Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
Certificate of occupancy Camden NJ: resale and rental rules
Confirm with the City of Camden offices before you rely on this page. A Camden sale needs the Camden Resale Occupancy Certificate from the Building Bureau ($200, application good for six months) and the Fire Marshal's smoke and carbon-monoxide certificate, priced by lead time: $64 when requested eight or more calendar days before settlement, $115 at seven days, $162 at three days or less; re-inspection $35; sellers aged 62 and over deduct $30; certificates are valid 90 days; the Fire Marshal asks for three to four weeks' notice. Landlords need a Rental Approval Certificate from the Bureau of Housing ($100 for a single-family house, $50 per duplex unit). The Fire Marshal's fee sheet, uploaded in August 2024, still names the fire extinguisher in the certificate title; no standalone resale certificate form exists on the city site, so the procedure and fee come from the Building Bureau FAQ, updated May 2025. Sources on the town's own site: Residential Resale Requirements for One & Two Family Dwellings (undated); Building Bureau FAQs (FAQ entries timestamped 2025-05-21 and 2025-02-05); New policy for Approvals of Rental Certificates and Resale of Property (effective 2/1/2012). State rule for every sale or lease of a one- or two-family home: N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3 (text). Last checked 24 October 2026.
| Question | Answer | The town's own words |
|---|---|---|
| Municipal certificate needed before a sale | Yes: Camden Resale Occupancy Certificate (C.R.O.C.), Construction/Building Bureau; plus Fire Marshal smoke/CO certificate | The City of Camden requires that a Camden Resale Occupancy Certificate shall be applied for and issued prior to the sale or conveyance of any property within the city. |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Yes: Rental Approval Certificate (Bureau of Housing) | Rental properties are required to be inspected and possess a Rental Approval Certificate prior to occupancy; multiple dwellings of three or more units require a license. |
| Smoke and CO alarm certificate (state rule N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3) | Camden Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal (4 N 3rd Street), fee $64.00 if requested 8+ calendar days before settlement; $115.00 at 7 days; $162.00 at 3 days or less | Requests received eight (8) calendar days or more prior to the settlement date: $64.00 |
| Fee: Smoke/CO inspection requested eight (8) calendar days or more before settlement | $64.00 | Requests received eight (8) calendar days or more prior to the settlement date: $64.00 |
| Fee: Smoke/CO inspection requested seven (7) calendar days before settlement | $115.00 | Requests received seven (7) calendar days or more to the settlement date: $115.00 |
| Fee: Smoke/CO inspection requested three (3) calendar days or less before settlement | $162.00 | Requests received three (3) calendar days or less prior to the settlement date: $162.00 |
| Fee: Seller age 62 or over (proof of age) | -$30.00 off first smoke/CO inspection fee | Sellers age 62 & over may deduct $30.00 from the first inspection fee |
| Fee: C.R.O.C. application (any sale) | $200.00 | The fee to apply for a C.R.O.C is $200.00. The fee DOES NOT include the Fire Safety fee of $64.00. |
| Fee: Rental Approval, single family dwelling | $100.00 | DATE: ________________________, 20____ $100.00 (SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING) |
| Fee: Rental Approval, duplex | $50.00 per unit | TIME: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM $50.00 (DUPLEX PER UNIT) |
| Reinspection fee | $35.00 (smoke/CO); Rental Approval fee includes one re-inspection, further inspections $25.00, no-show $90.00 | Re-Inspection Fee: $35.00 |
| How long the certificate stays valid | Smoke/CO certificate 90 days; C.R.O.C. application good for 6 months | Certificates are valid for 90 days |
| How early to apply | Smoke/CO inspection request 3 to 4 weeks before settlement; lowest fee needs 8+ calendar days | Requests must be submitted using the online form located at ci.camden.nj.us 3 to 4 4 weeks prior to the settlement |
| Who applies | Seller (buyer may apply as seller's agent); certificate issued to buyer | The application is the responsibility of the seller. The buyer, with sellers written permission, may submit the application as their agent. |
| Last rule change on record | FAQ renamed the resale certificate 'Camden Resale Occupancy Certificate' (entry updated 2025-05-21); the older 'What is a C.C.O.?' entry (2025-02-05) still coexists with the same $200 fee | What is a C.R.O.C? Josh Suarez 2025-05-21T08:42:14-04:00 |