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New Jersey Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Laws 2026

LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 23 jurisdictions across New Jersey. Select a city below for current permit requirements, tax rates, and compliance details.

12 Active 10 Restricted 1 None

New Jersey Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview

The short-term rental regulatory landscape in New Jersey encompasses 23 tracked jurisdictions: 12 with active regulations, 10 with restrictions. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.

Approximately 100% of tracked jurisdictions in New Jersey require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.

Tax obligations apply in 23 of 23 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.

Cities with significant restrictions on vacation rentals include Jersey City, Hoboken, Plainfield. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.

LawfulStay monitors New Jersey STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.

Asbury Park
Annual STR Permit + Certificate of Inspection required. Registration process includes: zoning confirmation, tax/sewer payment verification, construction departm…
Restricted
Cape May
Historic Cape May is a National Historic Landmark. Annual license and safety inspection required. No quantity cap but strict safety rules enforced.
Restricted
Hoboken
Annual permit required from Division of Housing Preservation. STRs in rent-controlled properties heavily restricted. Proof of principal residency, utility bills…
Restricted
Jersey City
Owners must obtain a Zoning Compliance Certificate first, then apply for an STR permit via the Division of Housing Preservation. Tenants/subletters are banned f…
Restricted
Longport
14-day minimum stay requirement effectively limits very short weekend bookings. Annual registration and inspection required. Rentals defined as anything less th…
Restricted
Plainfield
Ordinance Chapter 17, Article XX, §§17:20-1 through 17:20-8 establishes registration and operation requirements. Certificate of Compliance also required. Contac…
Restricted
Point Pleasant Beach
Hard 30-day minimum stay requirement enacted late 2025/2026 effectively bans traditional Airbnb-style bookings in residential zones. One of the more aggressive …
Restricted
Spring Lake
Short-term rental license valid only May 15 through September 15 each year. Applies to rentals under 175 days. $100 annual fee. Extremely affluent 'Irish Rivier…
Restricted
Toms River
Two-tier system: MAINLAND — 30-day minimum stay makes traditional STRs effectively prohibited. BARRIER ISLAND — seasonal STRs permitted April 1 through November…
Restricted
Wildwood Crest
More stringent than neighboring Wildwood. Floor plan submission, fire prevention inspection, and Certificate of Zoning Use Compliance all required before licens…
Restricted
Atlantic City
Annual registration via online portal. $150 fee. Minimum $300,000 liability insurance required. 24/7 property manager who can respond within 1 hour mandatory. P…
Active
Avalon
Comprehensive annual rental licensing system. Fire safety inspections required every 4 years or upon tenant change. Saturday-to-Saturday weekly leases are the m…
Active
Belmar
Annual rental license required (Summer or Annual options). Strictly enforced noise and quality-of-life ordinances — known for aggressive code enforcement. Popul…
Active
Long Beach Island (LBI)
LBI is comprised of 6 separate municipalities — each has its own ordinance. Long Beach Township requires annual registration by April 1 with proof of liability …
Active
Margate City
Annual rental license required. Applications open March 1 each year. License must be obtained BEFORE tenant moves in. Valid 1 year from issuance date.
Active
Ocean Grove
Ocean Grove is a neighborhood within Neptune Township (not a separate municipality); all STR regulation is set by Neptune Township. The April 8, 2024 Township C…
Active
Princeton
No STR-specific ordinance. Annual rental registration applies. University-driven demand (graduations, reunions, game weekends, academic visitors).
Active
Sea Isle City
Annual Municipal Mercantile Rental Permit mandatory. Fire safety inspection + Certificate of Self-Inspection required. Local contact person must be a Cape May C…
Active
Seaside Heights
Annual rental/mercantile license required. Known for heavy summer tourism (Jersey Shore TV show fame). High seasonal demand; significant enforcement of noise an…
Active
Stone Harbor
Annual rental registration and license required. Periodic inspections to attest safety and zoning compliance. Saturday-to-Saturday weekly lease convention is ty…
Active
Ventnor City
Annual mercantile license required at $750/year. One of the higher license fees in NJ. Adjacent to Atlantic City; more residential character.
Active
Wildwood
Annual Mercantile License required. City inspections part of licensing process. 10PM curfew for minors. Adjacent Wildwood Crest has separate, more stringent rul…
Active
Harrison Township
Harrison Township, NJ (Gloucester County) has not enacted a dedicated short-term rental ordinance as of 2026-07-08. All rental dwellings — including those offer…
None