Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
Certificate of occupancy Toms River NJ: resale and rental rules
Confirm with the Toms River Township offices before you rely on this page. Toms River has had no municipal resale certificate since January 2024: the Mayor's letter of 2 January 2024, which the township still links as the documentation that the certificate of continued use and occupancy is no longer required, suspended enforcement and announced the repeal ordinance, so a closing needs only the state smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm certificate. That certificate comes from the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention, which publishes its fees on its own site: $75 for the inspection, the first re-inspection free, $35 for each further one, a $75 no-show charge, and a $500 penalty for closing without it; apply through the township's online portal at least three weeks before closing; the certificate is valid six months. Landlords need a separate Rental Certificate of Inspection ($150 through the portal) and, for pre-1978 units, a lead-safe certificate; the township's own visual lead inspection adds $60. The fee sheet was revised in February 2025 and no longer lists the fire extinguisher. Sources on the town's own site: Mayor's letter: MCCUO (January 2, 2024); Residential Resale Requirements (Revised February 2025); Property Maintenance/Rental Applications (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 municipal resale certificate: the Municipal Certificate of Continued Use and Occupancy (MCCUO, Chapter 253) was suspended 2 Jan 2024 with repeal introduced 1 Jan 2024. Only the state Certificate of Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Compliance from the Bureau of Fire Prevention is required. | The Division of Code Enforcement will cease accepting applications effective immediately, and residential real estate closings of properties located in Toms River Township may proceed without obtaining a certificate of continued use and occupancy. |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Yes: Rental Certificate of Inspection (Bureau of Property Maintenance / Code Enforcement) plus annual landlord insurance registration; lead-safe certificate for pre-1978 units | You will then be prompted to make the $150.00 payment with a credit card, complete and process. |
| Smoke and CO alarm certificate (state rule N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3) | Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention (33 Washington St; 732-240-5153), fee $75.00 | It is a violation of the Uniform Fire Code (N.J.A.C. – 5:70-2.3) to close without a Certificate of Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm Compliance. This violation is subject to a $500 penalty. |
| Fee: Smoke/CO certificate initial inspection (flat, non-refundable) | $75.00 | Initial Inspection: $75.00 |
| Fee: First re-inspection | $0.00 | 1st Re-Inspection: No Charge |
| Fee: Each additional re-inspection | $35 | Additional Re-Inspections: $35 per re-inspection |
| Fee: Appointment no-show | $75 in addition to inspection fee | Appointment No Show: $75 in addition to inspection fee |
| Fee: Duplicate copy of certificate | $30 | Duplicate copy of Certificate: $30 |
| Fee: Closing without an inspection (penalty) | $500.00 | Closing Without an Inspection- $500.00 |
| Fee: Rental Certificate of Inspection (SDL portal) | $150.00 | You will then be prompted to make the $150.00 payment with a credit card |
| Fee: Township visual lead inspection during rental inspection (pre-1978 units) | $60.00 additional | If you choose to have the Township conduct the initial visual lead inspection during the course of your rental inspection; the cost is an additional $60.00. |
| Reinspection fee | First re-inspection free; $35 for each additional re-inspection (smoke certificate) | - 1st Re-Inspection: No Charge - Additional Re-Inspections: $35 per re-inspection |
| How long the certificate stays valid | 6 months from date of issuance; needed at every transfer of title | Certificates expire 6 months from the date of issuance. Certificates must be obtained every time there is a transfer of title. |
| How early to apply | At least 3 weeks before closing date | Due to high scheduling demand, application should be submitted at least 3 weeks in advance of closing date. |
| Who applies | Seller/homeowner applies on the township SDL portal (realtor information requested on the form) | If you are selling your home in Toms River, you are required to schedule an appointment with the Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention for a resale inspection. |
| Lead-safe inspection for pre-1978 rentals | Pre-1978 rental units need a lead-safe certificate to get/keep a Rental Certificate of Inspection; township records a third-party certificate for $20 plus $20 state fund fee, or performs the visual inspection for $60 during the rental inspection ($170 if done separately) | If you wish to hire your own lead evaluation contractor, the Township charges a $20.00 fee to record the data as well as a $20.00 fee to the NJ Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund as required by State Law. |
| Last rule change on record | MCCUO enforcement suspended 2 Jan 2024 (repeal ordinance introduced 1 Jan 2024, second reading 31 Jan 2024; the letter predates the final vote); resale requirements revised Feb 2025 (extinguisher dropped, secondary power source label added) | As of February 3, 2025, portable fire extinguishers are no longer required to obtain a CSACMAPFEC. |
| Online application | Yes: SDL portal (Toms River Township) linked from https://trfireprevention.com/residential-smoke-inspections/ ; rental applications also via SDL portal from https://www.tomsrivertownship.com/540/Rental-Certificate-of-Inspection-Applica |