Can you Airbnb in Caldwell, NJ?

What the rules say in Caldwell

• No STR-specific ordinance exists anywhere in the Borough code (current through 5-19-2026); rentals under 30 nights are not expressly defined, permitted, or prohibited.
• Ch. 131 Housing (Ord. 1286-14): every "rental unit" must be registered and licensed with the Borough Clerk; "rent or rented" means occupancy by any person other than the owner, regardless of whether there is an agreement or any consideration (131-1).
• Registration is required yearly (license term from August 1) AND with each change of occupancy (131-4), so each new short-term guest turnover technically triggers re-registration.
• The registration form must list the name, age, and gender of each tenant, and only occupants whose names are on file with the Borough may reside in the premises (131-2.I, 131-13).
• Annual inspection by the Construction Code Official is required for rental facilities of 19 or fewer units; a failed inspection bars registration, licensing, and occupancy until corrected (131-5).
• Fees and penalties: $30 per unit annual registration; violations carry fines of $100 to $1,250 per day plus possible 90 days imprisonment or community service, and license revocation (131-9, 131-14, 131-15).
• Owner-occupied portions of a dwelling are excluded from the definition of "rental unit" (131-1), so a hosted room in the owner's primary residence arguably falls outside the licensing scheme; verify with the Borough Clerk.
• Ch. 138 (Ord. 1442-23): rental-unit owners must annually file a certificate of liability insurance ($500,000; $300,000 for owner-occupied multifamily of 4 or fewer units) with a $25 fee; failure is a $500 fine.
• Zoning Ch. 250: residential districts (RAA, RA, RB, RC, RD) use exclusive permitted-use lists limited to dwellings occupied by a "family" (unrelated groups must be of a "permanent and distinct domestic character", 250-7); "hotel or motel" (15+ rooms serving transient travelers) is permitted only in the B General Business District (250-16.A(6)). Zoning nowhere addresses short-term rental of a dwelling, leaving interpretive risk for whole-home transient use.
• Ch. 182 Rent Control exempts owner-occupied one- and two-unit dwellings; it regulates rent levels, not rental duration.

Sources: Borough of Caldwell, NJ Code (eCode360, through 5-19-2026) - full chapter index; Caldwell Code Ch. 131 Housing (Ord. 1286-14) - rental registration, licensing, inspections; Caldwell Code Ch. 131 Art. II - Registration; Licensing; Rules and Regulations; Caldwell Code Ch. 250 Zoning - definitions, district use lists, hotel definition; Caldwell Code Ch. 138 - Liability Insurance and Registration Requirements for Rental Unit Owners; Caldwell Code Ch. 182 Rent Control - exemptions. Last reviewed 2026-07.