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Personal Injury · Dog Bite Liability

Dog Bite Laws in New Jersey

Whether New Jersey holds a dog owner automatically liable, follows the one-bite rule, or takes a mixed approach, plus landlord liability and the main defenses.

Official statuteRead word-for-word
against N.J.S.A. §4:19‑16 · animallaw.info
Read from the official source · Jul 8, 2026How we verify →
Dog-bite liability · New Jersey
Strict liabilityBites only
The owner is automatically liable for a bite even if the dog had never shown aggression; the victim does not have to prove negligence.
BasisStatute
CoversBites only
Landlord liable?Rarely
StatuteN.J.S.A. §4:19‑16

How liability works in New Jersey

What the rule is, and what you must show.

What the victim must show
You were bitten while in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner’s (an invitee, a mail carrier, or anyone with a legal duty to be there). Prior viciousness is irrelevant.

Note: New Jersey’s strict-liability statute is bite-only. A scratch, knock-down, or chase injury is not covered by strict liability and would fall back to ordinary negligence.

Landlords & defenses

Who else can be liable, and what defeats a claim.

Landlord liability
Generally no under the statute, which targets "owners." A landlord can be liable through common-law negligence when they knew a tenant’s dog was dangerous and had the control to remove it.
Main defenses
Trespassing / not lawfully presentProvocationComparative negligenceAssumption of risk

The full picture, with the source

Every field, and any recent development.

Liability modelStrict liabilityBites only
BasisStatute: N.J.S.A. §4:19-16 ("regardless of the viciousness of the dog")
What it coversYou were bitten while in a public place or lawfully on private property, including the owner’s (an invitee, a mail carrier, or anyone with a legal duty to be there). Prior viciousness is irrelevant.
LandlordGenerally no under the statute, which targets "owners." A landlord can be liable through common-law negligence when they knew a tenant’s dog was dangerous and had the control to remove it.
Main defensesTrespassing / not lawfully present · Provocation · Comparative negligence · Assumption of risk

What New Jersey dog-bite victims get wrong

New Jersey’s statute is squarely strict-liability and even says so in its title: liability of the owner "regardless of the viciousness of the dog." Under N.J.S.A. §4:19-16 an owner is liable for a bite whether or not the dog had ever shown aggression, as long as the victim was in public or lawfully on private property, including the owner’s, which is why mail carriers and invitees are protected. Like California and Washington, though, New Jersey’s statute is bite-only, so injuries that are not bites drop back to negligence. New Jersey recognizes comparative negligence and assumption of risk, so a victim’s own conduct can reduce (comparative fault) or, in the right case, undercut a claim, and landlords sit outside the statute.

Common questions

Is New Jersey a strict-liability dog-bite state?

Yes. N.J.S.A. §4:19-16 makes the owner liable for a bite "regardless of the viciousness of the dog," so the victim need not prove the owner knew of any danger.

Does New Jersey’s dog-bite law cover non-bite injuries?

No. The statute is bite-only. A knock-down or scratch must be pursued under ordinary negligence rather than the strict-liability statute.

Am I covered if a dog bites me on the owner’s own property in New Jersey?

Yes, if you were lawfully there, such as an invitee or a mail carrier with a legal duty to be present. The statute protects victims in public and lawfully on private property.

Is a landlord liable for a tenant’s dog bite in New Jersey?

Generally not under the statute, which targets owners. A landlord can be liable through common-law negligence with knowledge of the danger and the control to remove the dog.

Primary source
→ N.J.S.A. §4:19-16
Animal Legal & Historical Center (NJ consolidated dog laws) · animallaw.info
Cholilurrohman
Every figure on this page is checked line-by-line against the current statute. Editorial standards →

Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.

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