New Brunswick rent control covers most rental apartments in the city, so a local law limits how much your rent can go up. Under New Brunswick rent control, the 2026 allowable annual increase is 3.3%, and a covered unit’s rent can go up only once in any 12-month period.
Is Your Unit Covered by New Brunswick Rent Control?
In most cases, yes. The city says most rental units are regulated by its Rent Control Ordinance, which is Chapter 5.80 of the Municipal Code. Any unit that is rented out and is not the owner’s main home must be registered with the Rent Control Office every year by April 1.
However, some units are exempt from New Brunswick rent control. For example, public housing, hotels, licensed rooming houses, and Rutgers-registered fraternities and sororities are left out. An owner-occupied two-family home must still register, but its rents are not controlled. The table below lists the main exemptions.
| Rule | What it says | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Every regulated unit must register every year by April 1 | City of New Brunswick, Chapter 5.80 |
| Owner-occupied single-family house | Exempt if the owner-occupant holds at least a 50% interest in the title | City rent control page, “Which Units” |
| Owner-occupied two-family house | Must register for inspections, but rents are not controlled | City rent control page, “Which Units” |
| School, hospital, and religious housing | Dorms, hospital-owned units, and clergy housing are exempt | City rent control page, “Which Units” |
| Subsidized and new multifamily | Units with project-based rental assistance, and buildings exempt under N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.4, are exempt | City rent control page, “Which Units” |
| New rental units | Must register within 30 days of getting a certificate of occupancy | City rent control page, “Which Units” |
To check a specific address, call the Rent Control Office at 732-745-5050. You can also email [email protected]. Ask whether your unit is registered and what its legal maximum rent is. The city’s forms page also has a “Verify Rental Registration” document.
How Much Rent Can Go Up Under New Brunswick Rent Control
The city lists the 2026 allowable annual increase as 3.3%. For comparison, it was 3.4% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2024. The city does not say whether the 2026 figure runs by calendar year or by lease date. Typically, it’s safest to ask the Rent Control Office which figure applies to your renewal. Also, your rent cannot go up more than once in a 12-month period.
There is one big exception under New Brunswick rent control, called vacancy decontrol. It applies only after a tenant moves out voluntarily. With a “vacancy adjustment,” the new rent can rise 4 percentage points above the yearly cap. In 2026, that means 3.3% plus 4 points, or 7.3%. With “market decontrol,” the landlord must show qualifying repairs or improvements worth at least 20% of a year’s rent, or at least $3,000. Then the landlord may set a market rent.
As a result, a new tenant may pay more than the old one did. However, the landlord must send the new tenant notice by certified and regular mail. The decontrol is not valid until the city sends an approval notice to both of you. The city also says you must be told about it in writing and in your lease. If you never got that notice, ask questions. New Jersey state law is only background here. The New Brunswick rent control ordinance sets the actual cap.
Eviction Protections in This City
New Brunswick rent control limits your rent, not the reasons a landlord can evict you. In most cases, eviction protection comes from New Jersey’s Anti-Eviction Act. That law generally requires a landlord to have a legal reason, called “good cause,” to evict most tenants. The city’s rent control pages do not list any extra local eviction rules.
The city’s pages also do not list any local relocation assistance amounts. If a landlord says you must leave for a “no-fault” reason, get the exact reason in writing. Then check whether New Brunswick rent control or state law still protects you. Your best source for this is Legal Services of New Jersey or a tenant attorney.
Also know your everyday rights. Landlords must give you a receipt when you pay in cash or by money order. If you pay for water, the landlord must show you the water bills. The landlord also cannot charge you a fixed rate for water.
What to Do If Your Landlord Breaks the Rule
Start with a phone call. If you think your rent went up by more than the law allows, the city asks you to call the Rent Control Office at 732-745-5050. Ask for your unit’s maximum legal rent. That number is the key fact in most New Brunswick rent control disputes.
Next, file a written complaint. The city has a Tenant Complaint Form, including a fillable version you can print, on its New Brunswick Rent Control page. Send it to the Office of Rent Control, Civic Square, 25 Kirkpatrick Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. The city says a complaint needs “backup documentation.” So bring your lease, rent receipts, increase notices, and any decontrol letters.
The office will first try to settle the dispute between you and the landlord. If that doesn’t work, the Rent Control Board hears the case, and its decision is binding. However, if you’re also facing eviction, don’t wait for the board. Call legal aid at 1-888-576-5529 right away. A New Brunswick rent control complaint does not stop a court case by itself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much can my rent go up in New Brunswick in 2026?
For 2026, the city lists the allowable annual increase as 3.3%. Under New Brunswick rent control, rent can go up only once in a 12-month period. The exception is a vacancy decontrol that the city approved.
My landlord never registered my unit. What does that mean?
Owners of unregistered units can face summonses and fines. Report it to the Rent Control Office at 732-745-5050. You may be able to use this in a dispute, so ask the office how it affects your rent.
I moved in and my rent is much higher than the last tenant’s. Is that legal?
It may be, but only if the city approved a vacancy decontrol and you were notified. Under New Brunswick rent control, you should have gotten a notice by certified and regular mail and a city approval notice. If you didn’t, call the Rent Control Office and ask.
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Sources & How to Verify
The rules on this page are drawn from official government and legal-aid sources. Tenant law changes, so always confirm the exact rule with your state’s statute or a local legal-aid office.
- HUD: hud.gov — federal renter protections and fair housing
- Legal Services Corporation: lsc.gov — find free legal aid in your state
- Cornell Legal Information Institute: law.cornell.edu/wex — plain-English legal definitions
- Your state statute & court self-help portal: search “[your state] landlord tenant act” and “[your state] court self-help eviction” for the exact law and forms
Content last reviewed September 2026. If you notice outdated information, please contact us.
New Jersey Renter Guides
- New Jersey Eviction Process
- New Jersey Tenant Rights
- New Jersey Security Deposit Law
- New Jersey Rent Increase Laws
- New Jersey Repairs and Habitability
- Breaking a Lease in New Jersey
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Informational only — not legal advice. Tenant Rights Info is an independent educational resource, not a law firm, and this page does not provide legal advice. Landlord-tenant law varies by state and city and changes over time, so always verify the exact rule with your state’s statute, your local court’s self-help portal, or a legal-aid office. For urgent situations like an active eviction, contact a local legal-aid office or a licensed tenant attorney in your state right away.