into shares of NJR common stock. There is no purchase or sale price upon vesting of the Performance Shares.
(4)	Total reflects a two for one stock split on March 3, 2015.

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