Cal. Civ. Code § 5:10-20.1
Required facilities
Operative Text
(a) No cooking shall be permitted in any unit of dwelling space unless there is provision for the following minimum cooking and sanitary facilities: 1. A kitchen sink of nonabsorbent impervious material and drainboard of appropriate materials, connected to and having available at all times a supply of hot and cold water under sufficient pressure as required under N.J.A.C. 5:10-15. The kitchen sink shall be connected to a sanitary disposal or sewer system; 2. Cooking and preparation of food shall be undertaken only in areas designated therefor; 3. Means of natural ventilation or mechanical ventilation sufficient to remove promptly cooking odors to the exterior of the premises without first circulating them within the interior habitable space of the unit; 4. Place for storage of food free from infestation; 5. Facilities for refrigeration in good operating condition for protection of food from spoilage permitting maintenance of temperatures for storage above 32 degrees and below 50 degrees without regard to outside temperature; 6. A cooking facility which, if electrical, is connected with safety to an electrical system of sufficient capacity, or if gas, connected by permanent fixtures and tubing to avoid leakage of gas. The use of gasoline stoves or other similar fuel-burning appliances using highly flammable liquids and the use of portable kerosene stoves or other similar fuel-burning portable appliances for cooking is prohibited; 7. Cabinets or drawers or other storage areas for utensils, dishes and other cooking and eating equipment; 8. Two floor or wall electrical outlets for electrical appliances. (b) Notwithstanding (a) above, microwave ovens may be used in rooming units.
N.J.A.C. § 5:10-20.1 establishes the minimum facilities that must be present before cooking is permitted in any dwelling unit. These requirements include a properly connected kitchen sink with hot and cold water, adequate ventilation to the exterior, food storage free from infestation, a functioning refrigeration unit, a safely connected cooking appliance (with gasoline stoves and portable kerosene stoves explicitly prohibited), storage for utensils and dishes, and two electrical outlets. The rule also specifies that cooking and food preparation must occur only in areas designated for that purpose, and separately allows microwave ovens in rooming units regardless of whether the full suite of facilities is present.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of residential rental properties in New Jersey must ensure that any unit where cooking is permitted meets all the facility standards set out in N.J.A.C. § 5:10-20.1 before tenants occupy or use the space for cooking. A compliant operator generally maintains a properly plumbed kitchen sink, verifies that cooking appliances are safely and permanently connected to gas or electrical systems of sufficient capacity, and confirms that ventilation systems exhaust cooking odors directly to the exterior. Operators also typically ensure that food storage areas are infestation-free, that refrigeration units maintain the required temperature range, and that at least two electrical outlets are available in the kitchen area.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under N.J.A.C. § 5:10-20.1, tenants have a right to dwelling units that meet specific minimum cooking and sanitary facility standards before cooking is expected or permitted. If a unit lacks required features — such as adequate ventilation, a properly connected sink, safe cooking appliances, or functioning refrigeration — this provision may be relevant to a housing code complaint filed with the local municipal housing inspector or code enforcement office in New Jersey. Tenants who believe their unit falls short of these standards may also find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with New Jersey housing code enforcement.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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