Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Hillsdale, NJ?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Hillsdale has no ordinance banning, permitting, or registering short-term rentals of a home or room, and its zoning code contains no transient-occupancy exclusion, so STRs of dwellings are legal by default. The one STR-targeted law, Code Ch. 234 (Ord. 23-10, adopted 6-13-2023), only prohibits renting out dwelling amenities such as pools, yards, or sports courts by themselves (Swimply-style), with fines up to $1,250 and/or 90 days per day. Owners of rental units must still file a liability-insurance certificate with the borough under the state-mandated registry (Ch. 178, Ord. 22-19).
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in Hillsdale, NJ?
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No permit requirement, cap or night ceiling is recorded for Hillsdale in the sources we hold, which puts it at the easier end of Bergen County. The full sourced record is below.
- What does Hillsdale actually require?
- Hillsdale's record does not set out a permit or registration step. That is not the same as there being none, so we confirm the current position with the borough before listing.
- What stands in the way in Hillsdale?
- No cap, night ceiling or owner-occupancy requirement is recorded for Hillsdale. Among towns that permit short-term rentals at all, that is the easier end.
- What does it cost to get permitted in Hillsdale?
- Code Ch. 234 / Ordinance 23-10 (adopted 6-13-2023) prohibits the lease or rental of any dwelling AMENITY (swimming pools, yard areas, tennis/sports courts, driveways, and similar recreation features) as a standalone rental; violations carry fines up to $1,250 and/or up to 90 days, each day a separate violation.
- How long does approval take in Hillsdale?
- Hillsdale's ordinance sets no published processing time, which is true of most towns in this region. We confirm the clerk's current turnaround before you commit to a date, because an unbooked opening season costs more than the permit does.
What would you do with a property in Hillsdale?
Straightforward by the standards of this region. The work in Hillsdale is the paperwork and then the operating standard, not the permission. That makes it a reasonable place to buy for nightly stays.
What the rules say in Hillsdale
- No STR-specific permit, registration, minimum stay, zone limit, or owner-occupancy rule exists for renting a dwelling or room under 30 nights; the code and zoning are silent on transient occupancy of dwellings (verified through the full chapter list and all ordinances adopted 2019-2026).
- Code Ch. 234 / Ordinance 23-10 (adopted 6-13-2023) prohibits the lease or rental of any dwelling AMENITY (swimming pools, yard areas, tennis/sports courts, driveways, and similar recreation features) as a standalone rental; violations carry fines up to $1,250 and/or up to 90 days, each day a separate violation.
- Ch. 178 (Ord. 22-19, implementing N.J.S.A. 40A:10A-1) requires owners of rental units to register a certificate of liability insurance with the borough; this applies to all rentals, not just STRs.
- Zoning is permissive (Ch. 310 § 310-55A: land may be used only for uses on the Schedule of Uses), and dwellings must be occupied by a 'family' defined as a single housekeeping unit; the definition contains no duration or transient-occupancy test, so it does not implicitly bar STRs.
Sources: Ordinance 23-10 (adopted 6-13-2023), Short Term Rental of Property Amenities Prohibition, full adopted text (codified as Ch. 234); Borough of Hillsdale Code on eCode360 (HI1394); live site Cloudflare-blocked, consulted via Wayback snapshot; Wayback snapshot (Mar 2026) of the full code table of contents, showing Ch. 234 Rental Property and no STR/hotel/boarding chapter; Ch. 310 Land Use Part 1 definitions (DWELLING UNIT, FAMILY single-housekeeping-unit definition, no transient exclusion), archived; Ch. 310 Part 4 Art. XIV General Regulations incl. § 310-55A permissive-use clause, archived; Borough of Hillsdale ordinance index (year lists 2019-2026 checked; no dwelling-STR ordinance adopted); 2023 Ordinances list showing 23-10 adoption on 6-13-2023. 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.
Thinking about a short-term rental in Hillsdale?
Palisade Stays launches and runs short-term rentals for owners end to end. Tell us about your property and we'll see if it's a fit.
Nearby Bergen towns