N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-61.56
Actions against qualified tenants, limitations
Operative Text
17. For one year from the effective date of this act, no action for removal of a qualified tenant shall be instituted, no judgment shall be entered against a qualified tenant based upon a previously instituted action, and no qualified tenant shall be removed from his dwelling unit by a landlord, on the basis of the conversion of the premises. The owner of any residential premises located in a qualified county who, prior to that date, has registered those residential premises for conversion or applied for such registration shall comply with the provisions of this act, and the tenants residing in those premises shall be entitled to the protections extended under this act as if the registration or application for registration had not so occurred prior to that date. However, the provisions of this section shall not apply to any residential unit for which a conversion was registered prior to March 4, 1991 if the unit was sold to a bona fide individual purchaser prior to that date and that purchaser intends to personally occupy the unit as his principal residence. L.1991,c.509,s.17.
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-61.56, for one year from the law's effective date, landlords are barred from initiating eviction proceedings, obtaining eviction judgments, or physically removing qualified tenants solely because a residential property is being converted. Owners who had already registered or applied to register a property for conversion before the law's effective date are still bound by its protections, as though that prior registration had not occurred. A narrow exception exists for units whose conversion was registered before March 4, 1991, if the unit was sold to a bona fide individual purchaser before that date who intends to use it as their principal residence.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-61.56 generally refrain from filing removal actions, pursuing judgments, or carrying out evictions of qualified tenants on conversion grounds during the one-year protection window established by the statute. Compliant operators also treat any pre-effective-date conversion registration as if it had not occurred when assessing tenant protections. The only recognized exception under § 2A:18-61.56 involves units registered for conversion before March 4, 1991, and sold to a bona fide purchaser intending to occupy the unit as a principal residence before that same date.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-61.56 provides qualified tenants with a one-year shield against eviction, eviction judgments, and physical removal based on a property's conversion, and this protection applies even if the landlord had already registered or applied to register the conversion before the law took effect. Tenants who believe a landlord is attempting to remove them in violation of § 2A:18-61.56 may raise the statute as a defense in any removal proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services in New Jersey can help individuals understand whether they qualify for these protections and what general options may be available to them.
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.
Effective Timeline
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