Elizabeth, NJ Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)

City Code § 5.90.040(C) lists what a short-term rental owner must attach to and submit concurrent with the license application described in § 5.90.030, and paragraph (2) requires proof of general liability insurance in a minimum amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00). This sits alongside three other required attachments: proof of the owner's current ownership of the STR unit, written certifications from the STR property agent and responsible party agreeing to perform their assigned duties under the chapter, and, for a condominium unit, a letter of approval from the condominium association.

The application itself, filed with the bureau of central licensing, is reviewed by the chief license inspector, who forwards it to the police, fire, and health and human services directors and to the heads of the bureaus of construction and of planning and zoning for investigation and report per § 5.90.040(A). Because the license is annual, the insurance proof must be refreshed with each renewal cycle tied to the anniversary of the original issuance under § 5.90.030(E). A short-term rental cannot lawfully operate or be advertised, including on MLS or web platforms, without the license the insurance proof supports; § 5.90.030(B) makes advertising without a valid license itself a violation.

Enforcement runs through the chief license inspector, fire official, or police, and the bureau of central licensing may deny or revoke a license where required documentation, including this insurance proof, is missing, fraudulent, or misrepresented under § 5.90.060(B).