Ewing Township, NJ Residential Lease Agreement

Ewing Township · Mercer County, New Jersey

Ewing Township municipal data verified: September 7, 2026

Page content reviewed: August 19, 2026

Download Ewing Township lease (Word)Open to print or save as PDF

Free, no email required. The Word file is a blank you fill in; the print version opens in a new tab and saves as a PDF from your browser's print dialog. Both include Ewing Township's municipal addendum.

What Ewing Township requires before the tenant moves in

Property Transfer Certificate (Code Ch. 114, Art. II, 'Certificates of Occupancy'). The Division of Housing also calls the rental-triggered version a Property Maintenance / Tenant Transfer Inspection..

When it applies. Before any rental, as well as any sale or other transfer, of covered residential real estate, and upon each change in tenancy or occupancy of a registered rental unit. No tenant may occupy a rental unit until the certificate has been issued.

Who handles it. Construction Official / Division of Housing, Ewing Township Construction & Code Enforcement Office, 1666 Pennington Road, Ewing NJ 08618; 609-883-2900

From the ordinance. NAMING CAUTION: the operative instrument is a PROPERTY TRANSFER CERTIFICATE, not a 'certificate of occupancy'. Use the ordinance's term in customer-facing copy even though the article is titled 'Certificates of Occupancy'. Sec. 284-1E (Ch. 284 Art. I, amended 9-12-2023 by Ord. No. 23-20): 'Each rental unit shall be inspected upon each change in tenancy or occupancy. No tenant shall occupy a rental unit where a property transfer certificate has not been issued by the Construction Official.' Sec. 114-3B: 'Residential (rental). Prior to any sale, rental or other transfer of any rented single-family residential real estate or part thereof to another, the owner shall apply for and obtain a property transfer certificate.' Sec. 114-3 scope: A single-family, B rented single-family, C residential real estate containing fewer than three units, D nonresidential; subsections A through C are the residential rental hooks. EXEMPTIONS, Sec. 114-4G: unimproved real estate; where no immediate occupancy is contemplated (an inspection is still required prior to residential occupancy); nonresidential property already needing a UCC CO; and hotels and multiple dwellings governed by the NJ Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law or by Ch. 230 Art. II, so buildings of three or more units generally fall outside Ch. 114 and are handled under the State regime instead. The certificate is effective 120 days with one 30-day administrative extension plus reinspection (Sec. 114-6); reinspection may be waived if a certificate issued within the prior year (Sec. 114-4C). Penalty for failure to apply: up to $500 and/or 90 days (Sec. 114-4E). Separate annual landlord registration under Ch. 284 Art. I, Sec. 284-2 (Ord. No. 10-07), filed with the Construction Office; the Township web page says renewal by January 1 while the ordinance says January 31 - the ordinance controls. RECHECK FLAG: Sec. 114-4 was amended as recently as 2-10-2026 by Ord. No. 26-07, so re-verify this record on the next sweep. County confirmed: ecode360 library EW1628, and ewingnj.org identifies Ewing as a Mercer County municipality.

What that means for your lease start date

The lease start date in Section 2 of the template is the date the tenant is entitled to occupy the unit. In Ewing Township that date should fall after the certificate or inspection above has been issued, not before it. Schedule the inspection first, then write the start date.

If the certificate slips, the tenant cannot lawfully take occupancy on the day the lease says they can, and you are holding a signed contract you cannot perform. The copy of the lease on this page carries Ewing Township's requirement as a printed addendum so the person signing it can see the same thing.

Official sources

Verified 2026-09-07 against the sources above. Ordinances change; confirm with Construction Official / Division of Housing, Ewing Township Construction & Code Enforcement Office, 1666 Pennington Road, Ewing NJ 08618; 609-883-2900 before the tenant moves in.

Required statewide, on top of Ewing Township's rule

Register as a landlord (New Jersey Landlord Registration / Identity Law, N.J.S.A. 46:8-27 to 46:8-37). File within 30 days, or at creation of the first tenancy in a newly constructed/reconstructed building (46:8-28). Give each tenant a copy of the registration certificate at the start of a new tenancy (46:8-29). File an amended certificate within 20 days of any change to the form's information (46:8-28.2).

File with the right office. One-unit or two-unit non-owner-occupied: Municipal clerk of the town where the property is located (or the official the clerk designates). Three or more units: NJ DCA Bureau of Housing Inspection. Owners of tenant-occupied single-family and two-family properties must also file a registration with the DCA Bureau of Housing Inspection (46:8-28.5), with limited exceptions (e.g., certified lead-free or post-1978 owner-occupied two-family, seasonal rental under 6 months).

If you do not register. In an action for possession by a non-compliant landlord, no judgment for possession until registration; the court continues the case up to 90 days, then dismisses (46:8-33). Penalty up to $500 per offense (46:8-35); tenant rights cannot be waived (46:8-36).

Questions

Does Ewing Township require a certificate of occupancy before a new tenant moves in?

Yes. Ewing Township runs a Property Transfer Certificate (Code Ch. 114, Art. II, 'Certificates of Occupancy'). The Division of Housing also calls the rental-triggered version a Property Maintenance / Tenant Transfer Inspection.. Before any rental, as well as any sale or other transfer, of covered residential real estate, and upon each change in tenancy or occupancy of a registered rental unit. No tenant may occupy a rental unit until the certificate has been issued. NAMING CAUTION: the operative instrument is a PROPERTY TRANSFER CERTIFICATE, not a 'certificate of occupancy'. Use the ordinance's term in customer-facing copy even though the article is titled 'Certificates of Occupancy'. Sec. 284-1E (Ch. 284 Art. I, amended 9-12-2023 by Ord. No. 23-20): 'Each rental unit shall be inspected upon each change in tenancy or occupancy. No tenant shall occupy a rental unit where a property transfer certificate has not been issued by the Construction Official.' Sec. 114-3B: 'Residential (rental). Prior to any sale, rental or other transfer of any rented single-family residential real estate or part thereof to another, the owner shall apply for and obtain a property transfer certificate.' Sec. 114-3 scope: A single-family, B rented single-family, C residential real estate containing fewer than three units, D nonresidential; subsections A through C are the residential rental hooks. EXEMPTIONS, Sec. 114-4G: unimproved real estate; where no immediate occupancy is contemplated (an inspection is still required prior to residential occupancy); nonresidential property already needing a UCC CO; and hotels and multiple dwellings governed by the NJ Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law or by Ch. 230 Art. II, so buildings of three or more units generally fall outside Ch. 114 and are handled under the State regime instead. The certificate is effective 120 days with one 30-day administrative extension plus reinspection (Sec. 114-6); reinspection may be waived if a certificate issued within the prior year (Sec. 114-4C). Penalty for failure to apply: up to $500 and/or 90 days (Sec. 114-4E). Separate annual landlord registration under Ch. 284 Art. I, Sec. 284-2 (Ord. No. 10-07), filed with the Construction Office; the Township web page says renewal by January 1 while the ordinance says January 31 - the ordinance controls. RECHECK FLAG: Sec. 114-4 was amended as recently as 2-10-2026 by Ord. No. 26-07, so re-verify this record on the next sweep. County confirmed: ecode360 library EW1628, and ewingnj.org identifies Ewing as a Mercer County municipality. Confirm current details with Construction Official / Division of Housing, Ewing Township Construction & Code Enforcement Office, 1666 Pennington Road, Ewing NJ 08618; 609-883-2900 and the official sources on this page.

When can the lease start in Ewing Township?

Set the start date after the certificate or inspection is issued, not before. Before any rental, as well as any sale or other transfer, of covered residential real estate, and upon each change in tenancy or occupancy of a registered rental unit. No tenant may occupy a rental unit until the certificate has been issued. If the certificate is late, the tenant cannot lawfully take occupancy on the date written in the lease, which is the problem this page exists to prevent.

Do I still have to register as a landlord in Ewing Township?

Yes. Ewing Township's municipal requirement is on top of, not instead of, New Jersey's statewide Landlord Registration / Identity Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-27 to 46:8-37). Both apply.

Related

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. Consult a licensed attorney or real estate professional for advice specific to your situation.