Landlord Registration & Certificate of Occupancy in Ewing Township, NJ

Ewing Township · Mercer County, New Jersey

Ewing Township municipal data verified: September 7, 2026

Page content reviewed: August 19, 2026

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General information, not legal advice. This page summarizes how New Jersey's statewide landlord-registration law works and what we have (or have not yet) confirmed about Ewing Township's local certificate-of-occupancy requirement. Always confirm current details with the municipal office before you rent.

How to register as a landlord in Ewing Township

New Jersey's New Jersey Landlord Registration / Identity Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-27 to 46:8-37) applies statewide, so the registration requirement is the same in Ewing Township as it is everywhere else in New Jersey. It requires landlords to file a certificate of registration identifying who owns and manages the property and who to reach in an emergency.

Where to file

  • One-unit rentals, and two-unit non-owner-occupied properties: Municipal clerk of the town where the property is located (or the official the clerk designates).
  • Three or more units (multiple dwellings): NJ DCA Bureau of Housing Inspection.
  • Single- and two-family rentals (2007 amendment): 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).

Key obligations

  • 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).

If you don't 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).

Official source: NJ DCA - Landlord Identity Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-27 to 46:8-37) (PDF)

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Certificate of occupancy / rental inspection in Ewing Township

N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.12a and 40:48-2.12m authorize municipalities to require a certificate of inspection or occupancy for residential rental property prior to a new occupancy. This is why the requirement exists town-by-town rather than as one statewide process.

Confirmed requirementVerified September 2026Checked against the official sources listed below
Program
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.
Office
Construction Official / Division of Housing, Ewing Township Construction & Code Enforcement Office, 1666 Pennington Road, Ewing NJ 08618; 609-883-2900
When it's triggered
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.
What to know
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.

Local programs and fees change. Confirm the current rule with Construction Official / Division of Housing, Ewing Township Construction & Code Enforcement Office, 1666 Pennington Road, Ewing NJ 08618; 609-883-2900 before relying on it.

Ewing Township landlord FAQs

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

Yes. New Jersey's Landlord Registration / Identity Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-27 to 46:8-37) applies statewide, including Ewing Township. For a single-unit rental or a two-unit non-owner-occupied property you file with the municipal clerk; for three or more units you file with the NJ DCA Bureau of Housing Inspection. A 2007 amendment also requires single- and two-family rental owners to file with the DCA.

Does Ewing Township require a certificate of occupancy before renting?

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.

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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.