Does a landlord need a reason to evict a tenant in New Jersey?
Yes, for most tenancies. The Anti-Eviction Act limits eviction from most residential units to eighteen statutory grounds. Nonpayment of rent is the first of them; anything else needs a Notice to Cease and a Notice to Quit before a complaint may be filed. In New Jersey the eviction procedure itself is set by N.J.S.A. 2A:18-53, 2A:18-61.1, 2A:18-61.2, 2A:42-10.16; N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1.
| What | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Cause needed to end a tenancy | Yes, for most tenancies |
Notes
New Jersey does NOT require a notice to quit before filing for nonpayment of rent under the Anti-Eviction Act — the only state on this list where that is so. Every other ground does require one, and the periods differ by ground.
Source
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-53, 2A:18-61.1, 2A:18-61.2, 2A:42-10.16; N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1
Read the statute in the New Jersey Statutes (New Jersey Legislature): njleg.state.nj.us.
The linked sections open Justia’s free copy of the code, because the state’s own site has no stable address for each section.
Checked against the statute on September 7, 2026.
This is a summary of the published procedure, not legal advice. Courts, local rules and the facts of a tenancy change what applies, and a defect in a notice or a filing can end a case. Have a lawyer review anything before it is served or filed.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora does not file, serve or appear in an eviction, and is not anybody’s lawyer. When a tenant has stopped paying, it lays out these steps for the property’s own state and city with the statute beside each one, holds back any step that would come too early, keeps an append-only record of the case — and shows the resident what would end it, legal-aid links included.
Guides on this rule
- New Jersey Landlord-Tenant Law: Good Cause, Deposits and Notices — New Jersey rules for landlords: good cause under the Anti-Eviction Act, the 1.5-month deposit cap and 30-day return, Truth in Renting and flood notices.
- Holdover Tenants: What Happens When the Lease Ends and the Tenant Stays — When accepting rent after a lease ends creates a month-to-month tenancy, and when a holdover owes double rent: New York, California and Florida rules.
Compare this rule in every state
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