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Toms River, NJ Rental Property Rules: Rent Control (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Rent control rules in Toms River, NJ, also known as rent stabilization or rent cap ordinances, limit annual rent increases and protect tenants from displacement.

Key Facts

Current status
No rent control in effect
Repeal date
March 11, 2026
Repealing ordinance
Ord. No. 4831-26
Original ordinance
Ord. No. 4168-08 (12-9-2008)
Affordable units
Exempt from any future rent control
Affordable rent cap
9% annual increase max (CPI-based)

Summary

Toms River Township has no rent control in force: the Township Council repealed its Rent Leveling Board on March 11, 2026 (Ord. No. 4831-26), ending the ordinance first adopted December 9, 2008 (Ord. No. 4168-08) as former Chapter 363, Article II. Landlords set market rents freely, and any future rent control the Township might adopt still could not reach existing affordable units.

Editor's Note: Former Art. II, Rent Leveling; Rent Leveling Board, adopted 12-9-2008 by Ord. No. 4168-08, as amended, which immediately followed, was repealed 3-11-2026 by Ord. No. 4831-26.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954830; v33 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).

Full Breakdown

Toms River's rent stabilization scheme is gone. It lived as Chapter 363, Article II, "Rent Leveling; Rent Leveling Board," adopted December 9, 2008 by Ord. No. 4168-08 and amended over the years to cap annual rent increases and give tenants a Rent Leveling Board to appeal to. The Township Council repealed that article in its entirety on March 11, 2026 by Ord. No. 4831-26, and the code's editor's note memorializing the repeal sits directly after § 363-26, the penalty section for Chapter 363's surviving Article I (Mobile Home Parks).

No replacement rent control ordinance has taken its place, so as of today a Toms River landlord outside the mobile home park licensing scheme can raise rent by any amount the lease and state law permit, subject only to standard notice requirements, not a local cap. The repeal does not touch the Township's separate affordable-housing program. N.

Violations & Fines

There is no rent-control penalty to enforce because the ordinance itself is gone; the Rent Leveling Board that once heard tenant appeals over illegal increases no longer exists. Landlords who violate lease terms or state landlord-tenant law face civil claims in Ocean County Superior Court, not a municipal fine. Affordable-unit overcharges remain enforceable by the Township's AH administrator under § 348-11.3, which can require repayment and bar further rent increases until compliance is restored.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Toms River Township have rent control?
No. The Township Council repealed its Rent Leveling Board and rent-increase caps on March 11, 2026 by Ord. No. 4831-26, ending the ordinance Toms River (then Dover Township) first adopted in 2008. Landlords outside the mobile home park program may now raise rents by any amount their lease and New Jersey landlord-tenant law allow.
What happened to the old Rent Leveling Board?
It was abolished along with former Chapter 363, Article II when the Township Council repealed the article on March 11, 2026. Tenants can no longer appeal a rent increase to that board; any dispute over a lease increase now goes through the courts under general landlord-tenant law.
Are affordable housing units still rent-restricted?
Yes. Deed-restricted affordable units are separately controlled under § 348-11.3 of the Land Use and Development Regulations regardless of the rent-control repeal, and by ordinance they are exempt from any rent control the Township might adopt in the future. Increases are capped at 9% a year, tied to the Housing Consumer Price Index.
Could Toms River bring rent control back?
Nothing in the 2026 repeal bars the Township Council from adopting a new rent-leveling ordinance later; it simply eliminated the one on the books. Any future ordinance would still have to exempt existing affordable units under § 348-11.3.O.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Toms River

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsRental RegistrationSignificant RestrictionsRepairs & HabitabilitySome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Snow Removal Parking RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome Restrictions

All Toms River rules

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Rent Control in Nearby Cities

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Significant Restrictions