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

Long Branch's rental-unit insurance requirement implements New Jersey P.L. 2022, c. 92, codified at N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.12s, which became effective in 2023 and applies statewide to non-owner-occupied rental dwellings and to multifamily homes of four or fewer units where one is owner-occupied. Under the statute and Long Branch's local implementing provisions, the owner of a rental unit, including a Chapter 271 seasonal rental and any year-round Airbnb or Vrbo unit, shall maintain liability insurance for negligent acts and omissions in an amount of not less than $500,000 for combined property damage and bodily injury to or death of one or more persons in any one accident or occurrence. The owner must annually file a copy of a certificate of insurance demonstrating the required coverage with the Long Branch Municipal Clerk, and the filing fee is $100 per certificate. Upon filing, the Municipal Clerk issues a certificate of registration to the owner stating the amount of coverage and the policy period evidenced by the certificate of insurance. Standard homeowners or dwelling-fire policies typically exclude transient or commercial occupancies, so most STR hosts will need a short-term rental endorsement, a commercial dwelling policy, or a dedicated STR policy to satisfy the $500,000 minimum; platform-provided host protection (such as Airbnb's program) is a supplement, not a substitute. Owners must also satisfy the separate Chapter 271 rental registration with the City Clerk, register the dwelling under the New Jersey Bureau of Housing Inspection where it qualifies as a multiple dwelling, and collect and remit New Jersey state sales tax (6.625%), the State Occupancy Fee (5%), and any applicable Long Branch local hotel/motel occupancy tax under N.J.S.A. 54:32D for transient stays of less than 90 days booked through online marketplaces.