Hudson County Lead Inspection Requirements, by Municipality
August 27, 2026
All 12 Hudson County municipalities require lead inspections for pre-1978 rentals under P.L. 2021, c.182. The inspection method for each town is set by the NJ DCA method list (PDF): visual inspection in every one of them. Local filing fees and where to file vary by town, as this table shows.
| Municipality | Method (DCA) | Who inspects | Local filing fee | Where to file | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayonne | Visual | City-retained contractor or private | $250 + $25 city filing + $20 state (§ 17-33.2g) | City Clerk / Housing & Community Development | Paid in advance; reinspection $295 per unit |
| East Newark | Visual | Private licensed contractor | $20 state only | Borough Clerk | No lead provisions in the borough code |
| Guttenberg | Visual | Town contractor, Building Dept. official or private | $50 + $20 state (§ 13-13) | Town Clerk | Paid in advance; the fee rises to $100, $200 then $300 if you delay 30, 60 or 90 days after the town's notice |
| Harrison | Visual | Town-designated firm or private | $250 + $25 filing + $20 state (Ord. 1514) | Town Clerk | Reinspection $295 per unit. A private inspector certified by the NJ DCA is expressly allowed instead of the town contractor. Ordinance 1514, adopted August 6, 2024 |
| Hoboken | Visual | Municipal program or private contractor | $125–$200 municipal + $20 state (§ 125-15) | Municipal Inspector + Municipal Clerk, City Hall | 20-day written notice before a turnover; book & pay ≥24h ahead; refusing entry counts as a failed inspection |
| Jersey City | Visual | Municipal inspector or private contractor | $200 + $20 state (§ 160-1) | Division of Housing Preservation | Pay only after the city reviews the request and invoices you; reinspection $25 |
| Kearny | Visual | Town or private contractor | $120 + $20 filing (§ 15-5.9) | Town Clerk | No town inspection fee if you hire your own DCA-certified contractor |
| North Bergen | Visual | Township-contracted inspector or private | $20 state; no local fee published | Bureau of Housing Inspectors, 1116 43rd St | No local lead ordinance published; township bid the work out in 2024 |
| Secaucus | Visual | Private licensed contractor | $20 state only | Town Clerk | Local lead chapter repealed 5-27-2026 by Ord. 2026-23 |
| Union City | Visual | City employee or private contractor | $120/unit (≤4 units) or $220/unit (>4), state fee included (§ 273-8) | City Clerk / Dept. of Housing Inspection | Owner pays relocation and evacuation costs if a hazard is found (§ 273-2) |
| Weehawken | Visual | Private licensed contractor | $20 state; no local fee in the code | Township Clerk / Building Department | No local lead ordinance; abatement permit $140 + clearance $28 are construction fees |
| West New York | Visual | Private licensed contractor | $20 state; no local fee in the code | Building Department (Code Enforcement and Housing) | No lead chapter in the codified ordinances |
$20 state certificate fee applies in every municipality, on top of any local filing fee. Every row was checked against the state's 2025-26 inspection methodology list and municipal sources on August 6, 2026. Local fees in the smaller towns are set by ordinance and can change; confirm the current amount with the clerk's office when you file. Ten of the twelve municipal codes have now been read line by line; North Bergen does not publish its code online, and Harrison's requirements come from the adopted text of Ordinance 1514 rather than a codified chapter. Seven towns run their own lead ordinance with their own fees, Secaucus repealed the one it had, and the rest work on the state framework alone. By rule those fees are cost recovery only (N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.2), which is why they differ. Note who does the filing: when a private contractor issues your certificate, the contractor gives the municipality a copy at the time it is issued (N.J.A.C. 5:28A-2.4).
Methodology
Inspection methods come from the DCA's official municipality list, which assigns dust-wipe sampling only where at least 3% of tested children show elevated blood lead levels. Fees and filing addresses are read out of the municipal codes themselves (for Hoboken, Chapter 125), the published fee schedules, and, for Jersey City, the city's own permit portal application. Where a town publishes no lead inspection fee, the row says so instead of guessing, and points you at the office to ask.
We re-check every row when the DCA list updates, and at minimum quarterly. The date on the stamp is the date of the last full re-check.
Using this table
Find your municipality, note the method and where the certificate gets filed, then check what the inspection itself costs. If your town has its own page (linked in the first column), it covers local specifics: housing stock, department contacts, and local FAQs.
Feel free to copy or print this table; it carries the site header and verification date so it stays attributable.
One call: address, unit count, last certificate date. Inspection within 48 hours.