Jersey City, NJ Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)
Key Facts
- Initial registration fee
- $250, non-refundable
- Annual renewal fee
- $200
- Permit term
- One year from issuance
- Fee refundable if denied?
- No: non-refundable
- Additional gate
- Must be current on city taxes/water/sewer
Summary
Jersey City charges a non-refundable $250 initial registration fee to apply for a short-term rental permit and a $200 annual renewal fee. Both fees go to the Division of Housing Preservation with the permit application and are kept even if the application is denied.
An owner of property, intended to serve as a STRP, or any agent acting on behalf of the owner, shall submit to the City of Jersey City Division of House Preservation, a STR permit application provided by the City, along with an initial registration fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00). Said fee shall be non-refundable, including in the event that the application is denied. ... A short-term rental permit shall be renewed on an annual basis, based upon the anniversary of the original permit issuance, by submitting to the Division of Housing Preservation, a short-term rental permit application, and a renewal registration fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00).
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
C of Chapter 255, an owner of property intended to serve as a short-term rental property (STRP), or an agent acting on the owner's behalf, must submit a permit application to the City of Jersey City Division of Housing Preservation along with an initial registration fee of $250. The fee is expressly non-refundable, including where the City denies the application. E then sets the ongoing cost of staying in the program: a short-term rental permit must be renewed annually, on the anniversary of the original issuance, by filing a renewal application with a $200 renewal registration fee.
F requires a brand-new initial application and initial fee, not the lower renewal fee, whenever the STRP changes ownership or after any revocation or suspension of a prior permit. A(5) requires any outstanding Municipal Court fines tied to the property to be paid in full first.
Violations & Fines
Operating without paying the required fee and obtaining the permit is itself a Chapter 255 violation under § 255-3.B and § 255-6.K, carrying fines of $100 to $2,000 per violation per day under § 255-7.A. An applicant who is delinquent on city taxes, water, sewer charges or outstanding Municipal Court fines under § 255-3.A(4)-(5) will simply not have a permit issued at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Jersey City short-term rental permit cost?
Do I get my $250 back if my STR application is denied?
Does the fee change if the property is sold?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jersey City
How Jersey City compares: Cities with the Highest Short-Term Rental Taxes·Compare Jersey City to another location·View the New Jersey short-term rentals overview
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