New Jersey Rental Fees: Applications, Deposits & Move-Out

New Jersey's current application-fee cap

P.L. 2025, Chapter 405, approved January 20, 2026 and effective May 1, 2026, caps covered residential application or similar fees at $50. It excludes units in one- or two-family dwellings and Real Estate Commission licensees who are not themselves the landlord. Check those exceptions before applying the cap to a particular payment.

The law provides for future annual inflation adjustments. The $50 figure here is the reviewed 2026 amount, not a promise for every future year. Ask for the full application charge, including screening or administrative components, instead of comparing only the line labeled “application.”

A one-and-a-half-month deposit limit

The New Jersey DCA security-deposit bulletin explains a maximum of one and a half months' rent under the Security Deposit Law. The law generally excludes owner-occupied premises with no more than two rental units, but tenants there can invoke its protections through 30 days' written notice. This deposit exception is different from the application-fee exception.

This is not a market rent estimate or a complete quote. If the actual deposit or fee is lower, use the lower amount. Keep the potentially refundable $3,000 separate from the money spent on rent and screening.

The usual 30-day return and statement

The DCA bulletin gives a 30-day period after lease termination to return the deposit with the tenant's interest, less allowed deductions, and provide an itemized statement. Damage beyond ordinary wear and amounts owed under the agreement can affect the refund. Special termination and displacement circumstances can have different deadlines.

Check both the deposit amount and the interest on the statement. Ask for details of any charge that is unclear and compare the claimed condition with your move-in records.

Questions for the property manager

• Is this rental covered by the application cap, and what is the complete application price?
• Which deposit-law provisions apply to this building?
• What advance notice does the lease require before leaving?
• Where should the forwarding address and key-return confirmation be sent?

Save written answers, receipts and dated photographs. If the landlord relies on an exception, ask which one and why. Local legal aid or the DCA tenant resources can help you check the property's status without assuming every small building follows the same rules.