Occupancy Limits: Edison vs New Brunswick
How do occupancy limits rules compare between Edison, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ?
Edison and New Brunswick have similar restriction levels.
Edison, NJ
Middlesex County
Edison has not codified an STR-specific maximum-guest cap. Occupancy of a short-term rental is governed by the property-maintenance and bedroom-area standards in Code Chapter 17 (Housing), which adopts the New Jersey Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law and the State Housing Code at N.J.A.C. 5:10. Under that framework a sleeping room generally must provide at least 70 square feet for one occupant and at least 50 additional square feet for each additional occupant; the Edison Division of Health verifies these area calculations at the Rental Re-Occupancy Inspection before issuing the Rental Certificate of Approval.
View full Edison rules →New Brunswick, NJ
Middlesex County
New Brunswick does not impose a short-term rental specific occupancy cap. STRs are exempt from the Chapter 5.80 Rent Control rental registration as 'units kept primarily for secondary residential occupancy' (motels/hotels and pied-a-terre). Guest counts are governed instead by the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (NJAC 5:23) habitable-space minimums and any rooming-house licensing.
View full New Brunswick rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Edison | New Brunswick |
|---|---|---|
| Codified Flat STR Cap | None | - |
| Governing Standard | Code Chapter 17 (Housing) + N.J.A.C. 5:10 State Housing Code | - |
| Dwelling Unit Minimum | 150 sq ft for first occupant, +100 sq ft per additional occupant | - |
| Bedroom Minimum (1 occupant) | 70 sq ft | - |
| Bedroom Minimum (2+ occupants) | 50 sq ft per occupant | - |
| Verification | Edison Division of Health Rental Re-Occupancy Inspection | - |
| STR Occupancy Cap | - | None city-specific |
| Rent Control | - | Ch. 5.80; STR exempt |
| State Standard | - | NJAC 5:23 (UCC) |
| Annual Registration | - | April 1 |
| Rent Control Office | - | 732-745-5050 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Edison FAQ
What is the maximum number of guests for an Edison Airbnb?
Edison has not codified a flat per-listing headcount cap. The maximum guests permitted at an Edison STR is whatever the State Housing Code (N.J.A.C. 5:10) bedroom-area math yields at the specific address: 150 square feet of dwelling area for the first occupant plus 100 square feet for each additional occupant, with sleeping rooms providing at least 70 square feet for one occupant or 50 square feet per occupant where shared. The Edison Division of Health verifies the calculation at the Rental Re-Occupancy Inspection before issuing the Rental Certificate of Approval.
Does Edison count children toward STR occupancy?
The State Housing Code area tables Edison adopts under Chapter 17 count any person occupying the unit, including children, for the purpose of the bedroom-area and dwelling-area calculation. Operators should compute the permitted occupancy from per-room square footage at the address, have that figure available, and decline bookings that exceed it; the Division of Health will not issue a Rental Certificate of Approval at an overcrowded inspection.
Could my Edison STR be reclassified as a rooming house?
Yes. Chapter 37 (Zoning) defines 'rooming house,' 'boarding house,' and similar lodging uses and restricts them to specific districts. If the pattern of stranger-tenant occupancy at the dwelling causes Planning and Zoning to treat the operation as a rooming house rather than a one-family residence, the stricter rooming-house standards apply, and in residential zones where the use is not permitted the operator may be required to discontinue.
New Brunswick FAQ
How many guests can stay overnight in a New Brunswick Airbnb?
New Brunswick has not adopted a short-term rental specific occupancy cap. Guest count is limited by the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (NJAC 5:23) sleeping-room and habitable-space minimums enforced through the local Construction Office and by any rooming-house license that applies if the unit is rented by the room. Confirm the current allowable occupancy for your address with the New Brunswick Rent Control Office at 732-745-5050.
Do I need to register my New Brunswick short-term rental with the city?
Chapter 5.80 of the New Brunswick Municipal Code exempts motels, hotels, and units kept primarily for secondary residential occupancy (pied-a-terre or vacation homes) from the annual rental dwelling registration. There is no separate STR registry as of publication, but a Certificate of Occupancy from the Construction Office is still required and rooming-house licensing applies if you rent by the room. Verify current requirements with the Rent Control Office at 732-745-5050.
Compare other topics
See how Edison and New Brunswick compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool