What is the maximum legal rent increase in Washington, NJ?

A landlord may combine, at tenancy expiration: (1) the CPI-based increase (120 days-prior-to-application CPI vs. CPI at prior lease commencement, whichever is less), (2) any increased cost of utilities to the landlord, and (3) any increase in Township mobile home space or license fees. (Chapter 184, Rent Control). See the verbatim ordinance text on this page for the exact language.

How much advance notice must a landlord give in Washington?

The landlord must notify the Rent Leveling Board in writing at least 60 days prior to the effective date of a proposed increase, with calculations attached; a copy must be served on all affected tenants. A hearing notice must be posted at least 5 days before the hearing date, and no hearing is required unless a tenant requests one within 10 days of receiving notice of the proposed increase.

What is exempt from rent control in Washington, NJ?

New construction is exempt statewide for 30 years from certificate of occupancy under N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2.

Washington rent control: maximum rent increase (2026)

Gloucester County — Chapter 184, Rent Control. Full ordinance text ↗

Summary

Cap formula: A landlord may combine, at tenancy expiration: (1) the CPI-based increase (120 days-prior-to-application CPI vs. CPI at prior lease commencement, whichever is less), (2) any increased cost of utilities to the landlord, and (3) any increase in Township mobile home space or license fees.
Frequency: once per 12-month period per landlord per dwelling/housing space
Notice required: 60 days — The landlord must notify the Rent Leveling Board in writing at least 60 days prior to the effective date of a proposed increase, with calculations attached; a copy must be served on all affected tenants. A hearing notice must be posted at least 5 days before the hearing date, and no hearing is required unless a tenant requests one within 10 days of receiving notice of the proposed increase.
Who's covered: Mobile home spaces/dwelling units (chapter title is 'Rent Control'; text refers to mobile home parks and housing spaces/dwelling units)
Exemptions: new construction (30 yrs from certificate of occupancy, N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2)
Vacancy decontrol: As an exception, when a landlord rents a mobile home space to a new tenant as a result of the existing tenant vacating (whether the new tenant buys the existing home or brings in a new one), the landlord may charge fair market value to the new tenant; subsequent increases to that tenant then follow the chapter's standard provisions. If the mobile home owner privately sells the home while it stays on the space, the landlord must, on written request, notify the existing tenant by certified mail of the rent that will serve as the new tenant's base year, and that rate cannot be altered for one year absent Rent Leveling Board approval.
Registration: No standing annual registration requirement found in the retrieved text beyond the required written notice to the Rent Leveling Board for each proposed increase.
Surcharges: A landlord may seek a tax surcharge for increased municipal property taxes (§184-8); tenants receive 50% of any successful tax appeal reduction after the landlord's appeal costs are deducted. A hardship increase is available through the Rent Leveling Board where mortgage, acquisition/improvement, and maintenance payments exceed present rental income, allowing the landlord a reasonable rate of return on the fair market value of the property.
Penalties: A willful violation of any provision of the chapter, including willful filing of a material misstatement of fact with the Rent Leveling Board, is punishable as set forth in the Township Code's General Provisions, General Penalty article (specific fine/imprisonment figures not stated in the retrieved excerpt).
Status: active
Confidence: medium
Last verified: 2026-09-23

Calculate your maximum increase

Ordinance text

Any amount equal to the percentage difference between the consumer price index 120 days prior to the date of the application for such increase and the consumer price index at the date that the prior lease was entered into, whichever is less.Chapter 184, Rent Control — https://ecode360.com/7662388

State survey entry

Increase limit: No rent increase limit
Units covered: --
Exceptions: No rent control ordinance on record

Source: NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey — nj.gov

Open questions

The DCA 2026 survey lists Washington Township (Gloucester County) as having 'No rent increase limit' and 'No rent control ordinance on record,' with office/site/ordinance/phone/units fields all '--'. This directly conflicts with the retrieved ecode360 text for Chapter 184, Rent Control, which contains a full, apparently still-active ordinance (§184-1 through §184-15: definitions, CPI-based rent formula, notice, tax surcharge, hardship increases, fees/escrows, and violations/penalties), adopted 10-26-1995 by Ord. No. 26-1995, with no further amendments found. The ordinance is treated as controlling per instructions, but this is a significant discrepancy — it is possible the chapter was repealed by a later ordinance not reflected on eCode360, or that the DCA survey is simply in error for this municipality; this should be manually re-verified with the Township Clerk before publishing.
Rent Board contact URL/phone are unknown: DCA lists '--' for office/site/phone, and no rent-board contact information was found in the retrieved ordinance text.

Rent board

Rent Leveling Board

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