New Brunswick, NJ Residential Lease Agreement

New Brunswick · Middlesex County, New Jersey

New Brunswick municipal data verified: August 10, 2026

Page content reviewed: August 19, 2026

Download New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick's municipal addendum.

What New Brunswick requires before the tenant moves in

Rental Unit Registration and Periodic Inspection (Inspection Certificate).

When it applies. No rental unit may be rented unless it is registered (annually, on or before April 1) and has passed inspection. A previously unregistered vacant unit must be inspected prior to occupancy. This is a periodic registration-and-inspection program, not a per-change-of-tenant certificate of occupancy.

Who handles it. Division of Inspections / Bureau of Housing Inspections; registration filed with the New Brunswick Rent Leveling Office

From the ordinance. Municipal Code Title 15, Ch. 15.40. The Inspection Certificate is valid three years. Inspection and the first reinspection are free as of Jan 1, 2021; additional reinspections are $25 each, payable at least 72 hours before inspection, with a $20 late surcharge if unpaid 30 days past due. A certificate can be revoked for occupancy-limit or dangerous-condition violations, and the owner may not rent to a new tenant until a valid certificate is reissued. Violations are a disorderly persons offense: $500 first offense, up to $1,000 and/or 90 days after that, each day a separate offense. Exempt: New Brunswick Housing Authority units, Rutgers/UMDNJ dorms and apartments, newly constructed units for 3 years from initial final CO, and two-family owner-occupied buildings.

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 New Brunswick 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 New Brunswick'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 Division of Inspections / Bureau of Housing Inspections; registration filed with the New Brunswick Rent Leveling Office before the tenant moves in.

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

Yes. New Brunswick runs a Rental Unit Registration and Periodic Inspection (Inspection Certificate). No rental unit may be rented unless it is registered (annually, on or before April 1) and has passed inspection. A previously unregistered vacant unit must be inspected prior to occupancy. This is a periodic registration-and-inspection program, not a per-change-of-tenant certificate of occupancy. Municipal Code Title 15, Ch. 15.40. The Inspection Certificate is valid three years. Inspection and the first reinspection are free as of Jan 1, 2021; additional reinspections are $25 each, payable at least 72 hours before inspection, with a $20 late surcharge if unpaid 30 days past due. A certificate can be revoked for occupancy-limit or dangerous-condition violations, and the owner may not rent to a new tenant until a valid certificate is reissued. Violations are a disorderly persons offense: $500 first offense, up to $1,000 and/or 90 days after that, each day a separate offense. Exempt: New Brunswick Housing Authority units, Rutgers/UMDNJ dorms and apartments, newly constructed units for 3 years from initial final CO, and two-family owner-occupied buildings. Confirm current details with Division of Inspections / Bureau of Housing Inspections; registration filed with the New Brunswick Rent Leveling Office and the official sources on this page.

When can the lease start in New Brunswick?

Set the start date after the certificate or inspection is issued, not before. No rental unit may be rented unless it is registered (annually, on or before April 1) and has passed inspection. A previously unregistered vacant unit must be inspected prior to occupancy. This is a periodic registration-and-inspection program, not a per-change-of-tenant certificate of occupancy. 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 New Brunswick?

Yes. New Brunswick'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.

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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.