Rent increase limits in New Jersey
No cap
No statewide cap; your lease and notice rules apply. 5 cities have their own caps (see below).
- Written notice
- 30 days
- Local rent control
- No state ban on local rent control found
Rent-increase rule · N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56 (one-month notice, not read directly); DCA Rent Increase Bulletin · checked · source
No preemption; municipalities may adopt ordinances (per NJ DCA Rent Increase Bulletin) · checked · source
Changing in 2027
No change taking effect on Jan 1, 2027 was found for New Jersey (research as of ; not an exhaustive review of every new law).
City caps at a glance
- Newark4%
- Jersey Cityn/a
- Hobokenn/a
- West New York3%
- Elizabeth3%
- Paterson5%
- Union City3%
- North Bergenn/a
- Bayonnen/a
- East Orangen/a
Each city is detailed below, with its period, what it covers and its source.
The rules in full
Statewide cap
No statewide cap; rent control is by municipal ordinance. Pending bills A751/S452 (1/13/2026) and S4451 (6/15/2026) not passed.
Written notice
Landlord must serve a written Notice to Quit plus notice of rent increase; for month-to-month a 30-day (one month) notice, or longer if lease/local ordinance says. Increase cannot be unconscionable (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(f) per LSNJ).
Local rent control
DCA bulletin (Feb 2008): State has no law governing rent increases; municipalities may regulate amount/frequency. Newly constructed multiple dwellings may be exempt under N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2 to 84.6.
Rent Increase Notice Kit
Your notice, ready to send
The free answer is general. The kit is yours: it uses your names, your address, your rents and your state's rules for New Jersey.
- Your letter, filled in: names, address, old and new rent, ready to print or save as PDF
- Correct notice date for your state: the earliest date the new rent can start
- Cap check: a warning if your new rent is above the limit
- Checklist and reminders: what to do before sending, plus calendar reminders (.ics)
- Source links printed on the page, so you can check every rule
General information, not legal advice. Built in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us.
Cities with their own rules
City figures come from each source below. A city cap can be lower than the state cap or work alongside it; check “applies to” for each.
Newark
4%
Ongoing; CPI-based annual percentage, never above 4% (Rev. Gen. Ord. 19:2-3.1)
Buildings with 3+ units
Checked · source
Jersey City
No figure
Not verified
Ch. 260
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
Hoboken
No figure
Not verified
Ch. 155
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
West New York
3%
From 2026-04-15 (upon final passage and publication): maximum combined annual rent increase 3% (was 15%), Town Code 312-19
Rent-controlled units in West New York
Checked · source
Elizabeth
3%
Ongoing: 3% annual cap; Nov 2026 ballot measure would add a lesser-of-3%-or-$20 cap
Rent-controlled buildings (3+ units per secondary)
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
Paterson
5%
Ongoing (Ch. 381 Rent Leveling)
Rent-leveling covered units; 3.5% for 65+/disabled heads (secondary)
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
Union City
3%
Ongoing: lesser of 3% or CPI change (NY-Northern NJ) for the prior 12 months
Rent-controlled units; 2% for seniors 62+ on PA (secondary)
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
North Bergen
No figure
CPI-based (rent-leveling ordinance); no ceiling found
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
Bayonne
No figure
CPI-based with 5.5% maximum (secondary)
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
East Orange
No figure
Conflict: 4.6% (RentCheck, CPI-based) vs 5% (DoorLoop)
Unverified — check with your city/state · source
Checked · source
Other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Common questions
What is the maximum rent increase in New Jersey?
New Jersey has no statewide cap in our data. Your lease and the notice rules still apply.
How much notice must a landlord give in New Jersey?
30 days. Landlord must serve a written Notice to Quit plus notice of rent increase; for month-to-month a 30-day (one month) notice, or longer if lease/local ordinance says. Increase cannot be unconscionable (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1(f) per LSNJ).
Can cities in New Jersey set their own rent caps?
No state ban on local rent control found. DCA bulletin (Feb 2008): State has no law governing rent increases; municipalities may regulate amount/frequency. Newly constructed multiple dwellings may be exempt under N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2 to 84.6.
Sources and dates for New Jersey
- Statewide cap (search for a cap): https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/rnt_incrse_bultin.pdf · checked
- Local rent control (state preemption): https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/rnt_incrse_bultin.pdf · checked
- Written notice: https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/rnt_incrse_bultin.pdf · checked
- Newark: https://www.newarknj.gov/255/Division-of-Rent-Control · checked
- Jersey City: https://cityofjerseycity.com/ Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- Hoboken: https://hobokennj.gov/news/city-of-hoboken-launches-rent-control-education-campaign Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- West New York: https://www.westnewyorknj.org/notice-of-final-adoption-of-ordinances-ordinances-10-26-11-26/ · checked
- Elizabeth: https://nj1015.com/elizabeth-rent-cap-referendum/ Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- Paterson: https://patersonnj.gov/egov/documents/1576615086_24318.pdf Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- Union City: https://rentcheckme.com/articles/rent-control-in-union-city-nj Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- North Bergen: https://rentcheckme.com/articles/rent-control-in-north-bergen-nj Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- Bayonne: https://rentcheckme.com/articles/rent-control-in-bayonne-nj Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
- East Orange: https://rentcheckme.com/articles/rent-control-in-east-orange-nj Unverified — check with your city/state · checked
Data checked . Items marked “Unverified — check with your city/state” could not be confirmed on an official page; use the source link and ask your city or state.