[Amended 12-27-2016 by Ord. No. 32-16; 8-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-19; 2-27-2024 by Ord. No. 09-24; 5-28-2024 by Ord. No. 21-24; 7-22-2025 by Ord. No. 25-25]
A. 
The term "landlord" shall mean the person or persons who own or purport to own, or exercise control of, any building or project in which there is rented, or offered for rent, housing space for living or dwelling purposes under either a written or oral lease, provided that this definition shall not include any housing unit subject to inspection by the State of New Jersey pursuant to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law, N.J.S.A. 55:13A-1, et seq.
B. 
No person shall hereafter occupy any rental unit, nor shall the landlord or owner permit occupancy of any rental unit within the Township, which is not registered, if required, in accordance with this article.
C. 
Each rental unit shall be inspected at least annually and upon each change in tenancy or occupancy. No tenant shall occupy a rental unit where a certificate of occupancy has not been issued by the Housing Official. This provision shall not apply to any housing unit subject to inspection by the State of New Jersey pursuant to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law., N.J.S.A. 55:13A-1, et seq.
D. 
Annual inspections.
(1) 
All buildings, structures and dwelling units, other than hotel or motel units or any housing unit subject to inspection by the State of New Jersey pursuant to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law., N.J.S.A. 55:13A-1, et seq., that are leased for residential occupancy shall be inspected by the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections prior to every initial occupancy or change of occupancy and shall, under no circumstances, be inspected less than annually for issuance of an updated certificate of occupancy
(2) 
The owner, or authorized agent of the owner, shall apply to the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections for the Certification, which expires annually from the date of issuance, on a form provided by the enforcing agency. The fee for the inspection shall be $100. The Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections will be required to respond to the landlord via the email address on file 30 days prior to scheduling their appointment.
(3) 
A certificate shall not be transferable. If the property is sold to new ownership, or there is any change in occupancy, a new application must be submitted.
(4) 
Any owner seeking a certificate must allow the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections to fully inspect the property in person to determine compliance. If any individual, including, but not limited to, tenants and guests, inhibit the inspection in any form or fashion, a daily penalty shall be issued, as stated below, to the owner until the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections is able to fully inspect the property.
(5) 
Rental inspections. All buildings, structures and dwelling units that are leased on a transient basis shall be inspected by the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections annually. Such inspections shall be in accordance with the schedule set forth below to the extent possible and practicable for issuance of an updated certificate of occupancy. The schedule shall serve as a guide for both property owners and the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections and shall not serve as the basis for refusal of entry to a given property to the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections, nor shall the schedule serve as a basis for request of a refund of any fee paid pursuant to this chapter.
Monthly Inspection Schedule
January: Streets starting with A, B
February: Streets starting with C, D
March: Streets starting with E, F
April: Streets starting with G, H
May: Streets starting with I, J
June: Streets starting with K, L
July: Streets starting with M, N
August: Streets starting with O, P
September: Streets starting with Q, R
October: Streets starting with S, T
November: Streets starting with U, V, W
December: Streets starting with X, Y, Z, or any numerical designation.
A. 
Every landlord of a one-dwelling-unit rental or a two-dwelling-unit non-owner- occupied premises shall hereafter be registered with the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections through the Rental Housing Coordinator. The forms shall be provided by the Rental Housing Coordinator.
B. 
Effective, January 1, 2026, the annual registration fee shall be $225 for any certificates of registration renewed after the effective date of this article. For the remainder of the 2025 calendar year, the registration fee shall be $125 and sunset as of December 31, 2025.
C. 
Renewal; submission.
(1) 
Each landlord registration form shall be renewed on an annual basis between January 1 and January 31 of the year for which a certificate shall be effective. Failure to complete the certificate of registration or renewal process by January 31 of the year for which the certificate of registration shall apply shall be considered a violation of this article.
(2) 
With respect to all documents required to obtain a landlord registration, including all registration forms and the provision of documents required to contain such forms, same may be submitted electronically with the Township's Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections through the Rental Housing Coordinator. The registration forms may also be issued electronically upon the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections through the Rental Housing Coordinator Division. The filing of all such documents electronically is optional to the landlord.
(3) 
Effective January 1, 2026, the annual registration fee shall be $225 for any certificates of registration renewed after the effective date of this article. For the remainder of the 2025 calendar year, the registration fee shall be $125.00, and sunset as of December 31, 2025. All landlord registration forms shall be renewed annually between January 1 and January 31 thereafter. In the event a new tenancy is created by a landlord after January 31 of any calendar year, a certificate of registration must be obtained for the balance of the calendar year prior to occupancy.
D. 
Every landlord shall deliver a copy of the rental license and certificate of occupancy simultaneously to the tenant(s) upon submission of the landlord registration form to the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections.
E. 
Amendments. Every person required to file a landlord registration form pursuant to this section shall file an amended registration form within 20 days after any change in the information required to be included thereon. No fee shall be required for the filing of an amendment, except where the ownership or tenancy of the premises is changed.
[Amended 2-10-2026 by Ord. No. 02-26]
A. 
Every owner shall file with the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections a registration form or other forms developed by the Township for each rental unit contained within a building or structure, which shall include the following information:
(1) 
The name, address, telephone number and email address of the owner or owners of the premises and the record owner or owners of the rental business, if not the same persons, shall be provided. In the case of a partnership, the names and addresses of all general partners shall be provided, together with the telephone numbers and email addresses for each individual partner, indicating where such individual may be reached both during day and evening hours, which telephone numbers shall include cell phone numbers. If the record owner is a corporation, the name and address of the registered agent and corporate officers of said corporation shall be provided, together with the telephone number and email address for each such individual, indicating where such individual may be reached both during day and evening hours, which shall include providing the cell phone numbers of each such individual. All registration addresses shall be physical addresses; post office boxes alone are insufficient.
(2) 
If the address of the owner of record is not located in the County of Ocean, the name, address, telephone number and email address of a person who resides in the County of Ocean who is authorized to accept notices from a tenant and to issue receipts therefor and to accept service of process on behalf of the owner of record.
(3) 
The name, address, telephone number and email address of the managing agent of the premises, if any.
(4) 
The name, address and loan number of every holder of a recorded mortgage on the premises.
(5) 
As to each rental unit, a specification of the exact number of sleeping rooms contained in the rental unit and the exact number of sleeping accommodations contained in each of the sleeping rooms, identifying each sleeping room specifically by number and location within the apartment or dwelling and by the square footage thereof.
(6) 
Number of occupants or tenants occupying the rental unit.
(7) 
Whether or not the landlord has conducted a tenant screening for each new tenant and authorized adult household member.
(8) 
Such other information as may be prescribed by the Township on the appropriate form or otherwise by ordinance or resolution.
B. 
In addition to the registration information set forth above, every owner shall file with the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections and provide a copy to each individual tenant, by separate forms, the name, age and address, including the dwelling unit number, telephone number and email address of each occupant or tenant occupying a rental unit and a floor plan of the rental unit. These forms shall be filed with the Housing Department and shall not be available for public inspection.
C. 
Documents to be provided to the Township:
(1) 
A copy of the deed establishing ownership of the premises;
(2) 
A copy of the lease;
(3) 
If rent is collected by any person other than the property owner or the premises is managed by a property manager, or both: a property management agreement or such document evidencing that the property manager has agreed to be responsible for the premises;
(4) 
If rent is collected by any person other than the property owner and/or the premises is managed by a property manager as defined in Township Code Chapter 319, § 319-1: proof of compliance with Chapter 319 of the Township Code.
(5) 
If the rent is collected by the property owner, the owner shall submit a certification stating that the property owner, and no other party, shall be the party to collect all rent and manage the property.
(6) 
Consent/authorization for Township officials to contact the mortgage company for the status of the mortgage on the mortgage company's official form;
(7) 
Copies of all notices sent to the tenant by landlord in compliance with the Security Deposit Act;
(8) 
If the owner is an entity registered with the New Jersey Department of Treasury, certificate of good standing;
(9) 
Proof of a satisfactory fire inspection in accordance with Jackson Township Code § 204-11;
(10) 
In addition to all such other documents, the applicant shall include a copy of a valid driver's license for the owner of record, if an individual, each partner of any partnership and/or any managing partner or any limited-liability corporation. If said individual does not have a valid driver's license, then in that event the applicant shall submit a photo identification of the individual which otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter.
D. 
The owner is required to update any of the above-listed documentation any time there is a change in status, refinance, change of tenancy or change of property manager.
No rental unit may be registered and no license shall be issued for any property containing a rental unit unless all municipal taxes, sewer charges and any other municipal assessments are paid on a current basis.
[Amended 2-10-2026 by Ord. No. 02-26]
Any landlord or property owner who fails to comply with this section shall be fined $500 for a first offense, $750 for a second offense and $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense. In the event the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspection is unable to fully conduct an inspection in relation to issuance of a Certificate for smoke alarm, carbon monoxide alarm, and portable fire extinguisher compliance, the landlord shall incur a daily penalty of $250 until the Bureau of Rental Housing Inspections is able to fully inspect the property.