New Jersey landlords owe tenants a specific stack of written disclosures, and most are due before or at lease signing. None takes more than a few minutes to deliver, but missing one can mean statutory penalties, a weakened position in court, or a tenant with the right to walk away from the lease.
Here is each required disclosure — what it covers, which properties it applies to, and when it must be given. Requirements change, so confirm the current version of each form before your next signing.
Truth-in-Renting statement
Under N.J.S.A. 46:8-43 et seq., landlords must give each tenant the current Truth-in-Renting statement — a plain-language guide to tenants' and landlords' rights published by the NJ Department of Community Affairs — at or before lease signing, and distribute updated versions when the DCA revises it. Two exemptions matter for small owners: buildings with two or fewer rental units, and owner-occupied buildings with three or fewer units. The statutory penalty is up to $100 per offense, but the larger cost is usually credibility in a later dispute.
Federal lead-based paint disclosure (pre-1978)
Federal law requires landlords of housing built before 1978 to do four things before lease signing: give tenants the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," disclose any known lead-based paint or lead hazards, share any reports they hold, and attach a signed disclosure form to the lease. Keep the signed forms for at least three years. Federal penalties can exceed $10,000 per violation, so this is not a form to skip on older housing stock.
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Get a Free Rental Analysis →Flood risk disclosure
Since March 2024, under P.L. 2023, c.93, New Jersey landlords must disclose in writing — before the tenant signs — whether the property sits in a FEMA flood zone (100-year or 500-year) and whether the rental premises have flooded in the past, to the landlord's knowledge. The DCA publishes a model notice. The requirement applies to new leases and renewals, and a tenant who never received the disclosure has remedies that can include terminating the lease. Check your flood zone before you list, not after a storm.
Window guard notice
In multiple dwellings, landlords must notify tenants — in the lease and annually — that tenants with children age 10 or under may request window guards, and must install them promptly on request. The obligation generally applies to buildings of three or more units; verify how the DCA classifies your building.
Smoke alarm, CO alarm, and fire extinguisher certificate
At each tenant turnover, the unit needs a certificate from the local fire official confirming working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and a portable fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen. Schedule the inspection before move-in day — most towns need lead time, fees vary, and re-renting without the certificate carries fines.
Security deposit notice
Within 30 days of receiving a deposit, you must give the tenant written notice of the banking institution's name and address, the type of account, the current interest rate, and the amount deposited — and repeat the notice with each annual interest payment and any time the money moves. Getting this wrong can cost you the right to hold the deposit at all; the full rules are in our NJ security deposit guide.
Landlord identity and registration disclosure
Every non-owner-occupied rental must have a landlord registration on file — with the municipal clerk for one- and two-unit properties, or the DCA for buildings of three or more units — identifying the owner, an agent for service of process, and an emergency contact. You must give each tenant a copy of the registration certificate. Courts will not enter an eviction judgment for an unregistered landlord, which makes this the disclosure with the sharpest teeth. Registration and the rest of your baseline duties are covered in our guide to NJ landlord obligations.
Timing checklist
| Disclosure | When due |
|---|---|
| Truth-in-Renting statement | At or before lease signing |
| Lead-based paint (pre-1978) | Before lease signing |
| Flood risk notice | Before lease signing, and at renewal |
| Window guard notice | In the lease, then annually |
| Fire safety certificate | Each change of occupancy |
| Security deposit notice | Within 30 days of receipt |
| Registration certificate copy | At registration and lease signing |
Frequently asked questions
Do these disclosures apply to a single-family rental?
Several do. The lead paint disclosure (if the home is pre-1978), the flood risk disclosure, the fire safety certificate, the security deposit notice, and municipal registration all typically apply to single-family rentals. The Truth-in-Renting statement and window guard rules generally do not reach one- and two-unit buildings, but verify for your specific property.
What happens if I skip a disclosure?
It varies by disclosure: fixed penalties for Truth-in-Renting, five-figure federal exposure for lead paint, lease-termination rights for flood risk, loss of deposit rights for the deposit notice, and an unwinnable eviction for missing registration. None of these risks is worth the few minutes each form takes.
Do I need to repeat disclosures at renewal?
Some repeat on a schedule: the flood risk disclosure applies to renewals, the window guard notice is annual, and the deposit notice recurs with each annual interest payment. For the others, redisclose when the facts or the official forms change — and confirm current requirements before each renewal cycle.
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