Which certificates you need to sell or rent a home, town by town in New Jersey
West New York NJ certificate of occupancy: sale and rental rules
Confirm with the West New York Town offices before you rely on this page. West New York needs two certificates for a sale: the Office of Fire Prevention's certification of smoke and carbon-monoxide alarm compliance, a flat $150 with no timing tiers, $20 for a failed re-inspection, valid six months, and the Building Department's Residential Owner Certificate with a notarized purchaser affidavit. A new tenant needs the Building Department's Residential Tenant Certificate plus the same fire certificate. The Building Department forms (dated 21 June 2023) are scanned images, so their fees are read from the image rather than quoted: $100 for one- or two-unit dwellings and $50 per unit per additional inspection. The fire form cites a 2009 ordinance for its fee and still carries the extinguisher in its affidavit. Sources on the town's own site: Application for One & Two Families, Condos, Co-ops & Rental Certificat (undated); Residential Owner Certificate application (RESIDENTIAL OWNER CERT. 06-21-2023); Residential Tenant Certificate application (RESIDENTIAL TENANT CERTIFICATE 6-21-23). 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: Residential Owner Certificate (Code Enforcement/Building Department, notarized purchaser affidavit) plus Certification of Smoke Detector & Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Office of Fire Prevention) | Residential Owner Certificate Application ENG |
| Municipal certificate needed before a new tenant | Yes: Residential Tenant Certificate (Building Department) plus the Fire Prevention smoke/CO certificate (application has a 'Rental' box) | Residential Tenant Certificate Application ENG |
| Smoke and CO alarm certificate (state rule N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3) | Town of West New York Office of Fire Prevention / WNY Bureau of Fire Safety (428-60th Street; office 6015 Tyler Place; 201-295-5220), fee $150.00 flat (no timing tiers on the form); check or money order payable to 'WNY BUREAU OF FIRE SAFETY' | Requests for a (CSDCMAC) received for change of occupant: $150.00 |
| Fee: smoke/CO certificate, any request for change of occupant (form lists a single amount) | $150.00 | Requests for a (CSDCMAC) received for change of occupant: $150.00 |
| Reinspection fee | $20.00 re-inspection if the smoke/CO inspection fails; Building Department certificates: $50.00 per unit per additional inspection (read visually from scanned forms) | fails, there will be an additional $20.00 re-inspection fee. Fee schedule as per Adopted Ordinance Number 1/19 Amending Chapter |
| How long the certificate stays valid | smoke/CO certificate valid six months; new application if the change of occupant does not occur within 6 months | *SMOKE DETECTOR CERTIFICATES ARE VALID FOR SIX (6) MONTHS* |
| Who applies | owner/seller or an authorized representative (form has 'Authorized Representative's Name' and signature lines); purchaser signs the notarized Owner Certificate affidavit | Applicant or Authorized Representative’s Signature Print Name |
| Last rule change on record | smoke fee schedule per Adopted Ordinance Number 1/19 amending Chapter 198 (form text also cites adoption July 15, 2009) | fails, there will be an additional $20.00 re-inspection fee. Fee schedule as per Adopted Ordinance Number 1/19 Amending Chapter |