City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Newark, NJ
How Newark regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- STR must be the owner's principal residence (absentee/whole-home STR foreclosed)
- Owner must own the unit; proof of ownership + principal residence required
- Annual Short-Term Rental Permit from Dept. of Engineering; $250/yr nonrefundable fee
- Separate Certificate of Habitability required per rental unit (Ch. 18:17)
- Active enforcement with fines up to $2,000/day
Based on: Newark Municipal Code Ch. 18:14 (Short-Term Rentals), effective Dec. 20, 2023; enforcement began 2024. Companion Ch.
Summary of the rule
STR hosts must own the property and it must be the host's principal residence; applicant must upload proof of ownership and proof that the STRP is their principal residence, and provide the owner's sworn acknowledgement of compliance. Principal residence = where at least one owner spends the majority of nonworking time.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 14, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Newark · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
Owners in Newark
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.