Passaic County imposes no primary-residence requirement on short-term rentals. New Jersey leaves this to municipalities under home rule. Some towns limit STRs to owner-occupied or primary residences; others do not. West Milford permits rentals of dwellings without a statewide owner-occupancy mandate.
Whether a short-term rental must be the owner's primary residence is a local zoning choice, not a county or statewide rule. Under the Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1), each Passaic County municipality decides if STRs are allowed only in owner-occupied homes, capped to certain zones, or barred entirely. West Milford's § 285-13 regulates short-term rentals through a permit and responsible-party system rather than a blanket primary-residence-only rule. Because the patchwork varies sharply between Clifton, Paterson, Wayne, Ringwood, and West Milford, always verify your specific town's ordinance before buying an investment property to rent short-term.
Enforcement is municipal. Renting in violation of a town's owner-occupancy or zoning limit can bring fines, cease-and-desist orders, and denial or revocation of any STR permit under the local ordinance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Paterson, NJ
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Paterson, NJ
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Paterson, NJ
Paterson regulates overnight parking on public streets. Many areas restrict parking between certain hours or require permits for overnight street parking.
Paterson, NJ
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Paterson, NJ
Paterson requires permits for retaining walls above a certain height, typically 4 feet. Engineering review may be required for taller walls.
Paterson, NJ
Paterson restricts or prohibits intentional feeding of wildlife including deer, coyotes, and bears. Feeding wildlife creates public safety hazards and nuisan...
See how Paterson's primary-residence-only rule rules stack up against other locations.
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