Bergen County has 70 municipalities, and its county seat is Hackensack. Building permits come from the construction office of the town where the work is, not from the county. The county’s part is the Construction Board of Appeals, planning review of site plans and subdivisions, road opening permits on county roads and, for about 30 towns, septic and well reviews.
This guide covers the county offices a Bergen County project can run into. The construction permit itself is filed with the town.
What requires a building permit in Bergen County?
Bergen County does not write its own construction rules. Whether work needs a permit, counts as minor work or is ordinary maintenance is set by the statewide Uniform Construction Code, which is the same in every New Jersey town; the town adds its fee ordinance and zoning.
New Jersey has one Uniform Construction Code for every municipality; the town supplies the enforcing agency, the fee ordinance and the zoning approvals. New Jersey rules
Who handles permitting in Bergen County?
Each of Bergen County’s 70 municipalities issues its own construction permits. The county does not issue certificates of occupancy either; those come from the town.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 410 East Railroad Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07601 |
| Construction official | Ernest Sisco, (201) 646-3920 ext. 2001 |
| Inspections | Requested through the city’s online inspection application |
| Before the permit | Bergen County Planning Board approval where required, and a BCUA (sewer authority) approval letter |
Hackensack will not issue a permit without the BCUA approval letter, and its prior-approvals checklist also lists Bergen County soils approval for a temporary certificate of occupancy.
Bergen County offices on the way to a permit
Construction Board of Appeals
The board hears appeals from people aggrieved by a decision of a local construction or fire code enforcing agency. File by the 15th day after you receive written notice of the decision. Zoning issues and municipal ordinance violations are not heard here. The board meets on the second Thursday of each month, and a complete application must arrive at least 14 days before the meeting; the fee is paid by check or money order to the County of Bergen, with proof that the town received a copy of the appeal. Contact: Secretary to the Board, Office of the County Counsel, One Bergen County Plaza, Room 580, Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076, 201-336-6987.
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Get a free quote →County planning review
The county Office of Development Review checks site plans and subdivisions that need County Planning Board approval, and has 30 days to review each submission. Since January 1, 2024, new county site plan and subdivision applications are filed through the GeoCivix portal. The Planning Board meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 5 PM. Department of Planning & Engineering: One Bergen County Plaza, 4th Floor, Hackensack, 201-336-6446, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.
Soil erosion and sediment control
Plans are certified by the Bergen County Soil Conservation District, 700 Kinderkamack Road, Suite 103, Oradell, NJ 07649, 201-261-4407. A certified soil erosion and sediment control plan is needed for construction activities that disturb more than 5,000 square feet.
Septic systems and wells
The county Department of Health Services reviews septic plans and oversees septic and private well work only for the approximately 30 towns that contract with it: One Bergen County Plaza, 4th Floor, Hackensack, 201-634-2600.
Work in a county road
Any excavation between the curb faces of a county road needs a county Road Opening Permit, issued and inspected by the county Operations Division, 201-336-7678.
Bergen County permit costs and fees
Each town in Bergen County sets its construction fees by its own ordinance, so the same job can cost different amounts in neighbouring towns. Ask the town’s construction office for its fee schedule before you price a job.
Fees are set by each town’s ordinance; the plan review fee is paid at submission and deducted at issuance, and the state adds a surcharge on every permit. New Jersey rules
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →How to get a building permit in Bergen County
Identify which of the 70 municipalities the parcel is in; that town’s construction office issues the permit.
Get town zoning approval, and county planning review through the GeoCivix portal where the site plan or subdivision needs it.
Have the plan certified by the Bergen County Soil Conservation District in Oradell.
In the about 30 towns that contract with the county, get the county Department of Health Services review.
Submit the UCC construction permit application with its subcode sections to the town construction office.
Take a construction or fire code decision to the county Construction Board of Appeals.
The construction office must act on a complete application within 20 business days, and the permit cannot issue before the zoning and other prior approvals. New Jersey rules
Rather not deal with the Bergen County building department?
Get a free quote →Inspections in Bergen County
Inspections are done by the town construction office that issued the permit, not by the county. In Hackensack, inspection requests go through the city’s online inspection application.
Inspections are requested in writing at least 24 hours ahead, and no building may be used before the certificate of occupancy or approval. New Jersey rules
Official Bergen County permitting resources
These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.
- Bergen County Construction Board of Appeals
- Bergen County Department of Planning & Engineering
- Bergen County development review portal
- Bergen County Department of Health Services
- Hackensack building, housing and land use
- NJ soil erosion and sediment control program
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Frequently asked questions
Does Bergen County issue building permits?
No. Each of its 70 municipalities issues construction permits through its own construction office.
Where do I appeal a construction code decision in Bergen County?
To the Bergen County Construction Board of Appeals, by the 15th day after you receive written notice of the decision.
Does my project need county planning review?
Site plans and subdivisions that need County Planning Board approval do; the county has 30 days to review each submission, filed through the GeoCivix portal.
Simplify Bergen County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →- Find the right town construction office for the parcel and file the UCC permit package with it
- Track county planning board and soil district approvals that must come before the permit
- Coordinate subcode inspections and the certificate of occupancy through closeout
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in New Jersey. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.
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More New Jersey permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bergen County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.