New Jersey Statutes Title 45. Professions and Occupations 45 § 15-1.2

Any person who, before a lease has been fully executed or, where no lease is drawn, before possession is taken by the tenant, charges or accepts any fee, commission or compensation in exchange for providing assistance in locating rental housing, including providing written lists or telephone information on purportedly available rental units, without being licensed pursuant to this act shall be a disorderly person and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $200 or to imprisonment for not more than 30 days or both.

The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prohibit a licensed real estate broker, or an owner of rental properties or his agents and employees, from requiring the payment of a deposit to reserve a particular unit or from charging and accepting a fee for processing an application to rent an apartment or for performing a credit check or other investigation upon prospective tenants prior to the execution of a lease or the taking of possession of a rental unit by a prospective tenant.