Jersey City, NJ Short-Term Rentals: Insurance Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum coverage
- $500,000 general liability
- Filed with
- Permit application, Division of Housing Preservation
- Also required same section
- Proof of ownership; agent/responsible-party certifications
- Application review period
- 30 days to issue or deny, § 255-5.A
- Effective
- Added 6-25-2019, Ord. No. 19-077
Summary
Jersey City requires every short-term rental permit application to include proof of general liability insurance of at least $500,000. The requirement is filed alongside proof of ownership and signed agent/responsible-party certifications as part of the same application packet.
Attached to and concurrent with submission of the permit application described in this section, the owner shall provide: (1) Proof of the owner's current ownership of the short-term rental unit; (2) Proof of general liability insurance in a minimum amount of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00); and (3) Written certifications from the short-term rental property agent and responsible party that they agree to perform all of the respective duties specified in this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
E of Chapter 255 lists what must be attached to and submitted concurrently with a short-term rental permit application. E(3)), subsection (2) requires proof of general liability insurance in a minimum amount of $500,000. C requires a zoning compliance certificate confirming the premises are not being used in violation of the city's Land Use Regulations and Zoning Ordinances. A.
Violations & Fines
An application missing the required $500,000 liability insurance proof is incomplete and the Division of Housing Preservation may deny the permit with written reasons under § 255-5.A, appealable within ten business days under § 255-5.B. Operating as an STR without a valid permit because the application was never completed is itself a Chapter 255 violation carrying fines of $100 to $2,000 per violation per day under § 255-7.A.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much liability insurance does a Jersey City Airbnb host need?
What else has to be filed alongside the insurance proof?
What happens if I don't provide proof of insurance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jersey City
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