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Toms River, NJ lead-safe certificate: fee, inspection and how to apply
Fee in Toms River
$60 per unit if the township does the visual check during your rental inspection, or $170 for a separate township visual inspection; if you use your own contractor, $20 recording fee; plus $20 per unit state fee either way
Who inspects
Township staff (visual only) during the rental inspection, or a DCA-certified lead evaluation contractor you hire; if a township visual check fails, you must hire a licensed lead contractor
How to apply
Inspection type
Visual assessment on the state’s 2025–26 list (DCA list). Your town or contractor may still use dust wipes.
County
Ocean County · population 95,438 (2020)
📌 A valid lead-safe certificate is required to get or keep a Toms River rental certificate of inspection. Certificates from private contractors are uploaded through the township's SDL Portal. The township code (Ch. 335, Art. VIII) still lists older fees ($40/$150) and a two-year certificate; the township web page lists the current fees.
The state rule Toms River follows
Every rented single-family home, two-family home and apartment in New Jersey built before 1978, in every town, unless an exemption applies. In two- and three-unit buildings the tenant-accessible common areas (halls, stairs, basements, laundry rooms) are inspected too. See the full New Jersey lead-safe certificate guide for exemptions, penalties and what to give tenants.
| What you need | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lead-safe certificate (inspection) Get an inspection at each tenant turnover unless the unit already has an unexpired certificate, and at least every 3 years counted from the last inspection that produced a certificate. Since September 12, 2024, a new certificate is valid 3 years (it was 2). If hazards are found, the owner must fix them (interim controls or abatement) and pass a re-inspection (dust wipe after interim controls) before a certificate is issued. Many town ordinances and DCA web pages still say 2 years; use the expiration date printed on your certificate. | every 3 years; at each new tenant, if the last one is more than 3 years old; first deadline was July 22, 2025 | Town fee, set locally: among the largest NJ towns, from $40-$75 per unit when bundled with a rental CO inspection up to $600 per unit for a town dust wipe inspection; plus a $20 per unit state fee (Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund) on every inspection, even if you hire your own inspector. Many towns add a $25-$100 filing fee for private certificates. |
| Give new tenant the certificate and tell the town At each tenant turnover, give the new tenant evidence of a valid lead-safe certificate and attach a copy to the lease as an exhibit. State rules also require owners to give the town the certificate at turnover and to report every tenant turnover to the town. Keep a record of each certificate with the names of tenants living there when the inspection was done. | before each new tenant moves in | - |
| Federal lead disclosure with each lease Federal EPA/HUD rule for pre-1978 housing: before a lease, give the 'Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home' pamphlet, disclose known lead paint and reports, include the Lead Warning Statement, and keep signed copies for 3 years. Exempt: leases of 100 days or less, 0-bedroom units, elderly/disabled housing (unless a child under 6 lives there), and certified lead-free housing. | before each new tenant moves in | - |
Keep every certificate on time
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Start my free binderQuestions Toms River landlords ask
How much is a lead-safe inspection in Toms River?
$60 per unit if the township does the visual check during your rental inspection, or $170 for a separate township visual inspection; if you use your own contractor, $20 recording fee; plus $20 per unit state fee either way, per Toms River’s own published fee. State law also adds a $20 per-unit fee for the state Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund unless the unit is certified lead-free. Fees change, so confirm with the town before you pay.
Who does lead inspections in Toms River?
Township staff (visual only) during the rental inspection, or a DCA-certified lead evaluation contractor you hire; if a township visual check fails, you must hire a licensed lead contractor
When does my Toms River rental need an inspection?
Under state law (as amended in September 2024), a pre-1978 rental needed its first lead-safe inspection at the first tenant turnover after July 22, 2022, or by July 22, 2025 at the latest. After that: every 3 years, and at any tenant turnover once the certificate has expired. A turnover while the certificate is still valid needs no new inspection. On the state’s 2025–26 list, Toms River is a visual inspection town.
Does Toms River have its own lead ordinance?
A valid lead-safe certificate is required to get or keep a Toms River rental certificate of inspection. Certificates from private contractors are uploaded through the township's SDL Portal. The township code (Ch. 335, Art. VIII) still lists older fees ($40/$150) and a two-year certificate; the township web page lists the current fees.
Last checked November 6, 2026.
This page sums up published rules as of November 6, 2026. It is not legal advice, and myleadsafe is not a government site. Rules and fees change, and local offices add their own steps, so confirm with Toms River before you rely on a date or a fee.
Sources (5)
- tomsrivertownship.com · Township page: lead-safe certificate required for rental certificate of inspection; $20 record fee + $20 state fee for own contractor; $60 township visual during rental inspection; $170 other visual inspections; SDL Portal upload
- ecode360.com · Toms River Code Ch. 335 Art. VIII: Bureau of Property Maintenance enforces; compliance is a precondition to a rental CO; code fees $40/$150 + $20; certificate valid two years
- tomsrivertownship.com · Rental inspection guidelines: pre-1978 rentals need a Lead-Safe Certificate; rental inspection fee $150 per unit
- P.L.2024, c.74 (S3368) chapter law text · 3-year certificate validity; first inspection within three years of July 22, 2022; common areas in 2-3 unit buildings; two-most-recent-inspections exemption; owner may elect dust wipes; municipal list to DCA and annual DCA report; $20 fee; effective immediately, approved Sept. 12, 2024
- N.J.S.A. 52:27D-437.16 to -437.20 as posted by DCA (current through L.2025, c.152) · Current consolidated statute text incl. 3-year validity, penalties sec. 437.19 ($1,000/week after 30 days), no amendments after c.74 through L.2025 c.152