10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: Maximum 1.5 times one month's rent (includes any pet deposit; the Security Deposit Law exempts owner-occupied 2- or 3-family dwellings unless the tenant opts in). Any annual additional security collected may not exceed 10% of the current deposit. (N.J.S.A. § 46:8-21.2, confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, return the deposit plus the tenant's share of interest/earnings, less itemized deductions, by personal delivery or registered/certified mail. (Shorter windows apply to displacement by fire, flood, or condemnation.) Wrongful withholding exposes the landlord to double the amount plus fees and costs. (N.J.S.A. § 46:8-21.1, confirmed 2026-07).
How New Jersey treats the landlord's core obligations
Late fees: No statewide dollar or percentage cap on late fees. Mandatory 5-business-day grace period applies ONLY to tenants who are senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age / Railroad Retirement / similar government pensions, or recipients of SSDI, SSI, or Work First New Jersey benefits, when rent is due on the 1st; violation is a disorderly-persons offense. Late fees are collectible as 'additional rent' in a dispossess action only if the written lease says so. (N.J.S.A. §§ 2A:42-6.1 to -6.3, confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: Application (or similar) fee may not exceed $50 (CPI-indexed annually from Jan 1 of the year after enactment, published by the Division of Consumer Affairs). Does not apply to units in one- or two-family dwellings, nor to Real Estate Commission licensees unless they are the landlord. Penalties up to $500 / $750 / $1,000 per offense, with the overcharge refunded to the applicant. Effective May 1, 2026 (first day of the 4th month after the Jan 20, 2026 approval). (N.J.S.A. § 46:8-18.1 (P.L. 2025, c. 405), confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: No pre-filing notice to quit is required for nonpayment of rent (ground 2A:18-61.1(a)); the landlord may file a summary dispossess complaint once rent is due and unpaid. Tenant may still avoid eviction by paying all rent due (plus permitted costs) up to the day of trial / within 3 business days of lockout. Federally subsidized / CARES-Act-covered properties require a 30-day notice under federal law. (N.J.S.A. § 2A:18-61.2 (read with § 2A:18-61.1(a)), confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: No fixed statewide increase-notice statute. To enforce an increase against a covered tenant the landlord must serve a written notice of the increase together with a notice to quit ending the current term — one month before the increase takes effect for a month-to-month tenancy (§ 2A:18-56(b)) — and the increase must not be unconscionable and must comply with any municipal rent-control ordinance (§ 2A:18-61.1(f)). (N.J.S.A. §§ 2A:18-61.1(f), 2A:18-56(b), confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Conditional. For residential premises covered by the Anti-Eviction Act (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1) — i.e., all residential rentals OTHER THAN owner-occupied premises with no more than two rental units, hotels/motels/guesthouses rented to transient or seasonal guests, and certain family-trust / family-occupied units — a landlord may NOT terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause; removal requires one of the statutory good-cause grounds (nonpayment, disorderly conduct after notice to cease, damage, rule/covenant violations after notice to cease, refusal of a lawful non-unconscionable rent increase, owner occupancy, demolition, etc.) with the ground-specific notice periods of N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.2. For EXEMPT tenancies (e.g., owner-occupied buildings with 1–2 rental units), a month-to-month tenancy is terminated by one month's notice to quit (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56(b)); tenancies at will or year-to-year require 3 months' notice (2A:18-56(a)). (N.J.S.A. § 2A:18-61.1 (Anti-Eviction Act); N.J.S.A. § 2A:18-56(b), confirmed 2026-10). Entry: No statewide statute. For multiple dwellings (three or more units) the DCA maintenance regulations require tenants to give the landlord access for inspection and maintenance on reasonable notification — normally one day (24 hours) — with immediate access in safety or structural emergencies. One- and two-family rentals have no regulatory notice period; the lease governs. (N.J.A.C. 5:10-5.1 (Regulations for Maintenance of Hotels and Multiple Dwellings), confirmed 2026-10).
New Jersey has rent control or rent stabilization for covered units, set locally rather than by one statewide number. Source-of-income protection is on file statewide, so voucher and benefit income must be treated like any other lawful income in screening and advertising. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What New Jersey allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Maximum 1.5 times one month's rent (includes any pet deposit; the Security Deposit Law exempts owner-occupied 2- or 3-family dwellings unless the tenant opts in). Any annual additional security collected may not exceed 10% of the current deposit.
“An owner or lessee may not require more than a sum equal to 1 1/2 times 1 month's rental according to the terms of contract, lease, or agreement as a security for the use or rental of real property used for dwelling purposes.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
A pending 2026 bill (S1466/A1991) would add a $500 cap on pet deposits; not enacted as of this check.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “1.5× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-07
Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, return the deposit plus the tenant's share of interest/earnings, less itemized deductions, by personal delivery or registered/certified mail. (Shorter windows apply to displacement by fire, flood, or condemnation.) Wrongful withholding exposes the landlord to double the amount plus fees and costs.
NJ also requires the deposit be held in a designated account with interest paid to the tenant; special short windows apply to displaced tenants.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No separate statutory pet-deposit provision. N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2 neither authorizes nor prohibits a separate pet deposit; any security 'for the use or rental of real property used for dwelling purposes', however labeled, is bound by the general cap of 1.5 months' rent, and annual increases in security may not exceed 10% of the current deposit.
“An owner or lessee may not require more than a sum equal to 1 1/2 times 1 month's rental according to the terms of contract, lease, or agreement as a security for the use or rental of real property used for dwelling purposes.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
The Security Deposit Act (46:8-19 to -26) contains no reference to pets or animals (full text searched). Official reproduction is a DCA PDF dated May 2010; 46:8-21.2 last amended 2003, c. 188.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Not permitted as a separate charge”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a New Jersey lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide dollar or percentage cap on late fees. Mandatory 5-business-day grace period applies ONLY to tenants who are senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age / Railroad Retirement / similar government pensions, or recipients of SSDI, SSI, or Work First New Jersey benefits, when rent is due on the 1st; violation is a disorderly-persons offense. Late fees are collectible as 'additional rent' in a dispossess action only if the written lease says so.
“shall allow a period of five business days grace in which the rent due shall be paid. No delinquency or other late charge shall be made which includes the grace period of five business days.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
2A:42-6.3: 'The provisions of this act shall only be applicable to premises rented or leased by senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age Pensions ... and by recipients of Social Security Disability Benefits, Supplemental Security Income or benefits under Work First New Jersey.' No general-tenant grace period in statute.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 5 days grace”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Application (or similar) fee may not exceed $50 (CPI-indexed annually from Jan 1 of the year after enactment, published by the Division of Consumer Affairs). Does not apply to units in one- or two-family dwellings, nor to Real Estate Commission licensees unless they are the landlord. Penalties up to $500 / $750 / $1,000 per offense, with the overcharge refunded to the applicant. Effective May 1, 2026 (first day of the 4th month after the Jan 20, 2026 approval).
“A landlord, or agent thereof, shall not require an application or other similar fee to apply to lease or sublease a residential rental property for dwelling purposes, which exceeds $50.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Watch the Division of Consumer Affairs website for the CPI-adjusted figure each January.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(c) State-authorized local rent control: New Jersey has no statewide rent cap and no statewide prohibition; municipalities may adopt rent control / rent leveling ordinances (over 100 do), and the statutes expressly recognize them. Statewide limits: N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2 exempts newly constructed multiple dwellings (4+ units) from municipal rent-increase limits for the amortization period of the initial mortgage or 30 years from completion, whichever is less (30 years if no mortgage); and under the Anti-Eviction Act, N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(f), a covered tenant may be evicted for refusing a rent increase only if the increase 'is not unconscionable and complies with any and all other laws or municipal ordinances governing rent increases'.
“In any municipality which has enacted or which hereafter enacts a rent control or rent leveling ordinance, other than under the authority of P.L.1966, c.168 (C.2A:42-74 et seq.), those provisions of the ordinance which limit the periodic or regular increases in base rentals of dwelling units shall not apply to multiple dwellings constructed after the effective date of this act”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
However, municipalities within the State may adopt ordinances regulating the amount and frequency of rent increases within their specific municipality.' No current-year statewide cap figure exists; caps are set per municipal ordinance (check the municipal clerk).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Rent control or stabilization applies to covered units”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice New Jersey requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No fixed statewide increase-notice statute. To enforce an increase against a covered tenant the landlord must serve a written notice of the increase together with a notice to quit ending the current term — one month before the increase takes effect for a month-to-month tenancy (§ 2A:18-56(b)) — and the increase must not be unconscionable and must comply with any municipal rent-control ordinance (§ 2A:18-61.1(f)).
Roughly 100 NJ municipalities have rent-control ordinances that cap the increase and may add notice steps; confirm locally. Confirmed against the DCA "Truth in Renting" guide (nj.gov/dca) as well.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Conditional. For residential premises covered by the Anti-Eviction Act (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1) — i.e., all residential rentals OTHER THAN owner-occupied premises with no more than two rental units, hotels/motels/guesthouses rented to transient or seasonal guests, and certain family-trust / family-occupied units — a landlord may NOT terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause; removal requires one of the statutory good-cause grounds (nonpayment, disorderly conduct after notice to cease, damage, rule/covenant violations after notice to cease, refusal of a lawful non-unconscionable rent increase, owner occupancy, demolition, etc.) with the ground-specific notice periods of N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.2. For EXEMPT tenancies (e.g., owner-occupied buildings with 1–2 rental units), a month-to-month tenancy is terminated by one month's notice to quit (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56(b)); tenancies at will or year-to-year require 3 months' notice (2A:18-56(a)).
“No lessee or tenant or the assigns, under-tenants or legal representatives of such lessee or tenant may be removed by the Superior Court from any house, building, mobile home or land in a mobile home park or tenement leased for residential purposes, other than (1) owner-occupied premises with not more than two rental units”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Companion quote, N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56: 'b. The tenancy, if a tenancy from month to month, has been terminated by the giving of 1 month's notice to quit, which notice shall be deemed to be sufficient'. The DCA reproduction is a 2008 reprint; Previously needs_counsel; now stated as a conditional rule per wave-2 brief.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No pre-filing notice to quit is required for nonpayment of rent (ground 2A:18-61.1(a)); the landlord may file a summary dispossess complaint once rent is due and unpaid. Tenant may still avoid eviction by paying all rent due (plus permitted costs) up to the day of trial / within 3 business days of lockout. Federally subsidized / CARES-Act-covered properties require a 30-day notice under federal law.
“No judgment of possession shall be entered for any premises covered by section 2 [C.2A:18-61.1] of this act, except in the nonpayment of rent under subsection a. or f. of section 2, unless the landlord has made written demand and given written notice for delivery of possession of the premises.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Habitual late payment (ground j) requires a Notice to Cease then one month's Notice to Quit (2A:18-61.2(b)).
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “3 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a New Jersey landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide statute. For multiple dwellings (three or more units) the DCA maintenance regulations require tenants to give the landlord access for inspection and maintenance on reasonable notification — normally one day (24 hours) — with immediate access in safety or structural emergencies. One- and two-family rentals have no regulatory notice period; the lease governs.
The regulation covers entry for inspection, maintenance and code repairs only; entry to show the unit or for other purposes must be addressed in the lease. The regulation subsection letter was not verified against the N.J.A.C. text itself.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Reasonable notice”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
Protected statewide
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
New Jersey next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard); 5 days grace
Capped at 5% of monthly rent; 5 days grace
Capped at 5% of monthly rent or $50; 5 days grace
No statewide cap (reasonableness standard)
Rent-increase notice
30 days
60 days
90 days
30 days
Non-emergency entry notice
Reasonable notice
48 hours
24 hours
Reasonable notice
Pay-or-quit notice
3 days
5 days
14 days
10 days
Source-of-income protection
Protected statewide
No statewide protection on file
Protected statewide
No statewide protection on file
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed within card-network limits
Allowed only with inclusive total pricing
Allowed within card-network limits
Lease disclosures on file
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for New Jersey. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
Primary sources a New Jersey landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New Jersey?
Maximum 1.5 times one month's rent (includes any pet deposit; the Security Deposit Law exempts owner-occupied 2- or 3-family dwellings unless the tenant opts in). Any annual additional security collected may not exceed 10% of the current deposit. (N.J.S.A. § 46:8-21.2, confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a New Jersey landlord have to return the security deposit?
Within 30 days after the tenancy ends, return the deposit plus the tenant's share of interest/earnings, less itemized deductions, by personal delivery or registered/certified mail. (Shorter windows apply to displacement by fire, flood, or condemnation.) Wrongful withholding exposes the landlord to double the amount plus fees and costs. (N.J.S.A. § 46:8-21.1, confirmed 2026-07).
What is the maximum late fee in New Jersey?
No statewide dollar or percentage cap on late fees. Mandatory 5-business-day grace period applies ONLY to tenants who are senior citizens receiving Social Security Old Age / Railroad Retirement / similar government pensions, or recipients of SSDI, SSI, or Work First New Jersey benefits, when rent is due on the 1st; violation is a disorderly-persons offense. Late fees are collectible as 'additional rent' in a dispossess action only if the written lease says so. (N.J.S.A. §§ 2A:42-6.1 to -6.3, confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a New Jersey pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
No pre-filing notice to quit is required for nonpayment of rent (ground 2A:18-61.1(a)); the landlord may file a summary dispossess complaint once rent is due and unpaid. Tenant may still avoid eviction by paying all rent due (plus permitted costs) up to the day of trial / within 3 business days of lockout. Federally subsidized / CARES-Act-covered properties require a 30-day notice under federal law. (N.J.S.A. § 2A:18-61.2 (read with § 2A:18-61.1(a)), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a New Jersey landlord give before entering?
No statewide statute. For multiple dwellings (three or more units) the DCA maintenance regulations require tenants to give the landlord access for inspection and maintenance on reasonable notification — normally one day (24 hours) — with immediate access in safety or structural emergencies. One- and two-family rentals have no regulatory notice period; the lease governs. (N.J.A.C. 5:10-5.1 (Regulations for Maintenance of Hotels and Multiple Dwellings), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in New Jersey?
No fixed statewide increase-notice statute. To enforce an increase against a covered tenant the landlord must serve a written notice of the increase together with a notice to quit ending the current term — one month before the increase takes effect for a month-to-month tenancy (§ 2A:18-56(b)) — and the increase must not be unconscionable and must comply with any municipal rent-control ordinance (§ 2A:18-61.1(f)). (N.J.S.A. §§ 2A:18-61.1(f), 2A:18-56(b), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in New Jersey?
Conditional. For residential premises covered by the Anti-Eviction Act (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1) — i.e., all residential rentals OTHER THAN owner-occupied premises with no more than two rental units, hotels/motels/guesthouses rented to transient or seasonal guests, and certain family-trust / family-occupied units — a landlord may NOT terminate a month-to-month tenancy without cause; removal requires one of the statutory good-cause grounds (nonpayment, disorderly conduct after notice to cease, damage, rule/covenant violations after notice to cease, refusal of a lawful non-unconscionable rent increase, owner occupancy, demolition, etc.) with the ground-specific notice periods of N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.2. For EXEMPT tenancies (e.g., owner-occupied buildings with 1–2 rental units), a month-to-month tenancy is terminated by one month's notice to quit (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56(b)); tenancies at will or year-to-year require 3 months' notice (2A:18-56(a)). (N.J.S.A. § 2A:18-61.1 (Anti-Eviction Act); N.J.S.A. § 2A:18-56(b), confirmed 2026-10).
Does New Jersey have statewide rent control?
New Jersey has rent control or rent stabilization for covered units. Whether a specific unit is covered, and what increase is allowed, is decided locally, so treat every increase on a possibly covered unit as a legal check, not a routine notice.
Is source of income a protected class in New Jersey?
Statewide source-of-income protection is on file for New Jersey. Screening criteria, advertising and income calculations must treat vouchers and benefit income like other lawful income. Local rules can add further protections.
Can a New Jersey landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 8 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.