Landlord Registration & Certificate of Occupancy in Union, NJ

Union · Union County, New Jersey

Union municipal data verified: August 31, 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 Union's local certificate-of-occupancy requirement. Always confirm current details with the municipal office before you rent.

How to register as a landlord in Union

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 Union 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 Union

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 August 2026Checked against the official sources listed below
Program
Rental Certificate of Occupancy (20+ unit multifamily) / Rental Registration and License with annual inspection (20 units or fewer)
Office
Building Department / Construction Code Official, Township of Union, 1976 Morris Ave, Union NJ 07083; 908-851-8509. Registration and licensing are filed with the Township Clerk or the Clerk's designee.
When it's triggered
Every initial occupancy or change of occupancy. Art. I (20+ unit multifamily): a rental certificate of occupancy must issue before a tenant occupies. Art. III (buildings of 20 units or fewer, including 1-2 family): the unit must be registered initially, yearly and at each change of occupancy, pass an annual inspection, and hold a current license before occupancy.
What to know
Township Code Ch. 447 (Rental Property). Art. I (adopted 2-22-1994 by Ord. 4293) requires inspection on every initial or change of occupancy and states at Sec. 447-4 that 'No tenant shall occupy any building, structure or any units thereof until a rental certificate of occupancy has been issued'; there shall not be more than one such inspection biannually per unit. IMPORTANT SCOPE LIMIT: Sec. 447-9 defines MULTIFAMILY as a building comprising 20 or more separate dwelling or apartment units, so Art. I reaches only large multifamily. Art. III (Registration and Licensing) fills the gap for everything else: Sec. 447-29 requires registration of all rental units except buildings of more than 20 units, Sec. 447-30 requires registration initially, yearly and with each change of occupancy, Sec. 447-33A requires annual inspection, Sec. 447-36 conditions the license on a satisfactory inspection, and Sec. 447-35 bars occupancy of an unregistered or unlicensed rental unit. Art. I fee $75 per apartment inspection including one reinspection ($50 each additional); Art. III fee $50 per unit per year with waivers for qualifying senior owner-occupants and 501(c)(3) owners. Note a drafting seam: a building of exactly 20 units is described by both articles (Art. I says '20 or more', Art. III excepts 'more than 20'). The Building Department's separate residential Certificate of Continued Occupancy ('Residential Resale Certificate', $175, smoke/CO/extinguisher, valid 3 months) is triggered by SALE/RESALE, not by rental. DISAMBIGUATION: this is the TOWNSHIP OF UNION in Union County, not Union City (Hudson County) and not Union Township in Hunterdon County.

Local programs and fees change. Confirm the current rule with Building Department / Construction Code Official, Township of Union, 1976 Morris Ave, Union NJ 07083; 908-851-8509. Registration and licensing are filed with the Township Clerk or the Clerk's designee. before relying on it.

Union landlord FAQs

Do I have to register as a landlord in Union?

Yes. New Jersey's Landlord Registration / Identity Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-27 to 46:8-37) applies statewide, including Union. 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 Union require a certificate of occupancy before renting?

Yes. Union runs a Rental Certificate of Occupancy (20+ unit multifamily) / Rental Registration and License with annual inspection (20 units or fewer). Every initial occupancy or change of occupancy. Art. I (20+ unit multifamily): a rental certificate of occupancy must issue before a tenant occupies. Art. III (buildings of 20 units or fewer, including 1-2 family): the unit must be registered initially, yearly and at each change of occupancy, pass an annual inspection, and hold a current license before occupancy. Township Code Ch. 447 (Rental Property). Art. I (adopted 2-22-1994 by Ord. 4293) requires inspection on every initial or change of occupancy and states at Sec. 447-4 that 'No tenant shall occupy any building, structure or any units thereof until a rental certificate of occupancy has been issued'; there shall not be more than one such inspection biannually per unit. IMPORTANT SCOPE LIMIT: Sec. 447-9 defines MULTIFAMILY as a building comprising 20 or more separate dwelling or apartment units, so Art. I reaches only large multifamily. Art. III (Registration and Licensing) fills the gap for everything else: Sec. 447-29 requires registration of all rental units except buildings of more than 20 units, Sec. 447-30 requires registration initially, yearly and with each change of occupancy, Sec. 447-33A requires annual inspection, Sec. 447-36 conditions the license on a satisfactory inspection, and Sec. 447-35 bars occupancy of an unregistered or unlicensed rental unit. Art. I fee $75 per apartment inspection including one reinspection ($50 each additional); Art. III fee $50 per unit per year with waivers for qualifying senior owner-occupants and 501(c)(3) owners. Note a drafting seam: a building of exactly 20 units is described by both articles (Art. I says '20 or more', Art. III excepts 'more than 20'). The Building Department's separate residential Certificate of Continued Occupancy ('Residential Resale Certificate', $175, smoke/CO/extinguisher, valid 3 months) is triggered by SALE/RESALE, not by rental. DISAMBIGUATION: this is the TOWNSHIP OF UNION in Union County, not Union City (Hudson County) and not Union Township in Hunterdon County. Confirm current details with Building Department / Construction Code Official, Township of Union, 1976 Morris Ave, Union NJ 07083; 908-851-8509. Registration and licensing are filed with the Township Clerk or the Clerk's designee. 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.