Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
Certificate of occupancy Mount Laurel NJ: resale and rental rules
Confirm with the Mount Laurel Township offices before you rely on this page. Mount Laurel has required a Certificate of Continued Occupancy from Community Development for every residential sale since 1 August 2021 (ordinance 2021-8): $75 when requested eleven or more days before closing, $100 at four to ten days, $125 at three days or less, half price for owners aged 65 and over or deed-restricted affordable units, $25 for a re-inspection, waived if the fixes are done within 30 days; the certificate must be obtained within 90 days of closing, and the application is mailed or dropped off with payment. The state smoke and carbon-monoxide certificate is separate, issued by the Mount Laurel Fire Department (a fire district) through its own portal, and its fee is not on the fetched pages. Landlords register each rental unit and pre-1978 units need the township's lead inspection ($125, $50 re-inspection) or a certified contractor's certificate. The CCO application is undated. Sources on the town's own site: CCO Application per Ordinance 2021-8 (undated); Township newsletter July 2021 (July 2021); Certificate of Continued Occupancy (undated). 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 Continued Occupancy (CCO) per Ordinance 2021-8 (Community Development) plus a Smoke Certificate from the Mount Laurel Fire Department (mlfd.org) | Effective August 1st, 2021 all residential homes being |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Yes: Residential Rental Unit Registration (Code Chapter 121) with rental housing inspection; smoke certificate from the Fire Department | MOUNT LAUREL TOWNSHIP WEBSITE- WWW.MOUNTLAUREL.COM - (CODE CHAPTER 121) |
| Smoke and CO alarm certificate (state rule N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3) | Mount Laurel Fire Department (fire district, mlfd.org, (856) 234-6053) - separate from the township CCO; fee not published on the township site | SMOKE CERTIFICATE REQUIRED FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. PLEASE VISIT MLFD.ORG TO SCHEDULE |
| Fee: CCO requested eleven days prior to closing or longer | $75.00 | If requested eleven days prior to closing or longer, the fee for an initial inspection shall be $75.00 |
| Fee: CCO requested between four and ten days prior to closing | $100 | If requested between four and ten days prior to closing, the fee shall be $100 |
| Fee: CCO requested three days or less prior to closing | $125 | If requested three days or less prior to closing the fee for inspection shall be $125 |
| Fee: affordable-housing deed restriction or primary owner aged 65+ | 50% reduction | primary owner of the property is aged 65 or older, the fees shall be reduced by fifty percent (50%) |
| Fee: lead-based paint hazard inspection by the Township (pre-1978 rentals) | $125.00 (+$50 re-inspection) | Inspection Fee: $125.00 |
| Reinspection fee | $25.00 CCO re-inspection fee, waived if re-inspection within 30 days and all deficiencies cured; lead re-inspection $50 | have been cured or corrected to the satisfaction of the Township inspector, the $25.00 re-inspection fee shall be |
| How long the certificate stays valid | CCO must be obtained within 90 days of the closing date; extension on request from the Construction Code Official | certificate of continued occupancy must be obtained within 90 days of the closing date |
| How early to apply | Fee tiers: 11+ days before closing cheapest; 4-10 days; 3 days or less most expensive. Application must be mailed or dropped off with payment (no email). | We do not accept applications |
| Who applies | Owner of property (application names owner and buyer; buyer must register within 14 days if the property will be rented) | TOWNSHIP WITHIN 14 DAYS OF CLOSING DATE. YOU CAN FIND THE REGISTRATION INFORMATION ONF HE |
| Lead-safe inspection for pre-1978 rentals | Township lead-based paint hazard inspection $125.00 ($20 to State fund), re-inspection $50; owner may instead hire an NJ certified lead evaluation contractor | $20.00 of which will be deposited into The State Lead Hazard Control Assistance |
| Last rule change on record | CCO inspection for all residential sales introduced 1 August 2021 (Ordinance 2021-8) | sold will require a CO inspection. |