Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Franklin Lakes, NJ?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Franklin Lakes bans short-term rentals outright: since 2017 the borough code makes it unlawful to rent, offer, or even advertise any dwelling unit for 30 days or less for payment, anywhere in town, and a 2022 amendment also bans renting home amenities such as swimming pools. Fines run up to $1,250 with each day a separate violation. The borough's 2026 notice warns that advertising a home or pool for a term of 60 days or less is a violation, so treat anything under 60 nights as off-limits and confirm the current threshold with the borough clerk.
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in Franklin Lakes, NJ?
No go for nightly stays
The rule that closes it: Renting or offering any dwelling unit for 30 days or less for consideration is prohibited borough-wide (Code sec. 300-158A).
- Is there a legal way to rent short-term in Franklin Lakes?
- Most ordinances of this kind restrict stays under 30 nights and leave longer furnished rentals alone, so a 30-plus-night rental is usually the compliant route in Franklin Lakes. Confirm the specifics against the sources on this page before you rely on it.
What would you do with a property in Franklin Lakes?
Not for nightly stays. The compliant play in Franklin Lakes is a furnished rental of 30 nights or more, which most ordinances of this kind leave open, and which we can set up and run. If you are buying specifically to run nightly stays, buy somewhere else.
What the rules say in Franklin Lakes
- Renting or offering any dwelling unit for 30 days or less for consideration is prohibited borough-wide (Code sec. 300-158A)
- Advertising, soliciting, or promoting such a rental is itself a violation (secs. 300-158A and 300-161); the borough's 2026 notice states advertising a home or pool for a term of 60 days or less violates the ordinance
- Renting any amenity of a dwelling, including swimming pools, is prohibited (sec. 300-158B, Ord. No. 1891, adopted 10-18-2022)
- Only exception: unpaid house guests who are members of the owner's housekeeping unit (sec. 300-160)
- Penalties: fine up to $1,250; each day of violation is a new and separate violation (sec. 300-162)
Sources: Borough of Franklin Lakes Code, Ch. 300 Art. XXI Short-Term Rentals (eCode360); Borough of Franklin Lakes Code, table of contents (eCode360, legislation through 10-21-2025); Borough news notice: 60-day advertising warning on short-term rentals; Borough Code/Ordinances page (links to eCode360 and recently adopted ordinances); Borough of Franklin Lakes Disposition List (ordinance history, eCode360). Last reviewed 2026-07.
How short-term rentals are regulated in New Jersey
- New Jersey has no single statewide short-term-rental ban. Instead, each municipality sets its own rules through local ordinances, which is why neighboring Bergen towns can differ completely.
- Statewide, short-term rentals are generally subject to NJ Sales Tax and the State Occupancy Fee (and, in some areas, local taxes) on stays under 90 days, unless booked through certain channels that collect on the host's behalf.
- Common municipal controls include registration or permits, owner-occupancy requirements, minimum-stay rules, caps on rental nights, and zoning limits on which districts allow short-term use.
- Rules change. An ordinance can be added or amended at any time. Always confirm the current rule with the municipality before listing.
Navigating Franklin Lakes's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your Franklin Lakes property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
Nearby Bergen towns