Does a Bedroom Need a Closet to Be Considered a Bedroom in NJ?
One of the most common questions in home buying and selling is: Does a bedroom need a closet to be legally considered a bedroom? The answer in New Jersey is no a closet is not legally required for a room to be considered a bedroom. What really matters are habitability and egress standards, not whether a built-in closet exists.
NJ Building & Housing Standards Don’t Mandate Closets
Unlike some points of confusion around property listings and local traditions, New Jersey building codes and housing regulations do not require a closet for a room to qualify as a bedroom. Instead, the focus is on safety and livability, including:
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Adequate space and ceiling height (minimum interior dimensions set by local building codes)
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Means of egress typically a window or door large enough to escape in an emergency
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Proper heating and ventilation
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Access that doesn’t force you to pass through another bedroom
These are the typical criteria that building inspectors and building codes rely on to consider a room habitable for sleeping purposes. Closets are not explicitly required in state code as part of those standards. (BiggerPockets)
Closets & Real Estate Practice
While New Jersey law doesn’t require a closet, local MLS boards and real estate agents may still expect one when marketing a property. That’s because buyers often assume a bedroom includes storage space which can affect how homes are listed and perceived. However, when it comes to what legally makes a room a bedroom, it’s not about built-in closets.
It’s also worth noting that the International Residential Code (IRC) which many municipalities adopt does not include a closet in its basic definition of a bedroom either, focusing instead on size, egress, and safety requirements. (Wuertz Team)
So What Actually Qualifies a Bedroom?
In practice, for a room to be considered a bedroom in New Jersey, the key features typically include:
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A way to exit safely (egress) a window or door to the outside
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Proper heating so it’s suitable for year-round use
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Minimum dimensions and ceiling height per local code
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Privacy access, meaning you don’t have to walk through another bedroom to reach it
As long as these conditions are met, a room can legally be counted as a bedroom even without a closet though adding closet space can improve comfort and market appeal. (BiggerPockets)
Bottom Line
No, bedrooms in New Jersey do not legally require a closet to be considered a bedroom. As long as the room meets the safety and habitability criteria used in building codes, like egress, heating, and usable size, it generally qualifies as a bedroom. Just be aware that real estate listings and local MLS rules may still expect a closet for marketing purposes, even if it’s not a strict requirement under state law and building codes.
