City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Ship Bottom, NJ
How Ship Bottom regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Short-term rentals here are subject to registration, a lodging tax, or a small number of operating rules.
- general (non-STR-specific) rental-unit registration/licensing under Municipal Code Ch. 5.44 covering rentals of less than one year
- borough 3% municipal hotel/motel occupancy tax reaching transient accommodations (STRs) under NJ P.L.2018 c.49 framework
- landlord security/bond exposure for complaint-flagged rentals (Ch. 5.44)
- no STR-specific supply device: no cap, no primary-residence rule, no zoning exclusion
- STR-specific licensing ordinance 2025-10C was voted down 5-1 by Borough Council on 2025-12-30 (no STR-specific regime adopted)
Based on: Ship Bottom Municipal Code Ch. 5.44 (Rental Units) + Hotel and Motel Occupancy Tax chapter (3%); STR-specific Ord.
Summary of the rule
Ch. 5.44 (Rental Units) regulates 'any rental or residential accommodations for a term of less than one year and including any part of the period extending from May 15 to September 15'; a 'landlord' is any owner/controller of a building where housing space is rented; the chapter includes a landlord security/bond mechanism (§ 5.44.020) tied to recorded complaints. Non-STR-specific rental scheme applicable to seasonal/short-term rentals.
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 15, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Ship Bottom · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
Owners in Ship Bottom
Following Ship Bottom adds it to the Followed cities list on your ASTRO dashboard, linked to its city page.
Add a home to the ASTRO registry and confirm ownership of it.
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.