Jersey City, NJ Local Taxes & Fees: Vacancy Tax (2026)
Key Facts
- Mechanism
- Annual vacant-property registration fee, not a tax
- Initial building fee
- $500 for first-year registration
- Escalation
- $1,000 then $2,000 then $3,000 per renewal
- Vacant lot fee
- $250/year, waived under 500 sq ft
- Foreclosure surcharge
- +$2,000/year if also vacant
- Administering office
- Division of Housing Preservation
Summary
Jersey City has no formal vacancy tax; instead, Chapter 254's vacant-building registration fee escalates from $500 for the initial year to $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000 for the second and later annual renewals, priced in the citywide fee schedule at § 160-1.
(6)Vacant property annual registration fee.(a)Vacant Buildings:(1)The initial registration fee for each vacant building shall be $500.00; provided, however, if a summons and complaint in an action to foreclose are filed, the initial fee and all subsequent fees shall be in accordance with subsection (6).(2)The fee for the first renewal shall be $1,000.00.(3)The fee for the second renewal shall be $2,000.00.(4)The fee for any subsequent renewals shall be $3,000.00.(b)Vacant lots - annual registration fee of $250.00; provided, however, that there shall be no registration fee for lots under 500 square feet.
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
X(6). 9': the section that historically set the numbers has since been folded into the master fee schedule at § 160-1. That schedule prices a vacant building's initial registration at $500, escalating to $1,000 for the first renewal, $2,000 for the second renewal, and $3,000 for every renewal after that; vacant lots pay a flat $250 annual fee, waived for lots under 500 square feet. X(7) adds $500 per year for any property in foreclosure, plus another $2,000 per year if that property is also vacant or abandoned, with late payments drawing the same interest and penalties as delinquent property taxes. X(8)). 4A(8).
Violations & Fines
Failing to register a vacant building or lot, or to renew before the anniversary date, exposes an owner to the escalating fee itself, up to $3,000 a year by the second renewal, plus the Property Maintenance Code's general penalty under § 1-25 (up to $2,000 and/or 90 days) for the underlying registration violation, and unpaid foreclosure-related fees accrue interest and penalties like delinquent property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Jersey City have a vacancy tax?
How much does it cost to register a vacant building?
Is there a fee for a vacant lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jersey City
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