New Web Portal Streamlines Warranty Process for Home Builders and Homebuyers

• Posted on: 10/8/2025

Reduced Processing Time and Reduced Paperwork Increase Efficiency

TRENTON, NJ – In early 2026, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) plans to launch a new online portal that will modernize how new home builders register and apply for new home warranties, reducing paperwork and increasing efficiency in the home warranty process. The creation of this new portal is a collaborative effort between DCA and the New Jersey Office of Innovation (OOI).

Greater efficiency will help thousands of New Jersey homebuyers move into their new homes more quickly each year.  In support of this goal, the portal will replace the current mail-in process that supports all new home builder registrations (and renewals) as well as new home warranty enrollments and payments for the homes they build. These improvements will significantly reduce the time it takes to obtain a new home warranty, which is required for a certificate of occupancy and sale.

The new portal will also provide prospective homebuyers a Builder Lookup tool that will allow them to determine whether a builder is current with their registration, which must be renewed every two years. Currently, builders are required to enroll homes in either the State’s warranty plan or an approved private plan.

“This online portal is a critical step forward to modernize government tools to serve New Jerseyans more efficiently,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “The portal will expedite the process for both builders and buyers to obtain a home warranty, saving residents precious time on paperwork and mail-in payments. Together, we are making it easier for families to plant roots in the Garden State," said Governor Phil Murphy.

Homeowners will also be able to submit warranty claims through the portal, reducing paperwork and improving response times should a warranty-related defect with their new home arise.

The new portal will allow builders to quickly receive a QR code for their registration upon application approval, rather than require them to submit information manually and then wait on a physical card to be mailed to them, as they do under the current system. The portal will also support their credit card and e-check payments for the first time, thereby no longer requiring mail-in payments for registrations or warranty premiums.

This project addresses a top reason – warranty-related issues – why residents and builders contact the DCA seeking help.

“We listened to New Jerseyans who wanted to start living in their new homes but were running into red tape,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “This upgrade is a win for them and their builders who need a quicker way to register, renew registration, and obtain home warranties.”

“The days of waiting on a paper-based process to get a new home warranty are ending,” said New Jersey State Chief Innovation Officer Dave Cole. “Through a new online platform, the State will help alleviate a significant stress associated with buying a new home.”

Builders can apply for new home warranties when a dwelling unit (single-family home, condo, townhouse, etc.) is at least 80 percent complete. Warranties protect homebuyers from: defects in materials and workmanship (for one year); defects in design and installation of HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems (for two years); and major structural defects (for ten years).

DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, rental assistance, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, disaster recovery and mitigation, and privacy protection.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media: