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Rent Regulations

N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-1 et seq. § 10:5-29.9

Possessors of working dog, certain, entitlement to housing, business accommodations

In Force
Verified 10/6/2026 · Next check 11/5/2026
effective 10/6/2026New JerseyAssistance Animals (FHA)

Operative Text

N.J. Stat. Ann. § 10:5-1 et seq. § 10:5-29.9
3. A member of a police, fire, law enforcement or other related emergency service agency who possesses a working dog, is entitled to rent, lease or purchase, as other members of the general public, all housing accommodations and business accommodations offered for rent, lease, or compensation in this State, subject to the rights, conditions and limitations established by law. A member of a police, fire, law enforcement or other related emergency service agency who possesses a working dog, or who obtains a working dog, shall be entitled to full and equal access to all housing accommodations and business accommodations and shall not be required to pay extra compensation for the dog, but shall be liable for any damages done to the premises by the dog. Any provision in any lease or rental agreement prohibiting maintenance of a pet or pets on or in the premises shall not be applicable to a working dog owned by a tenant who is a member of a police, fire, law enforcement or other related emergency service agency.

L.2006, c.88, s.3.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq. § 10:5-29.9, members of police, fire, law enforcement, or related emergency service agencies who possess a working dog have the right to rent, lease, or purchase housing and business accommodations on the same terms as the general public. No-pet clauses in leases do not apply to these working dogs, and no extra fees or compensation may be charged for the animal. However, the handler remains financially responsible for any damage the dog causes to the premises.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 6, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers subject to N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq. § 10:5-29.9 generally treat qualifying emergency-service members and their working dogs the same as any other applicant or tenant, without imposing pet fees, pet deposits, or surcharges specific to the working dog. Compliant operators do not enforce no-pet lease clauses against these tenants, though they may still hold the tenant accountable for actual physical damage the dog causes to the property. Maintaining consistent, documented policies around damage liability helps operators apply this provision uniformly across their properties.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section § 10:5-29.9 of N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq. gives qualifying members of police, fire, law enforcement, or related emergency services the right to keep a working dog in their rental housing without paying extra fees and without being subject to standard no-pet lease provisions. Tenants who believe a landlord has improperly denied housing, charged a prohibited fee, or attempted to enforce a no-pet clause against a working dog may consider filing a complaint under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with state housing law. Keeping records of communications with the landlord and documentation of employment status can be useful when pursuing any available remedies.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 6, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 209.190
Housing accommodations, defined — discrimination against persons with visual, hearing or physical disabilities, prohibited — dogs, guide, hearing or service to have full access — liability for actual damages
§ 3-104.1
Refusal to sell or rent because a person has a guide, hearing or support dog. It is a civil rights violation for the owner or agent of any housing accommodation to: (A) refuse to sell or rent after the making of a bona fide offer, or to refuse to negotiate for the sale or rental of, or otherwise make unavailable or deny property to any blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability because the blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog; or (B) discriminate against any blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability in the terms, conditions, or privileges of sale or rental property, or in the provision of services or facilities in connection therewith, because the blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog; or (C) require, because a blind or hearing impaired person or person with a physical disability has a guide, hearing, or support dog, an extra charge in a lease, rental agreement, or contract of purchase or sale, other than for actual damage done to the premises by the dog
§ 113.1
Denial or Termination of Tenancy to Blind Person Because of Guide Dog

Source Information

Source:https://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/nxt/gateway.dll/statutes/1/7555/7650?f=templates$fn=document-frameset.htm$vid=Publish:10.1048/Enu$3.0
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