diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index a8916fb8..bf00840e 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
 				src: ['test/*.html'],
 			},
 			options: {
-				run: true
+				run: true,
+				growlOnSuccess: false
 			}
 		},
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bdd5fb93..fc27bf37 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -167,6 +167,13 @@ The HTTP method to use for the request (e.g. 'POST', 'GET', 'PUT').
 ### replaceTarget
 Optionally used along with the the target option. Set to true if the target should be replaced or false if only the target contents should be replaced.
 
+### requestFormat
+The encoding format to use for the request body. The following values are supported:
+
+* `form` : HTTP form (x-www-form-urlencoded) format, this is default option.
+* `json` : JSON encoded string 
+  * You may need polyfill JSON functionality with old browsers, recommending: https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSON-js/blob/master/json2.js
+  
 ### resetForm
 Boolean flag indicating whether the form should be reset if the submit is successful
 
diff --git a/docs/options.md b/docs/options.md
index 7c6b6874..6833b1b7 100644
--- a/docs/options.md
+++ b/docs/options.md
@@ -91,6 +91,18 @@ The HTTP method to use for the request (e.g. 'POST', 'GET', 'PUT'). **(version a
 Default: `false`  
 Optionally used along with the the [`target`](#target) option. Set to `true` if the target should be replaced or `false` if only the target _contents_ should be replaced. **(version added: 2.43)**
 
+
+### requestFormat
+Default: `form`  
+The encoding format to use for the request body. **(version added: 4.3.0)**  
+The following values are supported:
+
+**'form'**: HTTP form (x-www-form-urlencoded) format
+
+**'json'**: JSON encoded string
+  * You may need polyfill JSON functionality with old browsers, recommending: https://github.com/douglascrockford/JSON-js/blob/master/json2.js
+
+
 ### resetForm
 Default: `null`  
 Boolean flag indicating whether the form should be reset if the submit is successful
diff --git a/src/jquery.form.js b/src/jquery.form.js
index a1d0a428..30af3f4f 100644
--- a/src/jquery.form.js
+++ b/src/jquery.form.js
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@
 			url       : url,
 			success   : $.ajaxSettings.success,
 			type      : method || $.ajaxSettings.type,
+			requestFormat: 'form',
 			iframeSrc : /^https/i.test(window.location.href || '') ? 'javascript:false' : 'about:blank'		// eslint-disable-line no-script-url
 		}, options);
 
@@ -200,9 +201,10 @@
 
 		var elements = [];
 		var qx, a = this.formToArray(options.semantic, elements, options.filtering);
+		var optionsData;
 
 		if (options.data) {
-			var optionsData = $.isFunction(options.data) ? options.data(a) : options.data;
+			optionsData = $.isFunction(options.data) ? options.data(a) : options.data;
 
 			options.extraData = optionsData;
 			qx = $.param(optionsData, traditional);
@@ -232,7 +234,13 @@
 		if (options.type.toUpperCase() === 'GET') {
 			options.url += (options.url.indexOf('?') >= 0 ? '&' : '?') + q;
 			options.data = null;	// data is null for 'get'
+		} else if (options.requestFormat.toLowerCase() === 'json') {
+			var formData = this.formArrayToJsonData(a);
+			var jsonData = $.extend({}, formData, traditional);
+			options.data = JSON.stringify(jsonData);
+			options.contentType = 'application/json';
 		} else {
+			// form-data post
 			options.data = q;		// data is the query string for 'post'
 		}
 
@@ -1194,6 +1202,19 @@
 		return $.param(this.formToArray(semantic));
 	};
 
+	/**
+	 * Transform form array data into json object.
+	 */
+	$.fn.formArrayToJsonData = function (arrayOfData) {
+		var result = {};
+
+		$.each(arrayOfData, function (index, node) {
+			result[node.name] = node.value;
+		});
+
+		return result;
+	};
+
 	/**
 	 * Serializes all field elements in the jQuery object into a query string.
 	 * This method will return a string in the format: name1=value1&name2=value2
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 5f8c9951..ba6a9b19 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -65,6 +65,26 @@ describe('form', function() {
 		}
 	});
 
+	it('formToArray: json object', function() {
+		var a = $('#form1').formToArray();
+		var o = $.fn.formArrayToJsonData(a);
+
+		assert.strictEqual(o.constructor, Object, 'type check');
+		assert.deepEqual(o, {
+			'Hidden': 'hiddenValue',
+			'Name': 'MyName1',
+			'Password': '',
+			'Multiple': 'six',
+			'Single': 'one',
+			'Single2': 'A',
+			'Check': '2',
+			'Radio': '2',
+			'action': '1',
+			'method': '2',
+			'Text': 'This is Form1'
+		});
+	});
+
 	it('formToArray: text promotion for missing value attributes', function() {
 		var expected = [
 			{ name: 'A', value: ''},