Every residential rental unit must be registered annually in accordance with Chapter 228 of the Borough code. Additionally, New Jersey law (P.L. 2021, c. 182) now requires that a certified lead evaluation contractor perform inspections of single-family, two-family, and multi-family residential rental dwellings built before 1978 for lead-based paint hazards. These inspections MUST be completed by July 22, 2024 or tenant turnover; whichever comes first. Fines assessed for non-compliance can be as much as $1,000 per week. The State of NJ also requires rental owners to provide a copy of their liability insurance.
Here is the annual Rental Registration Form & the Landlord Registration Form , however, the Borough will now be administering the rental registrations through Cloudpermit. Your responsibility, whether through Cloudpermit or paper application, is to fill out the applications, sign off and submit. This form must be completed and returned to the Borough or submitted through Cloudpermit no later than April 1st to avoid late fees. It is $35/unit and late fees are $25/unit/month late.
Landlords are responsible for providing all the requested information, including a floor plan, your email address, a copy of your liability insurance, and either a Lead-Free Certificate or a Lead-Safe Certificate (if built before 1987). The floorplan must show every room in the house and delineate the number of bedrooms as well as the dimensions of each bedroom. To view your Cloudpermit workspace, go to https://us.cloudpermit.com/ and create an account.
Once your completed registration application has been submitted, the Borough will do a completeness review. Once that is done, an invoice will be generated, and once the fee is paid via cash or check you will be able to schedule an inspection of your unit(s) either online or in person. It is your responsibility, as the owner of the property, not your tenants, to schedule the appointment. If it is necessary to reschedule an inspection because no one is present or because the unit has failed, an additional fee of $35/unit must be paid prior to reinspection. No inspection or reinspection will be scheduled without the fee first being paid. The Borough will only conduct two reinspections for any reason, after which summonses will be issued. Inspections can only be scheduled between 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM, Monday through Thursday. Once the unit passes inspection, a certificate with the number of allowable occupants will be provided to you. This certificate must be posted in a conspicuous location within the dwelling. If a spot inspection finds no certificate present a summons will be issued.
The Borough is adopting a “zero-tolerance” stand regarding enforcement of both state and local rules governing rental registration and inspections. Summons will be issued after one warning.
If you have any trouble with Cloudpermit or any questions regarding the Residential Rental Registration Program, please call (973) 347-0252 x106 or email the rental coordinator at mbosco@netcong.org.