How Long Can a Residential Lease Be in New Jersey?

Depending on circumstances, in New Jersey it’s usually possible to have a lease of any length of time, as long as the length of the lease term is specific and agreed in writing by the landlord and tenant. Oral leases can almost never be for a term of more than one year.

Is a Contract to Lease Binding in New Jersey?

Yes, a contract to lease is legally binding in New Jersey. To be valid, a contract to lease may have to be written, especially for a fixed term over one year. Oral leases may be valid in some cases (especially when both parties later behave as though there’s an enforceable oral lease), but often have strict limitations on enforceability for things like length of the lease term.

Do Lease Agreements Need to Be Notarized in New Jersey?

No, lease agreements do not need to be notarized in New Jersey. A notary helps establish the identity of the people signing the lease, if there’s a claim of fraud, but a notary isn’t necessary for a lease to be valid.

Can a Lease Automatically Renew in New Jersey?

Yes, a lease can automatically renew in New Jersey. Most rental agreements will automatically renew when the initial tenancy period is over. Past this point, the lease becomes a month-to-month rental agreement, with the same basic terms and conditions otherwise as the original lease. In some cases, such as if rent is being paid weekly, the lease may become a week-to-week lease.

New Jersey Lease Agreement (Free) | 2024 Official

A New Jersey residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a residential property and a tenant who wishes to rent it. A residential lease may, on or before move-in, additionally require a security deposit from the tenant as assurance against future property damage.

New Jersey Lease Agreement Disclosures

These disclosures are required for some or all residential lease agreements in New Jersey:

Disclosure	Applicable to
Truth In Renting Guide	All Units
Flood Zone	All Units in a Flood Zone
Window Guard/ Child Protective Window Guards	All Units
Disclosure Statement to Senior Citizen Housing Residents	Properties Hosting Senior Citizen Housing Projects and Related Planned Unit Developments
Lead-Based Paint	All Units Built Before 1978

Truth in Renting Guide Disclosure

Applicable to all New Jersey rentals.

New Jersey landlords must provide prospective tenants with the “Truth in Renting Guide,” which discusses tenant rights. They must also post a copy of the guide in a common area of the rental property. When an updated version of the guide is posted on the Department of Community Affairs website, landlords have 30 days to update their own copies.

Download: New Jersey Truth in Renting Guide Disclosure Form (PDF)

Flood Zone Notice

Applicable to any New Jersey property determined to be in a flood zone.

New Jersey landlords must provide notice to tenants if a property is in a flood zone. This disclosure must be provided in the lease before it’s reviewed and signed.

FLOOD ZONE. The rental unit at ___________________ is in a confirmed flood zone. Please refer to the FEMA website for more information on emergency preparedness.

Download: New Jersey Flood Zone Notice Disclosure Form (PDF)

Window Guard Disclosure/Notice of Right to Child Protective Window Guards

Applicable to all New Jersey rental units.

New Jersey landlords have a responsibility to provide protective window guards to tenants upon written request, for child safety. Window guards are metal grilles that installed to keep children from accidentally climbing out a dangerous window.

This is a model window guard disclosure, as provided by law:

The owner (landlord) is required by law to provide, install and maintain window guards in the apartment if a child or children 10 years of age or younger is, or will be, living in the apartment or is, or will be, regularly present there for a substantial period of time if the tenant gives the owner (landlord) a written request that the window guards be installed. The owner (landlord) is also required, upon the written request of the tenant, to provide, install and maintain window guards in the hallways to which persons in the tenant’s unit have access without having to go out of the building. If the building is a condominium, cooperative or mutual housing building, the owner (landlord) of the apartment is responsible for installing and maintaining window guards in the apartment and the association is responsible for installing and maintaining window guards in hallway windows. Window guards are only required to be provided in first floor windows where the window sill is more than six feet above grade or there are other hazardous conditions that make installation of window guards necessary to protect the safety of children.

In addition, the lease must include notice of the right to request window guards, as well as a specific price for installation (which may not exceed $20 per window). This is an example of a right-to-request clause:

PROTECTIVE WINDOW GUARDS. Tenant has a right to request protective window guards be placed on windows at a cost of $___ per window.

Disclosure Statement to Senior Citizen Housing Residents

Applicable to New Jersey’s senior citizen housing projects and related planned unit developments.

New Jersey landlords must in some cases provide telephone numbers of state and local officials for the municipality who receive reports of housing emergencies and complaints. Landlords must do so when they preside over a senior housing project or a planned unit development within such a housing project.

If the project is operated as a planned real estate development, the board must provide copies of the Public Offering Statement registered with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and current bylaws.

Tenant must sign a receipt confirming their opportunity to review these documents. The documents must be posted at one location on the rental property, and the landlord must keep the signed tenant receipt for at least one year.

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure

Applicable to any New Jersey rental built before 1978.

For any property built before 1978, federal law requires that a New Jersey residential lease must contain a lead-based paint disclosure. This requires landlords to do the following:

Fill out and attach this lead-based paint disclosure form to the lease agreement.
Provide the tenant with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved pamphlet about the dangers of lead-based paint.
Provide any additional records or reports about the presence or hazards of lead-based paint in the unit. For multi-unit buildings with common areas, this includes information from building-wide evaluations.

Download: New Jersey Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form (PDF)

Optional Disclosures and Addenda (Recommended)

The following lease agreement disclosures and addenda are not required by New Jersey law in residential lease agreements, but assist with tenant management and help limit landlord liability.

Optional Disclosure	Purpose
Asbestos	Informs tenants about any asbestos hazards related to the property. Tenants can take precautions to reduce asbestos hazards by avoiding any disturbance of asbestos fibers.
Bed Bugs	Informs tenants whether the property or an adjacent unit has a history of suspected bed bug infestation, and reminds the tenant of the obligation to report suspected infestation immediately.
Landlord’s Name and Address	Specifies the name and address of the landlord or authorized agent. This enables smooth communication of any important legal notice.
Late/Returned Check Fees	Specifies late fees or returned check fees related to the lease. New Jersey does not regulate late fees, but caps returned checks at $25. Additionally, Under New Jersey law, landlords need to wait five days after the due date to charge a late fee if the tenant receives one of a variety of government pensions.
Medical Marijuana Use	Informs tenants about policy related to medical marijuana use on the rental property. Some state laws allow landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only, or allow use only in designated smoking areas.
Mold Disclosure	Informs tenants about actual or suspected mold contamination on the property, along with any remediation efforts, to help limit landlord liability.
Move-In Checklist	Takes inventory of existing property damage, when the tenant takes possession of the rental property. This enables accurate deductions from the security deposit upon move-out.
Non-Refundable Fees	Charges not agreed by the tenant in the lease may be refundable upon lease termination. For New Jersey landlords to charge a non-refundable fee, it must be disclosed and agreed as such in the lease.
Shared Utilities Arrangements	Discloses how charges are billed to individual tenants, when multiple rental units share a utility meter for the whole building or property. This ensures tenants receive fair charges and understand what uses contribute to their bill.
Smoking	Informs tenants of designated smoking areas that do not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of other tenants.

Consequences of Not Including Mandatory Disclosures

Mandatory disclosures outline important health, safety, and property information for both landlord and tenant safety. A landlord who fails to provide federally or state-mandated disclosures could face legal consequences or monetary penalties, either from a tenant lawsuit or from state officials.

Failure to comply with the federal lead-based paint hazard disclosure risks fines of tens of thousands of dollars per violation.

Sources

1 NJ Rev Stat § 46:8-46 (2018): …Every landlord shall distribute one copy of the statement prepared and made available pursuant to the provisions of this act to each of their tenants within 30 days after it has been made available by the department and shall thereafter provide a copy of the current statement to each new tenant at or prior to the time he assumes occupancy of the dwelling. In addition, every landlord shall keep a copy of the current statement posted in one or more locations so that the statement is prominent and accessible to all his tenants…
2 NJ Rev Stat § 46:8-50 (2018): …1. Every landlord shall notify each of the landlord’s tenants upon the event that the rental property which is the subject of a lease has been determined to be located in a flood zone or area. Each new tenant shall be notified prior to the time that occupancy of the rental unit is assumed…
3 N.J. Stat. § 2A:42-113 (2022): …b. Every landlord of a senior citizen housing project, and every landlord of a unit within a senior citizen housing project that is a planned unit development, shall give copies of the statements required by P.L. 1974, c.50 (C. 46:8-27 et seq.), P.L. 1975, c.310 (C. 46:8-43 et seq.) and section 1 of this act to each resident at the time of the signing of the lease and any renewal thereof, if the units in the project are rented or offered for rent. If the project is organized or operated as a planned real estate development, the governing board or body shall provide copies of the public offering statement approved by the Department of Community Affairs in accordance with P.L. 1969, c.215 (C. 45:22A-1 et seq.) or P.L. 1977, c.419 (C. 45:22A-21 et seq.) and of the current bylaws of the planned real estate development to all residents to whom copies of those documents were not previously issued either by the developer or by the governing board or body.

Upon receipt of the statements or documents, as the case may be, the resident shall sign a form indicating that the landlord delivered the statements or documents as required under the provisions of this section. The owner shall keep the form on file for one year…
4 NJ Admin Code 27A: MODEL LEASE AND NOTICE PROVISION

The owner (landlord) is required by law to provide, install and maintain window guards in the apartment if a child or children 10 years of age or younger is, or will be, living in the apartment or is, or will be, regularly present there for a substantial period of time if the tenant gives the owner (landlord) a written request that the window guards be installed. The owner (landlord) is also required, upon the written request of the tenant, to provide, install and maintain window guards in the hallways to which persons in the tenant’s unit have access without having to go out of the building. If the building is a condominium, cooperative or mutual housing building, the owner (landlord) of the apartment is responsible for installing and maintaining window guards in the apartment and the association is responsible for installing and maintaining window guards in hallway windows. Window guards are only required to be provided in first floor windows where the window sill is more than six feet above grade or there are other hazardous conditions that make installation of window guards necessary to protect the safety of children.
Source Link