Elizabeth, NJ Rental Property Rules: Rent Increase Notice (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum notice
- 30 days before any rent increase
- Annual increase cap
- 3% over prior 12-month base rent
- Enforcing body
- Elizabeth Fair Rental Housing Board
- Penalty for willful violation
- $250-$2,000 fine or up to 90 days jail
- Chapter expiration
- Sunsets December 31, 2026 unless extended
- Required disclosure
- Truth-in-Renting Act statement to new tenants
Summary
Elizabeth landlords covered by the rent control ordinance must give tenants written notice at least 30 days before any rent increase takes effect, and must also supply the state Truth-in-Renting Act statement and annual disclosures about tenants' rights, under Code Section 5.70.070.
A.Any landlord seeking an increase in rent shall provide notice to the tenant no less than thirty (30) days prior to the proposed increase.B.A landlord must give all new tenants a copy of a statement of legal rights and responsibilities as required under the New Jersey Truth-in-Renting Act as defined under N.J.S.A. 46:8-43, et al., or any analogous successor to that statute.C.A landlord must inform tenants, at the initial rental and at least annually, that the tenant has legal rights and responsibilities as defined in the New Jersey Truth-in-Renting Act and this chapter.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 31).
Full Breakdown
060, a landlord may not request or collect more than one increase per twelve-month period, and any increase is capped at three percent over the base rent charged the prior twelve months. 070 then lays out what a landlord owes the tenant before that increase can take effect. Subsection A requires written notice no less than thirty days before the proposed increase. A. 46:8-43, and to repeat that disclosure at least once a year. Subsections D and E add city-specific notices: tenants must be told, at move-in and annually, that the landlord is required to file an annual rental registration with the fair rental housing board and that the tenant may verify the registered base rent with the board's rent registration representative, and that the tenant has the right to file a complaint and request a hearing before the board.
Subsection F requires the landlord to tell tenants they can obtain a copy of the chapter from the board, and Subsection G requires disclosure of the board's contact information along with that of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Office of Landlord/Tenant Information. 050 is independently unlawful. 250 on December 31, 2026 unless the governing body votes to extend it.
Violations & Fines
A willful violation of any notice or disclosure duty in Chapter 5.70, including filing a materially false statement with the fair rental housing board, is punishable under Section 5.70.230 by a fine of $250 to $2,000, up to ninety days' imprisonment, or both, with each affected leasehold counted as a separate violation. Tenants may also file a complaint with the board to challenge an increase collected without proper notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice must my landlord give before raising my rent in Elizabeth?
Is there a cap on how much my rent can go up?
What happens if my landlord raises rent without the required notice?
Do I need to register with the city before I can collect a rent increase?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elizabeth
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