Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
Certificate of occupancy Newark NJ: resale and rental rules
Confirm with the Newark offices before you rely on this page. Newark requires a Certificate of Code Compliance from the Code Enforcement Division before a sale ($400 for one or two dwelling units, $500 for three to ten, valid 90 days) plus a Fire Department Fire Certificate ($35 for one or two units, valid six months); both are requested and paid through the city's one-stop portal, by the owner or the owner's agent. Re-inspection fees exist but the portal does not state the amount. The main city site refused every automated request, so the rental and landlord-registration rules and the lead-safe fee could not be read and are not shown; the portal page itself carries no revision date. Sources on the town's own site: City of Newark one-stop portal - Certificate of Code Compliance (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 Code Compliance (CCC, Code Enforcement Division, includes zoning review) plus Fire Department 'Fire Certificate' | As per City Ordinance prior to the transfer of ownership of a residential or mixed used property a code compliance certificate and a fire department certificate of must be obtained. Both certificates require and inspection by the Code Enforcement Division and the Fire Department. |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Not found: newarknj.gov (where rental/landlord pages would be) refused automated requests; the portal page covers only sales | |
| Smoke and CO alarm certificate (state rule N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3) | Newark Fire Department (Fire Certificate; fire inspection requested and paid through the same portal), fee $35 for 1-2 dwelling units; $50 for 3-10 units; $5 per unit over 10 | Fire Certificate 1-2 Dwelling Units $35 3-10 Dwelling Units $50 For each unit over 10 units $5 |
| Fee: Certificate of Code Compliance, 1-2 dwelling units | $400 | Certificate of Code Compliance 1-2 Dwelling Units $400 3-10 Dwelling Units $500 11-20 Dwelling Units $1,000 21-40 Dwelling Units $2,000 41-100 Dwelling Units $5,000 Over 100 Dwelling Units $10,000 Minimum plus $25 for each unit over 100 units |
| Fee: Certificate of Code Compliance, 3-10 dwelling units | $500 | 3-10 Dwelling Units $500 |
| Fee: Fire Certificate, 1-2 dwelling units | $35 | Fire Certificate 1-2 Dwelling Units $35 |
| Fee: Fire Certificate, 3-10 dwelling units | $50 | 3-10 Dwelling Units $50 |
| Fee: Portal service fee (one-stop portal use) | amount not stated | Use of this one-stop portal will significantly speed up the processing time and carries an additional service fee |
| Reinspection fee | Re-inspection fees exist; amount not stated | Prior to scheduling your inspection be sure to review the fire checklist of items the inspector will be checking – this will save you time and re-inspection fees. |
| How long the certificate stays valid | CCC 90 days from issuance; Fire Certificate 6 months from issuance | A CCC is good for 90 days from the date of issuance. The Fire Certificate expires after six months from the date of issuance. |
| Who applies | Property owner or owner's agent only (buyer only after auction/sheriff sale); certificates issued to seller or seller's agent | Important: Only the property owner or his/her agent can request and obtain a Certificate of Code Compliance. |
| Online application | Yes: https://newarkportal.us/Home/CCC |