Lawrence Township
Certificate of Occupancy
Required- Certificate
- Certificate of Inspection (Property Transfer Application, Division of Housing)
- Issued by
- Township of Lawrence Division of Housing (Housing Bureau)
- Requirements
- Smoke alarms as required for the year the home was built (hard-wired, interconnected alarms for newer homes); battery-only alarms must be 10-year sealed units
- Smoke alarms older than 10 years must be replaced
- Carbon monoxide alarm within 10 feet of the bedroom doors (or one in each bedroom)
- Secondary power source label (generators, solar, batteries) within 18 inches of the main electrical panel and meter, not handwritten
- Fire extinguisher is checked during the housing inspection (per the Housing FAQ; the February 2026 checklist no longer lists it)
- Dryer vents must be aluminum flex, not plastic
- Sump pumps must discharge outdoors, not into the sewer
- Private well: well test report under the NJ Private Well Testing Act sent to the Division of Housing
- Septic system: NJDEP-protocol septic inspection reviewed and approved by the Health Department before the certificate is issued
- A failed septic system or outstanding permits must be addressed by the current owner before closing
- Life safety violations must be corrected and reinspected before anyone moves in; a buyer may assume most other violations in writing
- Fees
Certificate of Inspection for a sale (single or two family) $80.00 Housing Inspection Fee (Township fee ordinance 2495-25, adopted May 20, 2025) $80.00 - Timing
- Apply as soon as possible after listing; the Township says the current wait for an inspection is about 3-4 weeks (its FAQ says generally within two weeks). No expediting.
- Valid for
- One year from the original inspection date
- Phone
- 609-844-7032
Smoke and CO alarm certificate
Required- Requirements
- No separate smoke/CO certificate for a sale: smoke alarms, CO alarms and the fire extinguisher are inspected during the Division of Housing inspection and included in the Certificate of Inspection
- Battery-only smoke alarms must be 10-year sealed units; alarms over 10 years old must be replaced
- Secondary power source warning label within 18 inches of the main panel and meter (homes with generators, solar or batteries)
- Low-voltage monitored systems are supplemental; originally required alarms must be put back if removed
Last checked September 30, 2026
Sources
- https://www.lawrencetwp.com/HousingFAQ
- https://www.lawrencetwp.com/departments/division-of-housing
- https://www.lawrencetwp.com/media/Departments/Housing/Housing%20Forms/Property%20Transfer%20Application
- https://www.lawrencetwp.com/media/Departments/Housing/Housing%20Forms/Housing%20Pre%20Inspection%20Checklist