Squatters' Rights in New Jersey
New Jersey rules on squatters & abandoned property for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: A landlord may dispose of property a tenant left behind only if the landlord reasonably believes the tenant left it with no intent to claim it, and either a warrant for removal has been executed and possession returned, or the tenant gave written notice of voluntarily giving up possession. N.J.S.A. 2A:18-72 to 2A:18-84 (esp. 2A:18-72, -73, -74, -75, -76, -78)
The rules in New Jersey
| Belongings left behind | A landlord may dispose of property a tenant left behind only if the landlord reasonably believes the tenant left it with no intent to claim it, and either a warrant for removal has been executed and possession returned, or the tenant gave written notice of voluntarily giving up possession. The landlord must first send written notice by certified mail (return receipt requested) or first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, to the tenant's last known address (which may be the unit) and any other known address, in an envelope marked 'Please Forward'. The notice must say the property is considered abandoned and must be removed by a stated date at least 30 days after delivery or 33 days after mailing, whichever comes first (75/78 days for manufactured or mobile homes); that otherwise the landlord may sell it, or destroy it if its value would not cover storage and sale costs; and that a residential tenant who claims it in time can take it without paying unpaid rent. The landlord must store the property with reasonable care and may charge reasonable storage costs, but may promptly discard perishable food and must let animal control or a humane society take abandoned pets. If the tenant says (in writing or orally) they will collect it but does not do so by the deadline or within 15 days after a written response, whichever is later, or does not respond at all, the property is conclusively abandoned. A sale must follow the UCC (12A:9-601 et seq.). Sections 2A:18-72 (https://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/nxt/gateway.dll/statutes/1/112/743?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0) and 2A:18-73 (node 744) set the conditions and mailing rules. Motor vehicles are excluded (2A:18-84). Copies of notices about manufactured/mobile homes go to the MVC director and recorded lienholders. |
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Related questions
New Jersey vs. neighboring states
| State | Squatters / unauthorized occupants | Belongings left behind |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | Not verified yet | A landlord may dispose of property a tenant left behind only if the landlord reasonably believes the tenant left it with no intent to claim it, and either a warrant for removal has been executed and possession returned, or the tenant gave written notice of voluntarily giving up possession. The landlord must first send written notice by certified mail (return receipt requested) or first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, to the tenant's last known address (which may be the unit) and any other known address, in an envelope marked 'Please Forward'. The notice must say the property is considered abandoned and must be removed by a stated date at least 30 days after delivery or 33 days after mailing, whichever comes first (75/78 days for manufactured or mobile homes); that otherwise the landlord may sell it, or destroy it if its value would not cover storage and sale costs; and that a residential tenant who claims it in time can take it without paying unpaid rent. The landlord must store the property with reasonable care and may charge reasonable storage costs, but may promptly discard perishable food and must let animal control or a humane society take abandoned pets. If the tenant says (in writing or orally) they will collect it but does not do so by the deadline or within 15 days after a written response, whichever is later, or does not respond at all, the property is conclusively abandoned. A sale must follow the UCC (12A:9-601 et seq.). N.J.S.A. 2A:18-72 to 2A:18-84 (esp. 2A:18-72, -73, -74, -75, -76, -78) |
| Delaware | Not verified yet | After a writ of possession is executed (24 hours' notice to the occupant), the landlord may remove and store belongings left behind at the tenant's expense for 7 days (30 days for a manufactured home); if they are not claimed and removal/storage costs reimbursed by then, the property is deemed abandoned and may be disposed of without further notice. If an appeal is pending, storage runs until 7 days after the appeal is decided. The writ must carry statutory notice language. Deceased sole tenant: 7-day storage at the estate's expense. 25 Del. C. §§ 5715(b), (e)-(f); 5507(e); 5719(c) |
| New York | A squatter is not a tenant. The law defines a squatter as someone who enters or intrudes on real property without permission of the person entitled to possession and keeps occupying it without title, right, or permission. The owner removes a squatter through a summary proceeding in court ('no landlord-tenant relationship'), served with a 10-day notice to quit. If the occupant entered or stays by force or unlawful means, no notice to quit is needed when the statutory conditions are met. The unlawful-eviction protections of RPAPL § 768 cover occupants who have lawfully occupied a unit for 30+ consecutive days or who have a lease. RPAPL § 711 (opening paragraph); RPAPL § 713(3), (10); RPAPL § 768(1)(a) | Not verified yet |
| Pennsylvania | Since 2024, the Landlord and Tenant Act (including its notice-to-quit and eviction procedure) does not apply to a person who is not, and never has been, a tenant. A 'tenant' is defined as someone occupying another's premises with the owner's express or implied consent (e.g., oral or written lease or acceptance of rent by the owner/agent). So an owner is not required to use the landlord-tenant eviction process against an occupant who was never a tenant; the Act itself does not set out an alternative police-removal or affidavit procedure. 68 P.S. 250.102 ('Tenant'), 250.501(g), 250.603 (Act of July 17, 2024, P.L.944, No.88) | Property may be deemed abandoned if the tenant vacated after a written lease ended; an eviction/possession order was entered and the tenant vacated and removed substantially all property; an eviction order was executed; the tenant gave a forwarding address and vacated; or the tenant vacated without intent to return, rent is 15+ days late, and the landlord posted notice of the tenant's rights. Before removing or disposing, the landlord must send written notice by first-class mail to the premises and any forwarding/emergency address, substantially in the statutory form. The tenant has 10 days from the postmark to retrieve the property or ask that it be stored up to 30 days from the notice date (tenant pays storage; landlord must use ordinary care). If the landlord knows of a protection-from-abuse order, it must hold the property 30 days. Never dispose of property in inhabited premises. Violations: treble damages and attorney fees. Deceased tenants' property goes through probate law instead. 68 P.S. 250.505a (Landlord and Tenant Act s. 505.1) |
City rules that may add to state law
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Squatters' Rights in New Jersey FAQ
What can a landlord do with a tenant's abandoned property in New Jersey?
A landlord may dispose of property a tenant left behind only if the landlord reasonably believes the tenant left it with no intent to claim it, and either a warrant for removal has been executed and possession returned, or the tenant gave written notice of voluntarily giving up possession. The landlord must first send written notice by certified mail (return receipt requested) or first-class mail with a certificate of mailing, to the tenant's last known address (which may be the unit) and any other known address, in an envelope marked 'Please Forward'. The notice must say the property is considered abandoned and must be removed by a stated date at least 30 days after delivery or 33 days after mailing, whichever comes first (75/78 days for manufactured or mobile homes); that otherwise the landlord may sell it, or destroy it if its value would not cover storage and sale costs; and that a residential tenant who claims it in time can take it without paying unpaid rent. The landlord must store the property with reasonable care and may charge reasonable storage costs, but may promptly discard perishable food and must let animal control or a humane society take abandoned pets. If the tenant says (in writing or orally) they will collect it but does not do so by the deadline or within 15 days after a written response, whichever is later, or does not respond at all, the property is conclusively abandoned. A sale must follow the UCC (12A:9-601 et seq.). (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-72 to 2A:18-84 (esp. 2A:18-72, -73, -74, -75, -76, -78))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.