N.J. Stat. Ann. § 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-45
Statement of legal rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords of rental dwelling units
Operative Text
3. a. The department shall, as soon as practicable and annually thereafter, after public hearing, prepare and make available at no cost to the public, to the extent that funding has been made available to the department for free distribution, a statement, in a form and size suitable for posting and distributing pursuant to the provisions of this act, of the primary clearly established legal rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords of rental dwelling units. This statement shall be printed in both the English and Spanish languages and shall be posted on the department's Internet website, in an easily printable format, and updated annually. The statement shall serve as an informational document, and nothing therein shall be construed as binding on or affecting a judicial determination under section 6 of P.L.1975, c.310 (C.46:8-48) of what constitutes a lease provision which violates clearly established legal rights of tenants or responsibilities of landlords. b. Where practical considerations make it necessary for the department to limit the extent of the statement, items to be included shall be selected on the basis of the importance of their inclusion in protecting the rights of the public. L.1975, c.310, s.3; amended 1990, c.37; 2007, c.177, s.1.
Under N.J.S.A. 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-45, New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs is required to prepare and annually update a plain-language summary of the primary legal rights and responsibilities that apply to both tenants and landlords of rental dwelling units. This summary must be available in English and Spanish, posted on the department's website in a printable format, and offered to the public at no cost to the extent funding allows. The document is explicitly informational and does not itself create binding legal obligations or determine whether any particular lease provision violates tenant rights — that determination remains with the courts.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in New Jersey should be aware that N.J.S.A. 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-45 establishes a state-produced, annually updated rights-and-responsibilities statement that their tenants may reference. Compliant operators generally familiarize themselves with the current version of this document, which is posted on the Department of Community Affairs website in both English and Spanish, so they understand the baseline expectations the state has communicated to renters. Because the statement is informational rather than binding, operators typically consult the underlying statutes and regulations — or qualified legal counsel — when questions arise about specific lease terms or obligations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.J.S.A. 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-45 entitles New Jersey renters to access a free, annually updated summary of their primary legal rights and responsibilities, published in English and Spanish on the Department of Community Affairs website. This document can serve as a starting point for understanding what protections may apply to a rental situation, though it is informational only and does not itself resolve disputes about lease terms. Tenants who believe their rights have been violated may consider consulting a local tenant-rights organization, a legal aid office, or reviewing the underlying statutes that the § 46:8-45 summary is drawn from.
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.
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