Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
Certificate of occupancy East Orange NJ: resale and rental rules
Confirm with the City of East Orange offices before you rely on this page. East Orange requires a Certificate of Conformity from the Department of Code Enforcement before a sale, with inspections completed fifteen working days before closing and either the seller or the buyer paying; the application was updated 7 July 2026 and lists the re-inspection fees revised that month (first free, second $100, third and later $150), while the base fee of $200 for one and two units comes from a code excerpt last amended in 2014 and is therefore shown as unverified for 2026. Landlords need a Certificate of Habitability for each rental unit ($125, requirements updated 1 October 2026), which needs Health Department confirmation of no outstanding lead violations. No smoke-certificate fee or form was found on the city site beyond a Fire Prevention portal link. Sources on the town's own site: Application for Certificate of Conformity - Residential/Commercial (July 7, 2026); Certificate of Conformity fees (last amendment cited 5-12-2014); Application for Certificate of Habitability (REQUIREMENTS - Updated 10/1/26). 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: Certificate of Conformity (C of C), Department of Code Enforcement, Division of Housing & Inspections | Fees for inspections/reinspection for certificates of conformity |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Yes: Certificate of Habitability (C of H), per unit | Upon the renting of the premises involved, a copy of the Certificate is to be signed by the tenant |
| Fee: Certificate of Conformity, 1- and 2-dwelling units (§ 159-52 as amended 2014; the 2026 application says fees were revised effective 7/1/2026 without listing the base fee) | $200 | 1- and 2-dwelling units $200 |
| Fee: Certificate of Habitability, per rental unit | $125 per unit ($100 per unit for new developments / rehabilitated 10+ units) | FEES: $125 per unit, except in the case of new developments and substantially rehabilitated units of 10 or more, the fee is $100 per unit. 2nd & Subsequent reinspections |
| Reinspection fee | C of C (eff. 7/1/2026): first re-inspection free, second $100, third+ $150; C of H: second and subsequent $100 | Second re-inspection $ 100 * |
| How early to apply | Inspections completed 15 working days before closing; C of H inspector calls within 15 days | All inspections must be completed fifteen (15) working days prior to the closing date. |
| Who applies | Seller or buyer (form has both; paid by either) | APPLICATION PAID FOR BY: [ ] Seller [ ] Buyer |
| Lead-safe inspection for pre-1978 rentals | C of H requires Health Department confirmation of no outstanding lead violations; lead-safe inspection fee not found | The East Orange Health Department must confirm that there are NO OUTSTANDING LEAD VIOLATIONS, in the subject apartment. |
| Last rule change on record | Ordinance 19 revised § 159-52 inspection fees effective 7/1/2026; C of H requirements updated 10/1/26 | Effective July 1, 2026: Ordinance 19: Chapter 159-52. Amended to revise fees for inspections, re-inspections, and subsequent inspections. |