Rental Application Fee Laws in New Jersey

Since May 1, 2026, New Jersey caps rental application fees, including other similar fees, at $50 per application, with yearly inflation adjustments starting January 1, 2027.

Last checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Fee limit: $50 total, CPI-adjusted yearly; Covers application and other similar fees combined. Does not apply to units in one- or two-family homes.
Dollar cap: $50; Adjusted each January 1 for inflation starting in 2027, only if the CPI rises.
Refund required: No refund rule; The statute has no refund rule, but amounts wrongfully charged above the cap are returned from penalties collected.
Portable screening report rule: Not addressed; The fee cap law does not address portable reports.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in New Jersey

How much can a landlord charge for a rental application in New Jersey?

Fee limit in New Jersey: $50 total, CPI-adjusted yearly. Covers application and other similar fees combined. Does not apply to units in one- or two-family homes.

Is there a fixed dollar cap on rental application fees in New Jersey?

Dollar cap in New Jersey: $50. Adjusted each January 1 for inflation starting in 2027, only if the CPI rises.

Does a landlord in New Jersey have to refund an unused application fee?

No refund rule. Refund required in New Jersey: no refund rule. The statute has no refund rule, but amounts wrongfully charged above the cap are returned from penalties collected.

Does New Jersey law address reusable (portable) tenant screening reports?

Not addressed. Portable screening report rule in New Jersey: not addressed. The fee cap law does not address portable reports.

Where do the New Jersey rental application fee laws come from?

The rules above come from N.J.S.A. 46:8-18.1. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The cap was enacted by P.L. 2025, c. 405, approved January 20, 2026, and took effect May 1, 2026.

Penalties are up to $500 for a first offense, $750 for a second, and $1,000 for each later offense.

Real estate licensees are exempt unless they are the landlord.

What this means in practice

Before collecting a fee, landlords can tell applicants in writing how much it is, what it pays for, and the screening criteria that will be used. Several statutes require some of this disclosure, and it also reduces disputes when an application is denied.

Keep a copy of the invoice or receipt from the screening company. Where the law ties the fee to actual cost or requires an itemized receipt, that record shows the fee was lawful.

Check local law as well as state law. In many states a city or county ordinance can set a lower limit or add refund and notice rules, and the stricter rule usually applies. A few states bar local rules on application fees.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.

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