Local landlord and tenant rules in Morristown Town, New Jersey
Morristown Town, New Jersey has local rules on rent regulation (Morristown Code ch. XIV, art. I, §§ 14-2, 14-3, 14-3.1, 14-15 (2017 publication)), rental registration (Morristown Town Code ch. 13 (Housing and Property Maintenance), art. XIV, § 13-90) and inspections before a new tenant (Morristown Town Code ch. 13 (Housing and Property Maintenance), art. XII, §§ 13-79 to 13-81), on top of New Jersey law.
Local rules in Morristown Town, New Jersey
Rent regulation
In Morristown the rent may rise once in twelve months, at the end of a lease or a periodic tenancy of at least a year, by no more than the Allowable Percentage Increase: the change from August to August of the year before, in the CPI or the RPI, whichever is less. After a voluntary vacancy or a court-ordered eviction the landlord may agree a new rent with the next tenant, on compliance with the vacancy decontrol section. Every non-exempt unit is registered with the Division of Rent Leveling once every twelve months (a first rental within 30 days) — no increase without it. Housing Authority and federally exempt housing, motels, hotels and licensed rooming or boarding houses, and dwellings built on or after January 1, 1981 are exempt.
Source: Morristown Code ch. XIV, art. I, §§ 14-2, 14-3, 14-3.1, 14-15 (2017 publication). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Office: Morristown Division of Rent Leveling, (973) 292-6709 (website).
Rental registration
The owner, operator and lessor of a Morristown building of three or more homes must file two copies of a statement with the Municipal Clerk giving the record owners of the building and of the rental business, a corporation’s registered agent and officers, the superintendent or janitor and the managing agent — and, if an owner’s address is outside Morris County, a person in the county authorized to accept legal papers for them.
Source: Morristown Town Code ch. 13 (Housing and Property Maintenance), art. XIV, § 13-90. Checked on November 12, 2026.
Inspections before a new tenant
No building, apartment or other home in Morristown may be rented, leased or handed over for occupancy until the Division Manager has issued a certificate of habitability showing it meets the Town’s Property Maintenance Code; if it is not occupied within 60 days of issue it must be reinspected. The incoming tenant certifies knowing the maximum number of occupants and having read the Code, and any real estate licensee certifies knowing of no plan to break it. The fee is $160 for each one- or two-family house and $120 for each apartment in a building of three or more, with a reinspection fee of $80 for a house.
Source: Morristown Town Code ch. 13 (Housing and Property Maintenance), art. XII, §§ 13-79 to 13-81. Checked on November 12, 2026.
New Jersey rules that apply in Morristown Town
| 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 Morristown Town
63.3% of the occupied homes in Morristown Town are rented, about 5,744 households, a share higher than across New Jersey (36.2%).
The median gross rent is $2,274 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.
37.4% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
59.3% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Morristown Town | Morris County | New Jersey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 63.3% (±3.4 points) | 25.7% | 36.2% |
| Median gross rent | $2,274 (±$125) | $1,904 | $1,720 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 37.4% (±5.6 points) | 45.2% | 51.6% |
| Median income of renter households | $92,863 (±$5,376) | $79,949 | $62,674 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 59.3% (±5.7 points) | 62.4% | 62.8% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 47.6% (±5.1 points) | 19.2% | 21.8% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 38.5% (±4.5 points) | 19.7% | 21.2% |
All housing figures for Morristown Town: 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 Morristown Town
Rent control office: Morristown Division of Rent Leveling, (973) 292-6709 (website).
Questions about Morristown Town’s local rules
Does Morristown Town have rent control?
In Morristown the rent may rise once in twelve months, at the end of a lease or a periodic tenancy of at least a year, by no more than the Allowable Percentage Increase: the change from August to August of the year before, in the CPI or the RPI, whichever is less. After a voluntary vacancy or a court-ordered eviction the landlord may agree a new rent with the next tenant, on compliance with the vacancy decontrol section. Every non-exempt unit is registered with the Division of Rent Leveling once every twelve months (a first rental within 30 days) — no increase without it. Housing Authority and federally exempt housing, motels, hotels and licensed rooming or boarding houses, and dwellings built on or after January 1, 1981 are exempt. (Morristown Code ch. XIV, art. I, §§ 14-2, 14-3, 14-3.1, 14-15 (2017 publication))
How much can a landlord raise the rent in Morristown Town?
In Morristown the rent may rise once in twelve months, at the end of a lease or a periodic tenancy of at least a year, by no more than the Allowable Percentage Increase: the change from August to August of the year before, in the CPI or the RPI, whichever is less. (Morristown Code ch. XIV, art. I, §§ 14-2, 14-3, 14-3.1, 14-15 (2017 publication))
Do landlords have to register rentals in Morristown Town?
The owner, operator and lessor of a Morristown building of three or more homes must file two copies of a statement with the Municipal Clerk giving the record owners of the building and of the rental business, a corporation’s registered agent and officers, the superintendent or janitor and the managing agent — and, if an owner’s address is outside Morris County, a person in the county authorized to accept legal papers for them. (Morristown Town Code ch. 13 (Housing and Property Maintenance), art. XIV, § 13-90)
Does Morristown Town require an inspection or certificate before a new tenant moves in?
No building, apartment or other home in Morristown may be rented, leased or handed over for occupancy until the Division Manager has issued a certificate of habitability showing it meets the Town’s Property Maintenance Code; if it is not occupied within 60 days of issue it must be reinspected. The incoming tenant certifies knowing the maximum number of occupants and having read the Code, and any real estate licensee certifies knowing of no plan to break it. The fee is $160 for each one- or two-family house and $120 for each apartment in a building of three or more, with a reinspection fee of $80 for a house. (Morristown Town Code ch. 13 (Housing and Property Maintenance), art. XII, §§ 13-79 to 13-81)
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.