Hackensack, NJ Residential Lease Agreement

Hackensack · Bergen County, New Jersey

Hackensack municipal data verified: August 10, 2026

Page content reviewed: August 19, 2026

Download Hackensack 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 Hackensack's municipal addendum.

What Hackensack requires before the tenant moves in

Continued Certificate of Occupancy (CCO).

When it applies. Required on the sale OR rental of certain residential units, including but not limited to one- and two-family homes; the code fee schedule prices a residential CCO for resale or change in tenancy.

Who handles it. Department of Building, Housing and Land Use (B.H.L.U.), 116 Holt Street, 201-646-3920

From the ordinance. City instruction sheet requires a completed application with payment: one-family $100, two-family $150 (check, money order, or credit card). The codified fee schedule at Sec. 166-3(m) lists the residential (Use Group R-5) CCO at $85 and the commercial CCO at $100, so the city's published instruction-sheet amount is higher than the codified figure and should be treated as operative. Zoning Code Sec. 175-3.2(B) supplies the general prohibition on occupying or changing the occupancy of any building without a certificate from the Chief Building Inspector. Coverage beyond one- and two-family units is asserted by the city instruction sheet but is not spelled out in the fee schedule.

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 Hackensack 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 Hackensack's requirement as a printed addendum so the person signing it can see the same thing.

Official sources

Verified 2026-08-10 against the sources above. Ordinances change; confirm with Department of Building, Housing and Land Use (B.H.L.U.), 116 Holt Street, 201-646-3920 before the tenant moves in.

Required statewide, on top of Hackensack'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 Hackensack require a certificate of occupancy before a new tenant moves in?

Yes. Hackensack runs a Continued Certificate of Occupancy (CCO). Required on the sale OR rental of certain residential units, including but not limited to one- and two-family homes; the code fee schedule prices a residential CCO for resale or change in tenancy. City instruction sheet requires a completed application with payment: one-family $100, two-family $150 (check, money order, or credit card). The codified fee schedule at Sec. 166-3(m) lists the residential (Use Group R-5) CCO at $85 and the commercial CCO at $100, so the city's published instruction-sheet amount is higher than the codified figure and should be treated as operative. Zoning Code Sec. 175-3.2(B) supplies the general prohibition on occupying or changing the occupancy of any building without a certificate from the Chief Building Inspector. Coverage beyond one- and two-family units is asserted by the city instruction sheet but is not spelled out in the fee schedule. Confirm current details with Department of Building, Housing and Land Use (B.H.L.U.), 116 Holt Street, 201-646-3920 and the official sources on this page.

When can the lease start in Hackensack?

Set the start date after the certificate or inspection is issued, not before. Required on the sale OR rental of certain residential units, including but not limited to one- and two-family homes; the code fee schedule prices a residential CCO for resale or change in tenancy. 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 Hackensack?

Yes. Hackensack'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.