Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Nutley, NJ?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Nutley has no short-term rental ordinance and no permit path; instead, its zoning code defines a dwelling as permanent living quarters that expressly exclude "hotels or other accommodations used for transient occupancy," and Section 700-39 prohibits hotels (including motels, tourist courts and similar sleeping accommodations for hire) and boarding/rooming houses in every zoning district. Operating an Airbnb-style rental under 30 nights, whole-home or by the room, is therefore not a permitted use anywhere in the township.
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in Nutley, NJ?
No go for nightly stays
The rule that closes it: Residence districts permit only dwellings, e.g. Sec. 700-9A limits R-1 lots to single-family dwellings with no other principal use on the lot.
- Is there a legal way to rent short-term in Nutley?
- 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 Nutley. Confirm the specifics against the sources on this page before you rely on it.
What would you do with a property in Nutley?
Not for nightly stays. The compliant play in Nutley 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 Nutley
- No STR-specific ordinance or registration/permit scheme exists anywhere in the Nutley Township Code (checked full chapter list and pending new laws through May 2026).
- Zoning definition of DWELLING (Sec. 700-3) covers only permanent living quarters and expressly excludes hotels or other accommodations used for transient occupancy, rooming houses, group quarters and mobile homes, so transient rental of a home is outside the permitted residential use.
- Sec. 700-39C prohibits hotels in ALL zoning districts; HOTEL is defined (Sec. 700-3) to include motel, tourist court and similar designations for sleeping accommodations for hire for more than eight persons not a family.
- Sec. 700-39I prohibits boarding and rooming houses in ALL zoning districts; the rooming-house definition itself excludes any accommodations for transient occupancy.
- Residence districts permit only dwellings, e.g. Sec. 700-9A limits R-1 lots to single-family dwellings with no other principal use on the lot.
- Ordinary long-term rentals remain legal: owners must file annual insurance registration under Chapter 428 (per N.J.S.A. 40A:10A-1 et seq.) and obtain a new Certificate of Continued Occupancy with inspection at every change of occupancy under Sec. 700-116B(1)(d).
- The FAMILY definition (Sec. 700-3) allows up to two roomers/boarders living within a single housekeeping unit, but the township treats this as a long-term arrangement requiring a zoning application, fee and inspection, not nightly rental.
Sources: Township of Nutley, NJ Code (eCode360), full table of contents, codified through 2026-02-03; Nutley Code Sec. 700-3 Definitions (Dwelling, Family, Hotel, Boardinghouse/Rooming House); Nutley Code Sec. 700-39 Prohibited uses in all districts (C. Hotel; I. Boarding and rooming houses); Nutley Code Ch. 700 Art. V General Regulations, Secs. 700-7 to 700-22.1 permitted uses by district; Nutley Code Ch. 428 Licensing and Business Regulations (annual insurance registration for business and rental-unit owners); Nutley Code Ch. 456 Multiple-Dwelling and Hotel Standards (adopts N.J.A.C. 5:10 maintenance standards); Nutley eCode360 New Laws page (Ords. 3608-3613 of 2026; no STR legislation pending); Ord. No. 3608 (adopted 2026-04-07) zoning amendment text (warehouse uses only, not STR); Nutley Code Enforcement 'Use and Occupancy' homeowner notice (roomers/boarders limits; CCO required per Sec. 700-116B(1)(d)). 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 Nutley's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your Nutley property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
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