Atlantic City rent control: maximum rent increase (2026)
Atlantic County — Chapter 41, Landlord-Tenant Affairs Board. Full ordinance text ↗
Summary
- Cap formula
- Landlords may raise rent once a year by the increase in the CPI housing component over the previous 12 months; hardship and capital-improvement increases require separate Office of Landlord-Tenant Affairs approval.
- Frequency
- once per 12 months
- Notice required
- 30 days — Landlord must give at least 30 days' written notice of a CPI increase, including the calculations used; omitting the calculations voids the increase for that year.
- Who's covered
- Rental units in Atlantic City (1+ units), defined as space with a kitchen, bathroom, and living space
- Exemptions
- 2- and 3-family owner-occupied housing
- federally subsidized housing
- public housing
- seasonal rentals (hotels, motels, guest houses)
- 3+ unit buildings constructed after 6/25/1987
- new construction (30 yrs from certificate of occupancy, N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2)
- Vacancy decontrol
- Full vacancy decontrol: landlord may set the new rent upon voluntary vacancy or court-ordered eviction; that rent becomes the new legal base rent.
- Registration
- Landlords register with the Office of Landlord-Tenant Affairs; annual fee $30 plus $15 reinspection fee (senior owner-occupants with one rental unit exempt from fees); new owners/agents register within 30 days of purchase or occupancy.
- Surcharges
- Capital improvement surcharge: tenant's prorated share of the improvement cost (divided by its expected life) plus 5%. Hardship increase available when the landlord's NOI/gross income ratio is below 40% or below the prior 3-year average.
- Penalties
- Fine up to $2,000 and/or up to 90 days in county jail; each unit in violation counts as a separate offense.
- Status
- active
- Confidence
- high
- Last verified
- 2026-09-23
Calculate your maximum increase
Ordinance text
each year a landlord may increase the rent by the price index increase for the previous 12 months.Chapter 41, Landlord-Tenant Affairs Board — https://ecode360.com/15206245
State survey entry
- Increase limit
- Annual growth in CPI.
Hardship increase allowed w/approval from Office of Landlord - Tenant Affairs : Applies when landlord current net operating income (NOI)/gross maximized annual income ratio is less than 40%, or the current year NOI/gross maximized income ratio is less than the average of three prior years' net operating income to gross maximized annual income ratio. Landlord is allowed an increase necessary to provide a current NOI/gross maximized annual income ratio equal to the average three prior years' net operating income to gross maximized annual income ratio; or an increase necessary to provide a current net operating income/gross maximized annual income ratio of 40%. Capital improvement increase: Tenant-prorated share of the total cost of the capital improvement divided by the expected life of the capital improvement plus 5%.
- Units covered
- 1+
- Exceptions
- Exception(s) - 2 & 3 family housing owner–occupied, any federally subsidized housing, all public housing, seasonal Rentals, and 3 or more units constructed after 1987. Vacancy Decontrol
Source: NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey — nj.gov
Rent board
Division of Landlord Tenant Affairs · (609) 347-5290 · https://www.acnj.gov/Departments/landlord-tenant-affairs
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