Local landlord and tenant rules in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey has local rules on rent regulation (Hoboken Code ch. 155, §§ 155-4, 155-30 – 155-34 (amended through Ord. B-818, 2025)) and other landlord obligations (Hoboken City Code ch. 154 (Rental Housing; Warehousing), §§ 154-1 to 154-5 (as amended July 9, 2025, Ord. No. B-777)), on top of New Jersey law.
Local rules in Hoboken, New Jersey
Rent regulation
In Hoboken a rent may rise only when a lease expires (or a periodic tenancy ends), by the lesser of 5% or the CPI change from three months before the lease began to three months before it ends — one such increase in any twelve months, with 30 days’ written notice explaining it. When a tenant vacates voluntarily (or under a court order other than for holding over), the unit is decontrolled for the next tenant’s first rental only, at no more than 25% above the last rent, once in any three years; file the $50 decontrol certificate. The building must be registered every year by June 30.
Source: Hoboken Code ch. 155, §§ 155-4, 155-30 – 155-34 (amended through Ord. B-818, 2025). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Office: Hoboken Rent Leveling & Stabilization Office, (201) 420-2000 x 1721/1723 (website).
Other landlord obligations
Hoboken’s rental housing chapter forbids keeping an apartment empty: a covered unit must be rented and occupied by a new tenant within two months after the last tenancy ends. The landlord reports a vacancy to the Division of Housing (no report is needed if the unit is re-let within 30 days), then reports within 30 days of that filing that the unit is rented, with the new tenants’ names and the terms; a unit not rented and occupied within 60 days without a waiver from the Division is a violation. Buildings of four units or fewer with the owner living in one, newly built units being rented for the first time and approved affordable housing projects are exempt.
Source: Hoboken City Code ch. 154 (Rental Housing; Warehousing), §§ 154-1 to 154-5 (as amended July 9, 2025, Ord. No. B-777). Checked on November 12, 2026.
Also on file
- Hoboken requires no certificate of occupancy for a new tenant in an existing unit (Code § 83-2); the smoke, CO and extinguisher certificate still applies to one- and two-family homes. Checked on November 4, 2026.
New Jersey rules that apply in Hoboken
| Rule | New Jersey |
|---|---|
| How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in New Jersey? | 30 days |
| How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in New Jersey? | 1.5 months of rent |
| Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in New Jersey? | Deposit must sit in an interest-bearing New Jersey account; interest is paid or credited annually. |
| How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in New Jersey? | 30 days |
| How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in New Jersey? | 30 days |
| How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in New Jersey? | No general statutory period |
| Is there a grace period for paying rent in New Jersey? | 5 business days (some tenants only) |
| How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in New Jersey? | $50 for all application fees together (not one- and two-family houses) |
Every New Jersey rule Seayora publishes.
The homes these rules cover in Hoboken
66.2% of the occupied homes in Hoboken are rented, about 18,607 households, a share higher than across New Jersey (36.2%).
The median gross rent is $2,938 a month, higher than across New Jersey ($1,720); that is what households report paying, utilities included, not the asking rent for a vacant apartment.
33.0% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
51.8% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Hoboken | Hudson County | New Jersey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 66.2% (±2.2 points) | 69.3% | 36.2% |
| Median gross rent | $2,938 (±$129) | $1,894 | $1,720 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 33.0% (±3.2 points) | 46.4% | 51.6% |
| Median income of renter households | $146,592 (±$10,494) | $75,879 | $62,674 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 51.8% (±3.2 points) | 61.9% | 62.8% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 79.3% (±3.6 points) | 52.7% | 21.8% |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.1% (±1.9 points) | 4.4% | 3.5% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 41.7% (±2.2 points) | 33.0% | 21.2% |
All housing figures for Hoboken: rent by bedrooms, home values, property taxes, commute.
Source: US Census Bureau, Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — undefined. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rentals and records in Hoboken
Rent control office: Hoboken Rent Leveling & Stabilization Office, (201) 420-2000 x 1721/1723 (website).
Questions about Hoboken’s local rules
Does Hoboken have rent control?
In Hoboken a rent may rise only when a lease expires (or a periodic tenancy ends), by the lesser of 5% or the CPI change from three months before the lease began to three months before it ends — one such increase in any twelve months, with 30 days’ written notice explaining it. When a tenant vacates voluntarily (or under a court order other than for holding over), the unit is decontrolled for the next tenant’s first rental only, at no more than 25% above the last rent, once in any three years; file the $50 decontrol certificate. The building must be registered every year by June 30. (Hoboken Code ch. 155, §§ 155-4, 155-30 – 155-34 (amended through Ord. B-818, 2025))
How much can a landlord raise the rent in Hoboken?
In Hoboken a rent may rise only when a lease expires (or a periodic tenancy ends), by the lesser of 5% or the CPI change from three months before the lease began to three months before it ends — one such increase in any twelve months, with 30 days’ written notice explaining it. When a tenant vacates voluntarily (or under a court order other than for holding over), the unit is decontrolled for the next tenant’s first rental only, at no more than 25% above the last rent, once in any three years; file the $50 decontrol certificate. (Hoboken Code ch. 155, §§ 155-4, 155-30 – 155-34 (amended through Ord. B-818, 2025))
What else does Hoboken require of landlords?
Hoboken’s rental housing chapter forbids keeping an apartment empty: a covered unit must be rented and occupied by a new tenant within two months after the last tenancy ends. The landlord reports a vacancy to the Division of Housing (no report is needed if the unit is re-let within 30 days), then reports within 30 days of that filing that the unit is rented, with the new tenants’ names and the terms; a unit not rented and occupied within 60 days without a waiver from the Division is a violation. Buildings of four units or fewer with the owner living in one, newly built units being rented for the first time and approved affordable housing projects are exempt. (Hoboken City Code ch. 154 (Rental Housing; Warehousing), §§ 154-1 to 154-5 (as amended July 9, 2025, Ord. No. B-777))
This is a summary of the local rules Seayora has read from each place’s own code, not legal advice. Ordinances change and a rule may have exceptions; check the citation and the office named before acting.