Local landlord and tenant rules in Piscataway Township, New Jersey
Piscataway Township, New Jersey has local rules on rent regulation (Piscataway Code ch. 16, §§ 16-1, 16-2.1, 16-2.3, 16-5, 16-11 (amended through Ord. 2024-30)), rental registration (Piscataway Township Code ch. 16, § 16-11 (Rental of Housing Units), §§ 16-11.2 to 16-11.7 (Ord. No. 08-18, as amended by Ord. No. 19-02)) and other landlord obligations (Piscataway Township Code ch. 15 (Short-Term Rentals), §§ 15-2, 15-3, 15-9 (Ord. No. 2020-35, as amended by Ord. No. 2023-34)), on top of New Jersey law.
Local rules in Piscataway Township, New Jersey
Rent regulation
In Piscataway the Township publishes each year’s allowable increase by October 15; an existing tenant’s rent may rise by no more than the lesser of the CPI change or 6% of the rent at the lease’s end, with the calculation sent by certified mail, and a month-to-month tenant gets at most one increase a calendar year. No tenant may occupy a vacant unit until an approved Landlord Registration Statement certifies it ($125 a year per building). Motels, hotels, buildings up to one-third commercial and buildings of two or fewer units are exempt; Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation units are exempt from the rent limits.
Source: Piscataway Code ch. 16, §§ 16-1, 16-2.1, 16-2.3, 16-5, 16-11 (amended through Ord. 2024-30). Checked on November 11, 2026.
Office: Piscataway Rent Control Board, (732) 562-2300 (website).
Rental registration
Every Piscataway landlord must file a Landlord Registration Statement with the Rental Housing Officer for each building with one or more rented homes, and renew it every year by March 1. It names the record owners, any corporate agent and officers, the managing agent, the superintendent, an emergency contact with authority to order repairs, the mortgage holders and the fuel oil dealer, includes a copy of every lease and the location of the fire protection devices, and certifies the maximum number of occupants for each home. No tenant may move into a vacant home without an approved statement, which the Officer decides within 10 business days, and the landlord must report within 10 days any increase in adult tenants above the number it allows.
Source: Piscataway Township Code ch. 16, § 16-11 (Rental of Housing Units), §§ 16-11.2 to 16-11.7 (Ord. No. 08-18, as amended by Ord. No. 19-02). Checked on November 12, 2026.
Other landlord obligations
Piscataway prohibits renting a home to transient guests for less than 30 consecutive days. A short-term rental of 30 to 180 consecutive days needs a one-year permit from the Department of Planning and Engineering ($250 a year, ending when the property is sold) and liability insurance of $500,000, or $300,000 for a building of four or fewer units, and is allowed only where the owner lives on the property as their principal residence — their own house, a condominium whose association permits it, one unit of a two-family or multi-family building where the owner lives in another, or one room of the owner’s home. Fines are $250 a day for a first offense, $1,000 a day for a second and $2,000 a day after that.
Source: Piscataway Township Code ch. 15 (Short-Term Rentals), §§ 15-2, 15-3, 15-9 (Ord. No. 2020-35, as amended by Ord. No. 2023-34). Checked on November 12, 2026.
New Jersey rules that apply in Piscataway Township
| 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 Piscataway Township
36.2% of the occupied homes in Piscataway Township are rented, about 6,392 households, a share not measurably different from New Jersey as a whole (36.2%).
The median gross rent is $2,024 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.
41.4% of renters there pay 30% or more of their income on rent.
56.8% of the homes were built before 1980, and the federal lead-paint disclosure rule covers housing built before 1978.
| Piscataway Township | Middlesex County | New Jersey | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 36.2% (±2.9 points) | 36.4% | 36.2% |
| Median gross rent | $2,024 (±$109) | $1,871 | $1,720 |
| Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent | 41.4% (±6.8 points) | 48.1% | 51.6% |
| Median income of renter households | $95,147 (±$6,646) | $76,035 | $62,674 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 56.8% (±4.3 points) | 57.4% | 62.8% |
| Homes in buildings of five or more units | 27.6% (±3.6 points) | 24.0% | 21.8% |
| Households that moved in since 2020 | 24.5% (±2.6 points) | 21.3% | 21.2% |
All housing figures for Piscataway Township: 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 Piscataway Township
Rent control office: Piscataway Rent Control Board, (732) 562-2300 (website).
Questions about Piscataway Township’s local rules
Does Piscataway Township have rent control?
In Piscataway the Township publishes each year’s allowable increase by October 15; an existing tenant’s rent may rise by no more than the lesser of the CPI change or 6% of the rent at the lease’s end, with the calculation sent by certified mail, and a month-to-month tenant gets at most one increase a calendar year. No tenant may occupy a vacant unit until an approved Landlord Registration Statement certifies it ($125 a year per building). Motels, hotels, buildings up to one-third commercial and buildings of two or fewer units are exempt; Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation units are exempt from the rent limits. (Piscataway Code ch. 16, §§ 16-1, 16-2.1, 16-2.3, 16-5, 16-11 (amended through Ord. 2024-30))
How much can a landlord raise the rent in Piscataway Township?
In Piscataway the Township publishes each year’s allowable increase by October 15; an existing tenant’s rent may rise by no more than the lesser of the CPI change or 6% of the rent at the lease’s end, with the calculation sent by certified mail, and a month-to-month tenant gets at most one increase a calendar year. (Piscataway Code ch. 16, §§ 16-1, 16-2.1, 16-2.3, 16-5, 16-11 (amended through Ord. 2024-30))
Do landlords have to register rentals in Piscataway Township?
Every Piscataway landlord must file a Landlord Registration Statement with the Rental Housing Officer for each building with one or more rented homes, and renew it every year by March 1. It names the record owners, any corporate agent and officers, the managing agent, the superintendent, an emergency contact with authority to order repairs, the mortgage holders and the fuel oil dealer, includes a copy of every lease and the location of the fire protection devices, and certifies the maximum number of occupants for each home. No tenant may move into a vacant home without an approved statement, which the Officer decides within 10 business days, and the landlord must report within 10 days any increase in adult tenants above the number it allows. (Piscataway Township Code ch. 16, § 16-11 (Rental of Housing Units), §§ 16-11.2 to 16-11.7 (Ord. No. 08-18, as amended by Ord. No. 19-02))
What else does Piscataway Township require of landlords?
Piscataway prohibits renting a home to transient guests for less than 30 consecutive days. A short-term rental of 30 to 180 consecutive days needs a one-year permit from the Department of Planning and Engineering ($250 a year, ending when the property is sold) and liability insurance of $500,000, or $300,000 for a building of four or fewer units, and is allowed only where the owner lives on the property as their principal residence — their own house, a condominium whose association permits it, one unit of a two-family or multi-family building where the owner lives in another, or one room of the owner’s home. Fines are $250 a day for a first offense, $1,000 a day for a second and $2,000 a day after that. (Piscataway Township Code ch. 15 (Short-Term Rentals), §§ 15-2, 15-3, 15-9 (Ord. No. 2020-35, as amended by Ord. No. 2023-34))
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.
Related
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- Housing data for Piscataway Township: rent, renters, home values
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