Taxes & Fees: Fort Lee vs Ridgewood
How do taxes & fees rules compare between Fort Lee, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ?
Fort Lee and Ridgewood have similar restriction levels.
Fort Lee, NJ
Bergen County
Fort Lee bans short-term rentals of 30 days or less for consideration under Borough Code Chapter 321, Article V (Short-Term Rental Property), so the Borough does not run an STR registration program and charges no STR-specific permit fee or local occupancy tax. Because the underlying use is unlawful at the local level, the New Jersey state framework for transient accommodations under N.J.S.A. 54:32D (State Occupancy Fee) and the Sales and Use Tax Act at N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3 has no compliant pathway for a Fort Lee property, and a host who collects consideration violates the Borough Code regardless of state-tax registration.
View full Fort Lee 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 | Fort Lee | Ridgewood |
|---|---|---|
| Local Status | Short-term rentals under 30 days for consideration are PROHIBITED | - |
| Governing Code | Fort Lee Borough Code Ch. 321, Art. V (Short-Term Rental Property) | - |
| 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 (no consideration) | - |
| Maximum Civil Penalty | Up to $1,250 per day of violation | - |
| 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.
Fort Lee FAQ
Can I list my Fort Lee home on Airbnb or Vrbo?
No. Borough Code Chapter 321, Article V prohibits renting any dwelling or portion of a dwelling in Fort Lee for 30 days or less for any form of consideration, and also bans advertising, soliciting, or promoting such rentals. The Borough does not issue any permit that would make this lawful.
Does Fort Lee charge a short-term rental permit fee or hotel occupancy tax?
No. Because Article V prohibits short-term rentals outright, the Borough has no STR permit program and imposes no local occupancy tax. The 5% New Jersey State Occupancy Fee under N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 and the 6.625% sales tax on transient accommodations under the Sales and Use Tax Act apply only to lawful transient stays elsewhere in the state.
What is the penalty if I rent my place for under 30 days anyway?
Each day of rental, advertising, or solicitation is a separate violation, with civil penalties up to $1,250 per day. Enforcement is by the Building Code Official, Fire Official, Health Department, and other Code Officials, and any violation is declared a public nuisance under Article V.
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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