Laws by state / New Jersey

New Jersey landlord and tenant rules

The figures that decide most disputes between New Jersey landlords and tenants, each with a calculator and the statute behind it.

Verified against the statutes 2026-10-22By RentByState Research

Rule	New Jersey	Statute	Tool
Maximum security deposit	1.5 months' rent (1 1/2 times one month's rent); annual additional security collections capped at 10% of the current deposit	N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2; 46:8-21.1; 46:8-19	Deposit rules
Deposit return deadline	30 days after termination of the lease, by personal delivery or registered/certified mail, with itemized statement of interest and deductions; 5 business days if tenant displaced by fire/flood/condemnation/evacuation; 15 business days for domestic-violence lease terminations; double damages for wrongful withholding	N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2; 46:8-21.1; 46:8-19	Deposit rules
Interest on the deposit	Required	N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2; 46:8-21.1; 46:8-19	New Jersey interest calculator
Maximum late fee	No statutory cap	N.J.S.A. 2A:42-6.1; 2A:42-6.3 (grace period, limited class); no general late-fee cap statute	Late fee calculator
Landlord notice, month-to-month	30 days (just cause required)	N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 (Anti-Eviction Act grounds); 2A:18-61.2 (notice periods; nonpayment exempt); 2A:18-56	Notice calculator
Tenant notice, month-to-month	30 days	N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 (Anti-Eviction Act grounds); 2A:18-61.2 (notice periods; nonpayment exempt); 2A:18-56	Notice calculator
Rent increase notice	30 days	N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 (Anti-Eviction Act grounds); 2A:18-61.2 (notice periods; nonpayment exempt); 2A:18-56	Notice calculator
Pay-or-quit notice	No statutory period	N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 (Anti-Eviction Act grounds); 2A:18-61.2 (notice periods; nonpayment exempt); 2A:18-56	Notice calculator
Rent increase cap	None statewide

Security deposits in New Jersey

New Jersey limits security deposits to 1.5 months' rent (1 1/2 times one month's rent); annual additional security collections capped at 10% of the current deposit. The deposit must be returned 30 days after termination of the lease, by personal delivery or registered/certified mail, with itemized statement of interest and deductions; 5 business days if tenant displaced by fire/flood/condemnation/evacuation; 15 business days for domestic-violence lease terminations; double damages for wrongful withholding. New Jersey is one of the states that requires interest on the deposit. Rent Security Deposit Act. Deposit must be held in an interest-bearing account or money-market fund (46:8-19); interest belongs to tenant and is paid/credited annually; landlord must give written notice of depository within 30 days and at each annual payment. Act does not apply to owner-occupied premises with no more than 2 rental units unless tenant requests in writing (46:8-26 - UNVERIFIED against statute text; taken from NJ DCA Truth in Renting guide). Statute text read via Wayback snapshots of Justia 2025/2023 code (njleg.gov and Justia blocked direct access). No 2024-2026 amendments to these sections found. Full deposit rules and move-out checklist.

Late fees in New Jersey

New Jersey sets no statutory cap on late fees. The amount is whatever the lease says, subject to the general rule that it must not be an unconscionable penalty. There is no statutory grace period, so the lease controls when the fee starts. Calculate the maximum fee.

Notice periods in New Jersey

A New Jersey landlord must give 30 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and the tenant must give the same. The state requires a lawful reason (just cause) to end most tenancies, so notice alone is not enough. A rent increase needs 30 days’ notice. For nonpayment, no statutory pay-or-quit period applies; the landlord may proceed after rent is due and unpaid, subject to the lease. Calculate the effective date of a notice.

Deposit interest in New Jersey

New Jersey: The interest actually earned in the required account. Every New Jersey landlord except owner-occupied buildings with no more than two rental units (unless the tenant requests the protections in writing).

Sources

Frequently asked questions

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New Jersey?

1.5 months' rent (1 1/2 times one month's rent); annual additional security collections capped at 10% of the current deposit. Rent Security Deposit Act. Deposit must be held in an interest-bearing account or money-market fund (46:8-19); interest belongs to tenant and is paid/credited annually; landlord must give written notice of depository within 30 days and at each annual payment. Act does not apply to owner-occupied premises with no more than 2 rental units unless tenant requests in writing (46:8-26 - UNVERIFIED against statute text; taken from NJ DCA Truth in Renting guide). Statute text read via Wayback snapshots of Justia 2025/2023 code (njleg.gov and Justia blocked direct access). No 2024-2026 amendments to these sections found.

What is the maximum late fee for rent in New Jersey?

There is no statutory maximum in New Jersey. No statutory cap on late fees; fee must be in the lease and reasonable (courts). A 5-business-day grace period applies ONLY to tenants who are senior citizens receiving Social Security/railroad/government pensions, or recipients of SSDI, SSI, or Work First NJ benefits, when rent is due on the 1st (N.J.S.A. 2A:42-6.1, -6.3). No grace period for other tenants. The most common lease figure nationally is 5% of monthly rent, and courts in no-cap states generally accept fees in that range while rejecting ones that look like penalties.

How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in New Jersey?

30 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. 1 month's written notice to quit ends a month-to-month tenancy (2A:18-56(b)); 3 months for year-to-year. BUT under the Anti-Eviction Act a landlord of covered residential housing cannot end a month-to-month tenancy without one of the statutory good causes; the 1-month landlord notice effectively applies only to exempt tenancies (owner-occupied with 2 or fewer rental units, etc.) and to tenants giving notice. The landlord also needs a lawful reason.

How long is a pay-or-quit notice in New Jersey?

No statutory notice period for nonpayment; check the lease and local court rules.