Taxes & Fees: Mahwah vs Ridgewood
How do taxes & fees rules compare between Mahwah, NJ and Ridgewood, NJ?
Mahwah has fewer restrictions than Ridgewood.
Mahwah, NJ
Bergen County
Short-term rentals in Mahwah booked through Airbnb, Vrbo, or other transient space marketplaces are subject to New Jersey's 6.625% Sales Tax, the 5% State Occupancy Fee under N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1, and Mahwah's local Municipal Occupancy Tax of up to 3%. Direct owner rentals are exempt unless the owner is a 'professionally managed' host with three or more units in New Jersey.
View full Mahwah 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 | Mahwah | Ridgewood |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| Local STR Tax | - | None — STRs prohibited |
| Local Registration Fee | - | None |
| NJ Sales Tax (marketplace) | - | 6.625% |
| NJ State Occupancy Fee | - | 5% |
| 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.
Mahwah FAQ
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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