Woodbridge, NJ Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- No outside lock on any bedroom door
- Adopted
- Ord. #08-26, 2008
- Applies to
- All dwelling units, hotels excluded
- Max fine
- $2,000 under general penalty § 1-5.1
- Cure period
- 30 days before fines over $1,250
Summary
Woodbridge Township's housing code makes it unlawful to fit any bedroom door in a dwelling unit with a padlock, combination lock, or keyed lock operable from outside the room. The Municipal Council adopted the rule in 2008 after finding that such hardware can trap occupants inside during a fire or other emergency.
§ 17-8.3. Locks Prohibited on Bedroom Doors. [Ord. #08-26] No bedroom door contained within a dwelling unit shall be equipped with a padlock, combination or keyed lock from the outside of the bedroom.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 17's unsafe-conditions article opens with a legislative finding that certain modifications to homes create conditions threatening the health, safety and welfare of occupants and the community at large. 2 defines a covered dwelling unit as any building, structure, or portion of one used or designed as a residence by one or more people, excluding hotels; each unit counts as a separate dwelling. 3 then states the operative rule flatly: no bedroom door contained within a dwelling unit shall be equipped with a padlock, combination or keyed lock from the outside of the bedroom.
The provision targets hardware installed to lock a bedroom from the hallway or another room, the classic hazard being a child or tenant unable to escape a locked bedroom during a fire. 1, rather than a dedicated fine schedule written into Chapter 17 itself. The rule sits alongside Woodbridge's broader rental housing compliance scheme in the same chapter, meaning code officers who inspect a unit for a Certificate of Continued Rental Housing Compliance under Section 17-9 can flag an exterior bedroom lock as a life-safety defect during that same visit.
Violations & Fines
A violation is enforced under the Township's general penalty, Woodbridge Code Section 1-5.1: up to 90 days in the county jail, a fine up to $2,000, up to 90 days of community service, or a combination, since Section 17-8 sets no fine of its own. Owners facing a fine above $1,250 for a housing-code violation get a 30-day cure period and a hearing right before the higher fine is imposed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a landlord install a keyed lock on a tenant's bedroom door from the hallway?
Does the bedroom door lock ban apply to hotels?
What happens if a code inspector finds an outside lock on a bedroom door?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Woodbridge
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