Clifton, NJ Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee amount
- $500 annual, non-refundable
- Covers
- Permit application and Certificate of Code Compliance
- Renewal
- $500 due yearly on permit anniversary
- Ownership change
- Voids permit; new owner pays fee again
- Chapter
- 378A, Short-Term Rentals
Summary
Every short-term rental owner in Clifton pays a $500 non-refundable annual registration fee to the Department of Engineering. Set by Chapter 378A, the fee covers both the permit application and the required Certificate of Code Compliance, and must be paid again each year at renewal.
An owner of property, intended to serve as a short-term rental property, as defined herein, or any agent acting on behalf of the owner, shall submit to the City of Clifton Department of Engineering, a short-term rental permit application provided by the City, along with an annual application/registration fee of $500. Said fee shall be non-refundable, including in the event that the application is denied. The annual application/registration fee shall also cover the fee for the rental Certificate of Code Compliance application, referenced below.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963532; v64 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 378A-3C requires the owner, or an agent acting for the owner, to submit the STR permit application together with an annual application/registration fee of $500. The fee is non-refundable even if the City denies the application. That single $500 payment also covers the fee for the rental Certificate of Code Compliance required under § 378A-3E, so owners do not pay separately for the compliance inspection filing. Section 378A-3F requires the same $500 fee again every year at renewal, alongside a new application, a new Certificate of Code Compliance application and a property inspection, timed to the anniversary of the original permit's issuance.
If a property changes ownership, § 378A-3G voids the existing permit outright, and the new owner must pay the $500 fee again as a first-time registrant rather than a renewal. A permit that is revoked or suspended for cause also resets to first-time registration, meaning the owner owes the full $500 fee again to reapply. A. 54:32B-3, but that tax article is written to reach hotels and motels taxable under state sales tax law and does not reference short-term rentals, so it is not part of the STR fee structure in Chapter 378A.
Violations & Fines
Failing to pay the $500 registration fee, or advertising an STRP before the fee is paid and the permit issued, is treated as operating without a permit under § 378A-3B and § 378A-3H, and is punishable under § 378A-8 by fines up to $2,000 per violation, assessed per day the violation continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Clifton's short-term rental registration fee?
Does Clifton's $500 STR fee cover the compliance inspection too?
Do I pay the STR fee again if I sell the property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clifton
How Clifton compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Compare Clifton to another location·View the New Jersey short-term rentals overview
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