Old Bridge Township, NJ Residential Lease Agreement

Old Bridge Township · Middlesex County, New Jersey

Old Bridge Township municipal data verified: August 31, 2026

Page content reviewed: August 19, 2026

Download Old Bridge 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 Old Bridge Township's municipal addendum.

What Old Bridge Township requires before the tenant moves in

Certificate of Approval (administered by the Housing Inspection Division).

When it applies. Before renting, granting a lease, or letting a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or premises used for human occupancy, including temporary occupancy.

Who handles it. Construction Official / Housing Inspection Division, Township of Old Bridge, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge NJ 08857; 732-721-5600

From the ordinance. Township Code Ch. 235 (Housing), Art. I, Sec. 235-16A-B, as amended through Ord. 2021-20: 'No owner ... shall rent, grant lease, let ... until a certificate of approval is obtained from the Construction Official.' Applies to any dwelling, dwelling unit, hotel, motel, rooming house, rooming unit, boardinghouse or premises used for human occupancy; no small-property or owner-occupied exemption was found. Inspection fees are $165 per single-family dwelling or duplex that is rented and $150 per unit in a multiple dwelling; a reinspection required for deficiencies costs the same as the initial inspection. A copy of any certificate of occupancy issued for a rented dwelling must be forwarded to the Rent Stabilization Board and a true copy delivered to the tenant. Old Bridge also requires a Certificate of Smoke Detector / Carbon Monoxide Detector / Fire Extinguisher Compliance through the fire district bureaus. DO NOT cite Ch. 388 for this requirement: Old Bridge Ch. 388 'Rental Property' is the rent-control / rent-stabilization chapter and contains no CO requirement. Ch. 235 Art. II (adopted 7-15-2025 by Ord. 2025-19) separately imposes lead-based-paint inspections at tenant turnover.

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

Official sources

Verified 2026-08-31 against the sources above. Ordinances change; confirm with Construction Official / Housing Inspection Division, Township of Old Bridge, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge NJ 08857; 732-721-5600 before the tenant moves in.

Required statewide, on top of Old Bridge 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 Old Bridge Township require a certificate of occupancy before a new tenant moves in?

Yes. Old Bridge Township runs a Certificate of Approval (administered by the Housing Inspection Division). Before renting, granting a lease, or letting a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or premises used for human occupancy, including temporary occupancy. Township Code Ch. 235 (Housing), Art. I, Sec. 235-16A-B, as amended through Ord. 2021-20: 'No owner ... shall rent, grant lease, let ... until a certificate of approval is obtained from the Construction Official.' Applies to any dwelling, dwelling unit, hotel, motel, rooming house, rooming unit, boardinghouse or premises used for human occupancy; no small-property or owner-occupied exemption was found. Inspection fees are $165 per single-family dwelling or duplex that is rented and $150 per unit in a multiple dwelling; a reinspection required for deficiencies costs the same as the initial inspection. A copy of any certificate of occupancy issued for a rented dwelling must be forwarded to the Rent Stabilization Board and a true copy delivered to the tenant. Old Bridge also requires a Certificate of Smoke Detector / Carbon Monoxide Detector / Fire Extinguisher Compliance through the fire district bureaus. DO NOT cite Ch. 388 for this requirement: Old Bridge Ch. 388 'Rental Property' is the rent-control / rent-stabilization chapter and contains no CO requirement. Ch. 235 Art. II (adopted 7-15-2025 by Ord. 2025-19) separately imposes lead-based-paint inspections at tenant turnover. Confirm current details with Construction Official / Housing Inspection Division, Township of Old Bridge, 1 Old Bridge Plaza, Old Bridge NJ 08857; 732-721-5600 and the official sources on this page.

When can the lease start in Old Bridge Township?

Set the start date after the certificate or inspection is issued, not before. Before renting, granting a lease, or letting a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit or premises used for human occupancy, including temporary 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 Old Bridge Township?

Yes. Old Bridge 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.