Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
Certificate of occupancy Old Bridge NJ: resale and rental rules
Confirm with the Old Bridge Township offices before you rely on this page. Old Bridge abolished its resale Certificate of Approval on 19 November 2021 and no longer requires or accepts one, so a sale needs only the state smoke and carbon-monoxide certificate, which is issued by the fire district serving the address and is not documented on the township site. Landlords still need a Certificate of Approval from the Housing Inspection Division before a new tenant: $165 for single-family houses, townhomes and condos, $150 for apartment complexes, applied for on the online portal, valid 90 days, with a further fee for any re-inspection; pre-1978 rentals need a lead-safe certification from a certified contractor. The requirements page is undated. Sources on the town's own site: Housing Inspection Division Requirements (undated); Old Bridge Township Housing Inspection Guide / Certificate of Approval (undated); Code Enforcement (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 | No: Certificate of Approval (CA) for resale was abolished effective November 19, 2021; only the state smoke/CO certificate (issued by the fire district, not on the township site) applies | EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 19, 2021 CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL APPLICATIONS FOR RESALE WILL NO LONGER BE REQUIRED OR ACCEPTED. |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Yes: Certificate of Approval (CA) for house rentals and apartment rentals (Housing Inspection Division) | This application should only be used for House Rentals thereafter. All active applications will need to be re-inspected and closed out. Applications can be made for Apartment Rental CA inspections by contacting Hemal Parekh |
| Fee: Rental CA, single family dwellings (including townhomes and condos) | $165.00 | Single Family Dwellings $165.00 (including townhomes & condos) |
| Fee: Rental CA, apartment complexes (including senior housing) | $150.00 | Apartment Complexes $150.00 (including Senior housing) |
| Reinspection fee | another fee is charged when a re-inspection is scheduled (amount not stated) | It should be noted that if a re-inspection is required another fee will also be required at the time of re-inspection scheduling. |
| How long the certificate stays valid | 90 days | Certificates of Approval are good for Ninety (90) days. |
| Lead-safe inspection for pre-1978 rentals | lead-safe certification from a certified lead evaluation contractor required for pre-1978 rentals (N.J.A.C. 5:28A) and needed for the CA; no township fee stated | This "Lead-safe" certification will be required for issuance of a CA. |
| Last rule change on record | resale Certificate of Approval no longer required or accepted as of November 19, 2021 (Ordinance 235-16B as amended) | Fees: Ordinance 235-16B as amended “Certificate of Approval required prior to transfer; fee" Single Family Dwellings $165.00 |
| Online application | Yes: https://www.sdlportal.com/towns/nj/middlesex/oldbridgetwp |