Atlantic Highlands rent control: maximum rent increase (2026)
Monmouth County — Chapter 277, Rent Control. Full ordinance text ↗
Summary
- Cap formula
- The increase equals the CPI change measured from 16 months to 4 months before the lease terminates, with a floor of 1.5% and a ceiling of 3%; tax pass-throughs may be added when real estate taxes rise beyond the permitted percentage.
- Frequency
- once per 12 months
- Notice required
- 60 days — Landlord must give written notice of the increase at least 60 days prior to the effective date, including all CPI calculations; the tenant has 5 business days to review the supporting documents.
- Who's covered
- Buildings with 5 or more rental units
- Exemptions
- commercial buildings with 2 or fewer units
- housing structures of 4 or fewer units
- condominiums (except portions owned/controlled by a person or entity owning/controlling 5+ rented units)
- motels, hotels, and similar-type dwellings
- new construction (30 yrs from certificate of occupancy, N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2)
- Vacancy decontrol
- For vacant units or first-time rentals, the base rent for the first year is not controlled by this chapter; standard CPI-based limits apply after the first year (per NJ DCA survey: 'Vacancy and First-Time Rental Decontrol').
- Surcharges
- Landlords may request surcharges for major capital improvements or services completed within the past three years, and tax pass-throughs when real estate taxes increase beyond the permitted percentage; capital-improvement surcharges may not exceed 15% of the tenant's base rent.
- Penalties
- A willful violation of this chapter is punishable by a fine of not more than $500; each affected leasehold is considered a separate violation.
- Status
- active
- Confidence
- high
- Last verified
- 2026-09-23
Calculate your maximum increase
Ordinance text
a floor of 1.5% if the percentage increase in the CPI is less than 1.5%; the actual CPI percentage increase if between 1.5% and 3%; or a ceiling of 3% if the CPI percentage increase is greater than 3%.Chapter 277, Rent Control — https://ecode360.com/13514326
State survey entry
- Increase limit
- CPI or 1.5%, +/- tax pass-through. CPI used is (CPI published in 4th month prior to termination - CPI published in 16th month prior to termination) / CPI published in 16th month prior to termination, Multiple-Year Lease: First year's lease renewal increase may be sequentially added to subsequent years
- Units covered
- 5+
- Exceptions
- Exception(s) - commercial buildings w/ 2 or fewer units, housing structures of 4 or fewer units, condominiums, motels, hotels, and similar-type dwellings except any portion that is owned or controlled by a person/entity owning or controlling 5+ units that are rented. Vacancy and First-Time Rental Decontrol
Source: NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey — nj.gov
Open questions
- DCA survey states the limit tersely as 'CPI or 1.5%, +/- tax pass-through'; the ordinance text retrieved is more precise (a tiered band: 1.5% floor, actual CPI between 1.5% and 3%, 3% ceiling), which is consistent with the DCA summary and controls.
- No registration requirement was found in the retrieved excerpt; a full-chapter registration provision may exist but was not located within the fetch budget.
Rent board
Rent Leveling Board · (732) 291-1444 ext- 3103 · https://www.ahnj.com/ahnj/Forms/Municipal%20Clerk%27s%20Office/_body?printversion=yes&
Generate a rent increase notice
Fill in the tenant, unit, and rent details and get a printable, ordinance-cited rent increase notice for Atlantic Highlands — $9, pay by card.
Generate notice — $9