Mercantile Licensing FAQ

Welcome to the Office of Licensing.  This Department oversees all municipal licensing regulations for the City of Ocean City. 


The following are the most common licenses:


Rental property: as per Vol. I, section 5-1, all residential, as well as commercial rental properties are required to obtain a Mercantile License, also know as a Rental Registration. 


Contractor/subcontractor:  if you are performing work on new, commercial or a residential structure with 6 or more attached units, you are required to obtain a municipalContractors License. 


Business: all businesses, new and existing, are required to obtain a Mercantile License.  New businesses must obtain pre-approval and complete a license packet prior to opening the business.  If you are an existing business moving to a new location, you will need to complete a new application packet including an approved pre-application.  Sidewalk café license is also required for existing food establishments wanting to have outside seating.


Vending trucks/bicycle carts are issued by a bid process through the Purchasing Department.  The number of licenses are limited.  Rules and regulations can be found in Vol. I, section 5-11.


For additional assistance, please contact:


609-399-6111 ext. 9701

115 12th Street

Ocean City, NJ 08226

Licensing@ocnj.us


Please either view a selection below or enter search information above.  For your convenience, our frequently requested forms are listed below.


Contractor License Packet
Mercantile License Packet 
Rental Registration
Sidewalk Cafe
Landlord Certificate 



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Mercantile Licensing Frequently Asked Questions