The NJ Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule requires any owner of 25 or more rental units in New Jersey to file an annual electronic report with the Division on Civil Rights by January 30 each year. The report covers the prior calendar year’s rental, demographic, and accessibility data, and it is submitted through the portal at mdrr.njcivilrights.gov. Miss the deadline by more than 15 days and the fines start at $500 and climb from there.
Who Has to File
The 25-unit threshold applies to total holdings in New Jersey, not to a single building. Individuals and business entities both count, and units aggregate across addresses when they share common ownership or management. A company that owns 15 townhouses in Bergen County and 10 apartments in Camden County hits the threshold and must file. Single-family homes count when they fall under the same ownership or management structure.1New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. New Jersey Administrative Code 13:10 – Multiple Dwelling Reports
Two property types are excluded: long-term health care facilities licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health, and college or university housing used exclusively by students, such as dormitories.1New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. New Jersey Administrative Code 13:10 – Multiple Dwelling Reports Owners who stay below 25 units have no filing obligation. If a mid-year acquisition pushes you across the line, you file for that reporting period.
What to Pull Together Before You Start
A separate report is required for each complex of 25 or more units, and each report covers January 1 through December 31 of the prior year. The portal session moves faster if the numbers are ready, so pull the data offline first. The Division publishes a printable worksheet for exactly this purpose.2New Jersey Division on Civil Rights. NJ Division on Civil Rights – MDRR Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule Form
You will need:
- Development name, street address, and the owner’s name and address. Out-of-state owners also need the name and address of a New Jersey registered agent for service of process.
- A unit count broken out by studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and other, with the minimum and maximum monthly rent for each category and which utilities (electricity, heat, hot water, gas) are included.
- Racial and ethnic breakdown of current leaseholders, known occupants, and rental applicants for the full calendar year, using the categories listed on the worksheet.
- Whether any applicants, leaseholders, or occupants receive rental assistance such as Section 8 vouchers.
- The number of unit turnovers during the reporting period.
- Every newspaper, website, or publication where you advertised vacancies, each organization you asked to refer prospective tenants, and the number of referrals each one generated. Each outlet is classified by advertising frequency.
- Whether the property is barrier-free and accessible to people with disabilities.
Demographic data is the piece most landlords underestimate. It has to reflect the entire preceding year, which means digging through tenant files and application logs. Property managers who record this information as leases are signed and applications come in save hours when January arrives.2New Jersey Division on Civil Rights. NJ Division on Civil Rights – MDRR Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule Form
How to File
All reports are filed electronically through the Division on Civil Rights portal at mdrr.njcivilrights.gov.3New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule (MDRR) Report The portal only works in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome. Other browsers are not supported, so install one of those first or use a library computer.4Division on Civil Rights. Welcome to the NJDCR MDRR Portal
When you finish data entry and submit, the portal issues an acknowledgment of receipt. Save it. That acknowledgment is your proof of compliance, and the official filing date is the date the portal issues it.5Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 13:10-2.4 – Filing of Reports
If You Just Bought the Property
New owners of a qualifying property still have to file the annual report, even if they only owned it for part of the year. If the previous owner never updated ownership in the system, register the property yourself through the portal and then submit the report. The Division publishes a registration manual with the steps.6New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. New Jersey Division on Civil Rights Multiple Dwelling Reporting Rule Frequently Asked Questions Do not assume the seller handled it. Checking the registration status early is the cheapest way to avoid a penalty.
Penalties for Filing Late or Filing Wrong
The late-filing fines escalate the longer the report stays unfiled:
- 1–15 days late: no fine under the late-filing schedule, though you are still past the deadline
- 16–30 days late: $500
- 31–60 days late: $1,000
- 61–90 days late: $1,500
- More than 90 days late: $2,500
Payment is by check made out to “Treasurer — State of New Jersey.”7Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 13:10-2.7 – Late Filing and False Reporting Penalties
A false report is treated separately. The Director of the Division on Civil Rights sets a penalty under N.J.S.A. 10:5-14.1a and will also require a corrected report.7Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 13:10-2.7 – Late Filing and False Reporting Penalties Underlying violations of the Law Against Discrimination carry civil penalties of up to $10,000 for a first offense, $25,000 for a second offense within five years, and $50,000 for two or more violations within seven years.8New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. New Jersey Law Against Discrimination The Director can also issue a Notice of Violation for any failure to comply, with additional fines beyond the late-filing schedule.