Jersey City rent control: maximum rent increase (2026)
Hudson County — Chapter 260, Rent Control. Full ordinance text ↗
Summary
- Cap formula
- the lesser of 4% or the percentage change in CPI measured 3 months before lease expiration/termination versus 3 months before lease commencement
- Frequency
- No more than one cost-of-living rental increase in any one 12-month period, regardless of the number of different tenants occupying the housing space during that period (§260-3B).
- Notice required
- 30 days — Landlord seeking a cost-of-living rental increase must notify the tenant in writing at least 30 days prior to the effective date of the increase, including the CPI calculations and the allowable percentage increase; the notice must state the tenant's right to contest the increase within six months to the Rent Leveling Bureau (§260-4).
- Who's covered
- Dwellings with 5 or more units
- Exemptions
- dwellings with 4 or fewer units
- low-rent public housing
- motels, hotels
- commercial and industrial space
- newly constructed dwellings with 25+ units within a redevelopment area
- buildings/structures/motels/hotels/guesthouses converted from a nonpermanent dwelling to a dwelling on or after 10/1/1983
- first-time rentals (until re-rented)
- new dwellings constructed 6/25/1987–6/25/1992 not built for senior occupancy (exempt for the lesser of 30 years or the initial mortgage amortization period)
- new construction (30 yrs from certificate of occupancy, N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2)
- Vacancy decontrol
- Vacancy decontrol for buyers of multifamily dwellings covered by this chapter which are certified by the Division of Tenant/Landlord Relations to be vacant as of 7/1/1998.
- Registration
- Every owner/landlord of a dwelling with 5+ housing spaces must file a landlord registration statement with the Bureau of Rent Leveling within 90 days of the effective date of this subsection or the creation of the first tenancy, listing owner/agent/managing-agent identity, emergency contact, and base monthly rents as of 1/1/1983; a new registration statement must be filed annually between January 1 and March 3, and within 7 days of any purchase on or after April 1 (§260-2F).
- Surcharges
- Landlords may apply to the Bureau of Rent Leveling for a capital improvement/service charge for increased or improved services; cost is apportioned among tenants based on useful life for tax depreciation purposes, following a notice/hearing process before the Rent Leveling Board (§260-5). A separate hardship increase procedure is available under §260-10.
- Penalties
- A violation of any provision of the chapter, including filing a material misstatement of fact with the Rent Leveling Board or Administrator, is punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, §1-25; a violation affecting more than one tenant is a separate violation as to each tenant (§260-17).
- Status
- active
- Confidence
- high
- Last verified
- 2026-09-23
Calculate your maximum increase
Official summary
We haven't yet verified this cap against the ordinance text itself. The state's summary of Jersey City's ordinance reads:
Lesser of 4% and percentage difference between CPI 3 months prior to expiration/termination of lease and 3 months prior to commencement of lease term.NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey — nj.gov
Ordinance: Chapter 260, Rent Control — https://library.municode.com/nj/jersey_city/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH260RECO
State survey entry
- Units covered
- 5+
- Exceptions
- Exception(s) - Dwellings with 4 or less units, low rent public housing, motels, hotels, commercial and industrial space, newly constructed dwellings with 25+ units within a redevelopment area, all buildings, structures, motels, hotels, and guesthouse which are converted from nonpermanent dwelling to a dwelling on or after 10.1.83, first-time rentals (until re-rented), and any new dwelling constructed between 6/25/87 and 6/25/92 and not constructed for occupation by seniors (for the lesser of 30 years and the period of amortization of any initial mortgage loan).
Vacancy Decontrol for buyers of multifamily dwellings covered by this chapter which are certified by the Division of Tenant/Landlord Relation to be vacant as of 7/1/98.
Source: NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey — nj.gov
Open questions
- Chapter 1, General Provisions §1-25 (the general municipal penalty schedule referenced by §260-17) was not retrieved, so the exact fine/imprisonment amounts for a Chapter 260 violation are not stated here.
Rent board
Office of Landlord Tenant Relations · (201) 547-5127 · https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/housinganddevelopment/housingpreservation/landlordtenantrelations
Generate a rent increase notice
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