Construction permits in the City of Hackensack are issued by the Department of Building, Housing and Land Use, whose Building Inspection Division is led by Construction Official Ernest Sisco (201-646-3920, ext. 2001). Zoning comes first: a zoning permit costs $50, or $20 per $1,000 of work with a $60 minimum for fences, patios, sheds and paving, and the zoning officer has up to 10 business days to decide it. The city will not issue a construction permit for a project that needs Bergen County Utilities Authority sewer approval until the BCUA approval letter is in hand.
What requires a building permit in Hackensack?
As in every New Jersey municipality, the state code separates ordinary maintenance, which needs no permit at all, from minor work, which needs a permit but can begin once the office is notified, and from all other construction, which waits for the permit. In Hackensack the zoning permit is the step most people meet first, because the city’s zoning FAQs list additions, sheds, decks, fences, driveways, patios, swimming pools and signs, new or replacement, and any change of use, as needing one.
Construction permit
- New buildings, additions and alterations, with the building, electrical, plumbing, fire and mechanical tech sheets that apply
- Pools and decks, after zoning approval
- Water heater and boiler replacements, which the resale checklist expects to find permitted and finaled
- Chimney and venting work, with the city’s chimney verification form
- Demolition and any work that needs a certificate of occupancy
Zoning and city permits
- Fences, patios, walkways, sheds under 200 square feet and driveway paving (Form E)
- Signs (Form E2), with colored renderings
- Moving more than 25 cubic yards of soil (soil movement permit)
- Excavation in the right of way, sidewalks and curbs, and dumpsters on the street
- Tree removal, using the Department of Public Works forms
The zoning FAQs give the basic fence rule: in residential districts a fence on a front lot line may be 4 feet high, and one on a side or rear line 6 feet, with corner lots treated differently. Retaining walls depend on height, under section 175-5.3D(7) of the zoning chapter.
What Hackensack decides and what the state holds
The construction standards and the permit categories are the state’s. Hackensack sets its own construction fees, its zoning code (Chapter 175), the posted prior approvals and bonds for larger projects, its property maintenance code for one- and two-family homes, its rent stabilization rules and the certificate of continued occupancy needed when a house changes hands.
Hackensack building department: who handles permitting
The Department of Building, Housing and Land Use has three divisions, Building Inspection, Property Maintenance and Community Development, and serves as the administrative arm of the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Adjustment and the Rent Stabilization Board. DCA’s Local Construction Contacts roster (September 2, 2026) shows city officials in the construction, building, electrical, fire protection and plumbing posts and a private agency, Municipal Inspection Corp, in the elevator post.
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Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Construction office (DCA roster) | 410 East Railroad Avenue, Hackensack, NJ 07601; phone 201-646-3920, fax 201-646-8052 |
| Department forms and board files | 216 Union Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601; official board files viewable 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment |
| Construction Official | Ernest Sisco, ext. 2001 |
| Permits desk | Ext. 2002, 2004 or 2022 |
| Zoning Officer and board secretary | Ext. 2020 |
| Elevators | Municipal Inspection Corp (private agency) |
| City Hall | 65 Central Avenue, 201-646-3980 |
The two addresses reflect different sources: DCA’s roster lists East Railroad Avenue, while the department’s 2024 to 2026 zoning, excavation and appeal forms ask for filings at 216 Union Street, so call 201-646-3920 before you bring a construction application in person.
Hackensack permit types
The city posts the state construction permit jacket (F100) and its own copies of the technical sections: building (F110), electrical (F120), plumbing (F130), fire (F140) and mechanical (F145). Each project files the jacket with the sections its work needs, together with zoning approval and any items on the prior approvals checklist.
Residential permits
- Fences, patios, walkways, sheds and paving go on the second page of Form E. A fence must sit at least 3 inches inside your own property line with its finished side facing the neighbor, and the installer must call for an inspection after staking and before installation, then for a final.
- Additions and new homes need a survey, floor and site plan showing setbacks and lot or impervious coverage, any earlier board approvals, and the construction jacket with all subcode sections.
- Chimneys serving new or replacement appliances use the chimney verification form.
- Home sales of one- and two-family houses need a certificate of continued occupancy, applied for online.
- Sidewalks, curbs and driveway aprons need their own city permit, which can be filed online or on a printable form, and a dumpster set out on a city street needs a dumpster permit, also filed online.
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Commercial permits
Business tenants answer the certificate of occupancy questions on Form E: hours, public hours, parking spaces in the lease, floor area, delivery times, overnight vehicles and staff on the largest shift. Commercial paving needs a $2,500 escrow and a W-9, and a business or LLC seeking a variance must be represented by a lawyer. Larger developments post the bonds and fees on the prior approvals checklist, including a 10% cash bond, performance and maintenance bonds, affordable housing fees (half before permits, the rest before a temporary or final certificate of occupancy) and any developer or redeveloper agreement.
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What comes before the construction permit
- Zoning permit. Filed by mail or dropped off at 216 Union Street with a survey or site plan; the zoning officer has up to 10 business days once the file and fee are complete, and approvals or denials are emailed.
- Boards. Variances and appeals of the zoning officer go to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and site plans to the Planning Board; the city’s instructions call for a digital set and five hard copies first, then ten copies 10 days before the hearing.
- Sewer. BCUA sewer fees and approval letter before the permit, and the city sewer fee before any certificate of occupancy; projects needing a treatment works approval (TWA) post a signed TWA.
- County. Bergen County Planning Board approval where the county must review a site plan or subdivision, filed on the county’s GeoCivix portal, and Bergen County soils approval before a temporary certificate of occupancy.
- Flood areas. An elevation certificate is needed before a temporary certificate of occupancy when the site is in a flood plain.
Hackensack permit costs and fees
Hackensack’s construction (UCC) fees are set by city ordinance in the City Code, which the city publishes through eCode360; the department’s web page and forms do not reprint the construction fee schedule, so ask the permits desk at 201-646-3920 for a quote. The land use fees printed on the city’s own forms are listed here.
| Item | Fee or rule |
|---|---|
| Zoning permit (general) | $50 |
| Fence, patio, walkway, shed or driveway paving | $20 per $1,000 of estimated work; minimum $60 |
| Commercial paving | $2,500 escrow plus a W-9 |
| Soil movement permit (more than 25 cubic yards) | $200 |
| Excavation permit | Application and review fees plus inspection escrow, performance bond and insurance certificate |
| Zoning board applications | Fees and escrow under the city’s Forms L and M, with a matching W-9 |
| Larger projects (prior approvals checklist) | 10% cash bond; affordable housing fees; engineer’s inspection fees; city sewer fee |
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Worked example from Form E: a $5,000 fence is 5 × $20, or $100; a $2,000 walkway would come to $40 and is therefore charged the $60 minimum. On top of the city’s construction fees, the state collects its training-fee surcharge on each permit, and under state rules the plan review fee is normally due when the application is submitted.
Trade permits and who may pull them
Trade work is part of the same construction application: the electrical, plumbing, fire and mechanical tech sheets are filed with the jacket, and each subcode official reviews and inspects its own work. In Hackensack the construction official also holds the electrical post on the state roster, and elevator work is reviewed and inspected by Municipal Inspection Corp.
- Electrical: filed on the F120 electric tech sheet; a contractor must hold a state electrical contractor license.
- Plumbing and gas: the city posts both a plumbing application and the F130 tech sheet; contractor work needs a licensed master plumber, and water heater or boiler swaps need a permit and a final inspection.
- Fire protection: sprinkler, alarm and suppression work goes on the F140 fire tech sheet.
- Mechanical and chimneys: the F145 mechanical sheet covers heating and cooling equipment in homes, and appliances connected to a chimney need the chimney verification form.
Home improvement contractors register with the state Division of Consumer Affairs, and the zoning form asks for that registration number. Builders of new homes must show New Home Warranty enrollment before a temporary certificate of occupancy.
How to apply for a Hackensack building permit
Look up the zone and bulk rules in Chapter 175, or call the zoning office at ext. 2020.
Send Form E with the survey or site plan, setbacks and coverage, and the fee, by mail or drop-off at 216 Union Street.
Work through the prior approvals checklist: BCUA letter, county planning and soils approvals, bonds and fees as they apply.
Complete the F100 jacket and each technical section, with sealed plans where the work needs them.
Call 201-646-3920 to confirm where to file, then submit and pay the assessed fees.
Use the city’s online inspection application as each stage is ready.
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Get a free quote →Review, corrections and what causes delay
The state gives the construction office 20 business days to decide a complete application, but the clock means little if zoning is not settled: the city denies incomplete zoning applications outright, and the zoning officer’s own review can take 10 business days. Missing BCUA letters, unposted bonds and unpaid affordable housing fees are the other common reasons a Hackensack permit is not released.
Inspections and certificates in Hackensack
Construction inspections are requested through the city’s online inspection application, and zoning permits for fences and similar work need their own inspections, including the pre-installation fence check. Before a temporary certificate of occupancy, the checklist expects all utilities in service, Bergen County soils approval, an elevation certificate in a flood plain, New Home Warranty enrollment for a new home and any rooming or boarding house license; a final certificate of occupancy also needs elevator, boiler and multiple dwelling registrations where they apply, paid violation fines and every final inspection.
A one- or two-family house that is sold needs a certificate of continued occupancy. The city’s checklist, revised in February 2025, makes the owner responsible for showing that every past construction job, including water heater and boiler replacements, was permitted and passed its finals. Inspectors look for 10-year sealed-battery smoke detectors on every level, carbon monoxide detectors within 10 feet of bedrooms, sump pumps discharging outdoors rather than into the sanitary sewer, handrails on stairs of three or more risers, relief valves piped to within 6 inches of the floor and house numbers at least 4 inches high. For rental homes, the department’s page links DCA’s guide to the lead-based paint inspections required in rental dwellings.
New Jersey building code in Hackensack
Hackensack applies the state Uniform Construction Code; under DCA’s adoption, the 2024 International Codes, the 2024 National Standard Plumbing Code and the 2023 National Electrical Code apply to applications filed from August 17, 2026, with complete 2021-code applications accepted until February 17, 2027. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Hackensack as community 340039, participating in the National Flood Insurance Program with flood maps dated August 28, 2019.
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
Hackensack permit search and official resources
The City Clerk is the custodian of Hackensack’s records and handles more than 1,000 Open Public Records Act requests a year; use the city’s 2026 OPRA request form to ask for permit files, plans or inspection records. Planning and zoning board files posted online are courtesy copies, and the official files can be seen at 216 Union Street by appointment.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →- Hackensack Department of Building, Housing and Land Use
- Prior approvals checklist
- Construction permit application (F100 jacket)
- Online construction inspection request
- Form E zoning permit application
- Zoning application procedures
- Zoning FAQs
- Instructions for zoning appeals and board cases
- Soil movement application
- Excavation permit application
- Certificate of continued occupancy application (one- and two-family houses)
- CCO inspection checklist
- OPRA request form
- NJ DCA Local Construction Contacts roster
- Bergen County Construction Board of Appeals
- Bergen County development review portal
- FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Hackensack building permit FAQs
How much is a fence permit in Hackensack?
$20 per $1,000 of the fence cost with a $60 minimum, so a $5,000 fence is $100, and the fence must be inspected before and after it goes up.
How long does zoning review take?
Up to 10 business days after a complete application and the fee are received; incomplete applications are denied.
Why does Hackensack ask for a BCUA letter?
The prior approvals checklist says no permit will be issued without the Bergen County Utilities Authority approval letter where BCUA sewer fees apply.
Do I need a certificate to sell my house?
Yes, a certificate of continued occupancy for one- and two-family houses, applied for online; all past permits must be closed and the house must pass the CCO checklist.
How high can a fence be?
Generally 4 feet along a front lot line and 6 feet along side and rear lines in residential districts, set 3 inches inside your property.
Who is the Construction Official?
Ernest Sisco, reached at 201-646-3920, ext. 2001.
Who inspects elevators in Hackensack?
Municipal Inspection Corp, the private agency named in the elevator post on DCA’s roster.
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More New Jersey permitting guides
Bergen County
Read guide →Hasbrouck Heights Borough
Read guide →Hillsdale Borough
Read guide →Hackettstown Town Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Haddon Township Building Permit Guide
Read guide →Haddonfield Borough Building Permit Guide
Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hackensack permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.