Short-term-rental rules
Can you Airbnb in Secaucus, NJ?
Researched and reviewed by Jake Lee, FounderCurrent as of July 2026How this atlas is maintained
Secaucus bans short-term rentals outright: Town Code Chapter 154 defines a short-term rental as any tenancy of 30 days or less and prohibits charging or accepting any rent for one anywhere in town, and it also prohibits advertising, listing, or facilitating such rentals. Violations carry fines of $500 to $2,000 per day and up to 90 days in jail, so operating an Airbnb-style whole-home or room rental under 30 nights is illegal in Secaucus.
The operator's read
Can I run a short-term rental in Secaucus, NJ?
No go for nightly stays
The rule that closes it: Narrow exception: senior citizens may lease or rent rooms within a single-family primary residence to one person pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-68.4 (sec. 154-8); this is not an STR carve-out from the 30-day ban.
- Is there a legal way to rent short-term in Secaucus?
- 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 Secaucus. Confirm the specifics against the sources on this page before you rely on it.
What would you do with a property in Secaucus?
Not for nightly stays. The compliant play in Secaucus 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 Secaucus
- Short-term rental is defined as any change in tenancy involving an occupancy of 30 days or less (Code sec. 154-2).
- No person may charge, demand, receive, or accept rent or other payment for the use or occupancy of any short-term rental anywhere in the Town; each payment is a separate offense (sec. 154-3A).
- Listing, advertising, or otherwise offering a short-term rental, including by real estate agents, brokers, or salespersons, is itself a violation (sec. 154-3B).
- Penalties: fines of not less than $500 nor more than $2,000 per day and/or imprisonment up to 90 days; each day unabated is a separate violation (sec. 154-5A).
- Every rental unit in town (except multi-unit dwellings already subject to State housing laws) must register annually with the Town Clerk and pay an annual fee (sec. 154-9).
- Narrow exception: senior citizens may lease or rent rooms within a single-family primary residence to one person pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-68.4 (sec. 154-8); this is not an STR carve-out from the 30-day ban.
- Separately, any new tenancy requires a sale/rental certification (certificate of continued occupancy) with smoke and carbon monoxide checks under Code Chapter 64, as updated by Ordinance 2024-10.
Sources: Town of Secaucus Code, Chapter 154: Unlawful Residential Units (eCode360, current); Chapter 154 full text (Wayback Machine capture of the eCode360 page, read in full); Town of Secaucus, NJ Code of Ordinances, table of contents (eCode360); Secaucus Ordinance 2024-10 amending Chapter 64 (CCO / sale-rental certification), PDF read in full; Patch: Secaucus Takes On Air B&B, May Fine Homeowners (ordinance introduction coverage). 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 Secaucus's rules?
We'll help you find out what's actually possible for your Secaucus property, short-term, mid-term, or otherwise, and run it if it's a fit.
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