N.J. Stat. Ann. § 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-49.3
Acceptance by landlord of rent payment during three-day period
Operative Text
2. a. A landlord shall accept a rent payment made within the three business day period established by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a), whether made by cash, certified check, or money order, or through any federal, State, or local rental assistance program or bona fide charitable organization on behalf of the tenant. A landlord shall cooperate with any federal, State, or local rental assistance program or bona fide charitable organization which has committed to pay the rent due and owing. If a landlord does not respond to a tenant's efforts to resolve the issue of late payment through a third party, the tenant may seek a remedy by requesting an order to show cause. b. A landlord shall provide the tenant with a receipt after each rent payment is made within the three business day period established by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a), which shall include the date on which the payment was made. c. In the event that a landlord of a rent-controlled property is entitled to recover attorney's fees or expenses under the lease agreement, incurred as a result of the failure of the tenant to pay rent due and owing, unless otherwise limited by local ordinance, the court shall take into consideration all factors associated with each case and may limit the amount awarded to the landlord to a reasonable fee based on those factors. d. A landlord who violates any provision of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a et al.), shall be subject to a penalty of not more than $500 for each offense. The penalty shall be collected and enforced by summary proceedings pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.), in a court of competent jurisdiction. L.2019, c.316, s.2.
Under N.J.S.A. 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-49.3, landlords are required to accept rent payments made within a three-business-day grace period, regardless of whether the payment comes from the tenant directly, a government rental assistance program, or a charitable organization. Landlords must also issue a dated receipt for each such payment and cooperate with third-party assistance programs that have committed to covering rent. Violations of this provision can result in a penalty of up to $500 per offense, enforced through summary proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to N.J.S.A. 46:8-1 et seq. § 46:8-49.3 generally maintain practices that ensure rent payments arriving within the three-business-day window are accepted in all permitted forms—cash, certified check, money order, or through qualifying assistance programs—and that a dated receipt is issued promptly after each such payment. Compliant landlords also respond to outreach from rental assistance programs or charitable organizations that have committed to paying a tenant's overdue rent, rather than ignoring those communications. For rent-controlled properties, courts retain discretion to limit attorney's fee awards to a reasonable amount when evaluating lease-based fee claims tied to late payment.
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. § 46:8-49.3 gives tenants the right to have rent accepted during the three-business-day grace period and to receive a dated receipt confirming each such payment. If a landlord refuses to cooperate with a rental assistance program or charitable organization paying on a tenant's behalf, the provision allows the tenant to seek relief by requesting an order to show cause from a court. Tenants who believe a landlord has violated this provision—including by refusing a timely payment or failing to issue a receipt—may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand available remedies, including the potential for a $500-per-offense penalty against the landlord.
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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