Bergenfield Borough, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

In the Borough of Bergenfield, the Building Department at Borough Hall, 198 North Washington Avenue (201-387-4055), is the local enforcing agency for the UCC and also administers the borough’s Development Regulations. Michael Ravenda is the Construction Official and also the Zoning Officer. Zoning review comes first for additions, decks, fences, pools and sheds, followed by three sets of plans with the state permit forms, and every resale or rental of a one- or two-family home needs a certificate of continued occupancy.

What requires a building permit in Bergenfield?

Bergenfield’s answer is broad: a permit is needed for almost all home and business improvements, except interior and exterior painting, flooring, and replacement windows and doors of the same size. The borough also publishes a list of work that needs a building permit on residential and commercial property, and warns that anyone found working without the proper permits can be fined up to $2,000.

A zoning permit is separate. The borough requires one to start or change a use and to erect, alter, convert or install a structure, and also for fences, patios, driveways, walkways, sheds, recreational vehicles and some temporary uses. Under the state UCC, ordinary maintenance needs no permit and minor work needs a permit but may start after notice; ask the department which category a job falls in before relying on either.

What the borough decides and what the state holds

The construction code is the state’s; the Building Department page still lists the 2015 and 2009 editions, but the 2024 I-codes and the 2023 NEC took effect statewide on August 17, 2026, with the 2021 codes and 2020 NEC still allowed for complete applications until February 17, 2027. Bergenfield decides its fees, its Development Regulations, construction hours (Ordinance 09-2440), its certificate of continued occupancy program and its garage sale, dumpster and road opening permits.

Bergenfield building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues construction permits, conducts progress inspections, issues certificates of occupancy and administers the Development Regulations and the Municipal Land Use Law, so construction and zoning share one counter. DCA’s roster of local construction offices (as of September 2, 2026) shows borough staff in every subcode post, including elevators, with no DCA or private agency posts.

Bergenfield permit types

Construction permits use the state’s UCC forms, which the borough tells applicants to download from DCA, filed with three sets of construction plans. Depending on the work, the building, electrical, plumbing or fire sections may need more detail before the application is complete.

Residential permits

• Additions, add-a-levels, dormers and new houses. Zoning review needs plans signed and sealed by a New Jersey licensed engineer or architect and an updated survey with an impervious surface breakdown; additions and dormers also need a certified height above the curb.
• Sheds, pools and driveways. The zoning application sets placement: sheds at least 3 feet from rear and side lines, pools at least 10 feet, and driveways 2 feet off the side lot line. Sheds over 200 square feet and all pools also need a building permit.
• Fences, patios and walkways. A short zoning permit application covers fences, driveways, sheds and miscellaneous items.
• Removing or filling in a pool. Demolishing or filling in any concrete or vinyl-lined pool needs a construction permit with the building subcode technical sheet. Steel, liner and all in-ground piping, wiring and gas lines come out; concrete left as fill must be broken into pieces no larger than 8 inches; only clean fill is used, under at least 6 inches of topsoil. The borough inspects before backfill, with all fill on site, and again at the end, when the site must be graded and seeded.
• Owner-drawn plans. For a single-family, owner-occupied house, only the homeowner or a New Jersey licensed architect may prepare plans; owner plans must show the owner’s name, address, block and lot, and be signed and dated.

Building or remodeling a home here? Alliance handles residential permit filing, so the crew isn't waiting on the counter.

Commercial permits

Commercial work follows the same route: zoning review first, then the permit package, with commercial roofs and siding named as permit items. A new business or a business rental needs a certificate of continued occupancy, the borough posts a commercial business application, and the Fire Prevention Bureau carries out periodic fire code inspections of all premises other than owner-occupied homes. Crane permits are requested through an online GovPilot form.

For tenant improvements and new commercial builds, Alliance handles commercial permit expediting through issuance. More on this: commercial building permits explained.

What comes before the construction permit

• Zoning Officer review. Required first for additions, add-a-levels, dormers, decks, porches, fences, driveway enlargements, walkways, retaining walls, sheds, pools and new houses, with a scaled survey showing every setback.
• Variances. A project that cannot meet the Development Regulations is redesigned or goes for a variance, heard by the Zoning Board of Adjustment or the Planning Board under the Municipal Land Use Law.
• Soil. The zoning application asks whether soil will be removed; disturbance over 5,000 square feet needs a plan certified by the Bergen County Soil Conservation District (see the Bergen County guide for county reviews).
• Streets. Road opening permits come from the Department of Public Works and construction dumpster permits from the Police Department.

Bergenfield permit costs and fees

Bergenfield’s construction permit fees are set by borough ordinance and are not reprinted on the Building Department’s pages; call 201-387-4055, ext. 4092, for the fee on a specific job. The fees printed on borough forms and pages are these:

For a one-family house, the resale certificate and the fire fee together come to $95 ($50 + $45); for a two-family house, $120 ($75 + $45). Payment goes with the application by credit card, check or money order payable to the Borough of Bergenfield. The state surcharge, per the live state guide, is $0.00371 per cubic foot for new buildings and additions and $1.90 per $1,000 of value for other construction.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and fire protection work go on the state technical sections filed with the construction permit, and Bergenfield’s own subcode officials review and inspect them; the Construction Official also holds the building and plumbing subcode posts. Elevator work is inspected by a borough elevator subcode official rather than DCA.

• Electrical: service upgrades and alterations need a permit; the borough says contractors doing electrical and fire alarm work must be licensed in that field.
• Plumbing: water heaters, fixture relocations and piping replacements need a permit, done by a licensed plumbing contractor or by the homeowner of a single-family, owner-occupied house.
• Heating and cooling: boiler or furnace replacements and central air conditioning units need a permit; chimney relining is a separate permit item. When fuel-fired equipment is replaced, the borough posts the state’s chimney verification form (UCC F370): it goes in with the permit application for minor and emergency work and must reach the code official before the final inspection for all other work, and if no verification is signed, the owner must be present at the inspection to remove and reinstall the vent connector.
• Sprinklers: sprinkler systems need a permit and a licensed sprinkler contractor.

Homeowners of a single-family, owner-occupied house may do their own work if they have the knowledge and skill. Anyone they hire for home improvement work must be registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs (the borough page calls it a license), new-home builders register with DCA, and New Jersey has no general contractor license.

How to apply for a Bergenfield building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Bergenfield’s zoning application says Construction Department inspectors have up to 20 business days after zoning approval to review the application, which matches the state’s 20-business-day limit for a complete application. The zoning form lets the Zoning Officer waive items that do not apply or ask for more, so an accurate, current survey with every setback (and the curb height for additions and dormers) is the main thing to get right before filing.

Inspections and certificates in Bergenfield

The Building Department makes progress inspections while work is under way; request each one in writing at least 24 hours ahead, as state rules require, by calling or writing to the department. The borough stresses that it is the homeowner’s personal responsibility to schedule the final inspection and close out every permit when the work is finished. A new building needs a certificate of occupancy, and altered space a certificate of approval.

• Certificate of continued occupancy. Required on every resale and rental of a one- or two-family dwelling, on business rentals and changes, and for new occupants before closing. The application lists rooms, garages, sheds, patios and pools and carries notarized statements from the owner and the buyer or tenant on how the property is used.
• Smoke and CO certification. The CSDCMAC form asks for ten-year sealed smoke detectors on every level, including basements but not attics or crawl spaces, and ten-year sealed smoke detectors plus a carbon monoxide detector outside each sleeping area, within 10 feet of the bedrooms.
• Fire inspections. The Fire Prevention Bureau inspects all premises periodically except owner-occupied one- and two-family homes used only as dwellings.

New Jersey building code in Bergenfield

Bergenfield is its own enforcing agency for every subcode, including elevators. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Bergenfield (community 340020) as a participating National Flood Insurance Program community with flood maps effective August 28, 2019, and the borough posts a flood map of Bergenfield marking Hirshfield Brook.

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

Bergenfield permit search and official resources

Copies of permits, certificates and other borough records are requested under the Open Public Records Act through the Borough Clerk’s Office, with forms online or at Borough Hall; the Clerk’s staff explain any fees and respond within the statutory time. Building Department forms and notices are collected in the borough’s document library.

• Bergenfield Building Department
• Work requiring permits
• Application for Zoning Officer review (2026)
• Zoning permit application: fence, driveway, shed
• Resale or rental certificate application
• Building Department documents
• Fire Prevention Bureau
• Borough Clerk and OPRA requests
• Bergenfield flood map information
• DCA construction permit forms
• DCA roster of local construction offices
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey

Bergenfield building permit FAQs

What work needs no permit in Bergenfield?

The borough lists interior and exterior painting, flooring, and replacement windows and doors of the same size.

Do I need a permit to replace a water heater or furnace?

Yes. Water heaters, boiler and furnace replacements and central air units are on the borough’s permit list.

How far from the property line must a shed or pool be?

Sheds at least 3 feet from the rear and side lines and pools at least 10 feet; sheds over 200 square feet also need a building permit.

What does a resale certificate cost?

$50 plus a $45 fire fee for a one-family home and $75 plus $45 for a two-family home.

Can I draw my own plans?

Yes, for a single-family house you own and occupy; otherwise plans come from a New Jersey licensed architect.

What hours can construction work run?

Weekdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays and legal holidays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

How long does zoning review take?

Up to 10 business days, and the construction review then has up to 20 business days.

Simplify Bergenfield Borough permitting with Alliance Permitting

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.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bergenfield Borough permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.