Taxes & Fees: Bergenfield vs Ridgewood
How do taxes & fees rules compare between Bergenfield, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ?
Bergenfield and Ridgewood have similar restriction levels.
Bergenfield, NJ
Bergen County
Bergenfield prohibits short-term rentals of 30 days or less for consideration under Borough Code Chapter 239, Article III (Ordinance 18-2533, adopted September 4, 2018), so the Borough does not issue STR permits and charges no STR-specific local registration or occupancy fee. Because such rentals are unlawful at the local level, the New Jersey state tax framework for transient accommodations under N.J.S.A. 54:32D and the Sales and Use Tax Act has no lawful application to a Bergenfield short-term rental, and any operator collecting consideration is in violation of the Borough Code regardless of state-tax registration.
View full Bergenfield rules →Ridgewood, NJ
Bergen County
The Village of Ridgewood prohibits short-term rentals entirely under Code Chapter 117, Article IX, so there is no local STR registration fee, license, or hotel tax to pay — because operating a paid STR under 30 days is itself unlawful. If a property is rented for 30+ days (the only legal compensated rental in Ridgewood), no NJ transient-accommodation taxes apply. Bergen County does not impose a separate hotel/lodging tax. The only Ridgewood-specific charge an STR operator would face is the violation penalty: up to $1,000 per day under §117 Art. IX.
View full Ridgewood rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Bergenfield | Ridgewood |
|---|---|---|
| Local Status | Short-term rentals under 30 days for consideration are PROHIBITED | - |
| Governing Code | Bergenfield Code Ch. 239, Art. III (Ord. 18-2533, 9/4/2018) | - |
| Local STR Permit Fee | None - no permit program (use is banned) | - |
| Local Occupancy Tax | None imposed by the Borough | - |
| NJ State Sales Tax (transient) | 6.625% under N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3 (where lawful) | - |
| NJ State Occupancy Fee | 5% under N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 (where lawful) | 5% |
| Permitted Without Fee | Unpaid stays by owner's household guests | - |
| Local STR Tax | - | None — STRs prohibited |
| Local Registration Fee | - | None |
| NJ Sales Tax (marketplace) | - | 6.625% |
| Direct-Booked 30+ Day Lease | - | Tax-exempt |
| Bergen County Hotel Tax | - | None |
| Penalty (compensated <31 day rental) | - | Up to $1,000/day |
| Code | - | Ridgewood Code §117 Art. IX |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Bergenfield FAQ
Can I list my Bergenfield home on Airbnb or Vrbo?
No. Borough Code Chapter 239, Article III bans renting any dwelling or portion of a dwelling in Bergenfield for 30 days or less for any form of consideration, and also bans advertising or soliciting such rentals. There is no permit available to make this lawful.
Do I have to register and pay state taxes for a short-term rental in Bergenfield?
Because the use is prohibited locally, there is no compliant way to operate. The State Occupancy Fee (5%) under N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 and Sales Tax (6.625%) under the Sales and Use Tax Act apply only to lawful transient accommodations; collecting state tax does not cure the local violation under Chapter 239, Article III.
Is there a Bergenfield permit fee for short-term rentals?
No. The Borough does not issue short-term rental permits or licenses and charges no STR-specific fee, because Chapter 239, Article III prohibits the use entirely. Long-term rental properties are separately registered and inspected under Chapter 239, Articles I and II.
Ridgewood FAQ
Does Ridgewood have an STR registration fee or license?
No. Because Code §117 Art. IX prohibits compensated rentals of 30 days or less entirely, the Village has no STR registration program, no license, and no fee schedule. Operators cannot 'pay to comply' — the only legal compensated rental in Ridgewood is 31 days or longer.
Do I owe NJ sales tax on a 30-day Ridgewood rental?
Generally no. Under N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 as amended August 9, 2019, rentals are exempt from the 6.625% NJ sales tax and 5% state occupancy fee unless they are booked through a transient space marketplace (Airbnb/Vrbo) or qualify as a professionally managed unit (operator rents 3+ units in the calendar year). A traditional direct-booked 30+ day lease is not subject to either tax.
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