Medford Township, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

In Medford Township, building permits come from the Construction Office on the second floor of 49 Union Street (609-654-2608), where James Mazzio is listed as Construction Official and Electrical Subcode Official. Residential work starts with a zoning permit from the Planning and Zoning Office (usually $50), every residential application must include the contractor’s home improvement registration, and inspection requests are made in writing at least 24 hours ahead. Lots south of Route 70 are in the Pinelands National Reserve.

What requires a building permit in Medford?

Medford posts a construction permit checklist that sorts 46 common projects by the subcodes they need or may need, from air conditioning and alarms to windows, wood stoves and generators, plus DCA’s reference sheet on what counts as ordinary maintenance (no permit) and what counts as minor work (a permit, but work may start once the office knows). The Zoning Office adds its own list of projects that need zoning approval first.

Sheds have their own rule on the checklist: every shed needs zoning approval, one over 168 square feet needs Zoning Board approval, and one of 200 square feet or more also needs construction approval. Removing a street tree of 2.5 inches diameter or more, any other tree of 6 inches or more, or clearing more than 1,500 square feet needs approval under Chapter 123 before any cutting.

What Medford decides and what the state holds

The code is the state’s. Medford sets zoning and land development rules (with application fees in §901 of the Land Development Code, updated by Ordinance 2023-14), tree removal rules adopted in 2024 for its stormwater permit, a rental inspection program, vacant property registration and dumpster permits. The Pinelands layer is not local: the Pinelands Commission lists Medford among its Pinelands municipalities, and the township says development south of Route 70 may be limited by wetlands, wetland buffers and scenic corridors.

Medford building department: who handles permitting

The Construction Office enforces the UCC with clerical staff and licensed inspectors, and the Zoning Office in the Planning, Zoning and Code Enforcement department reviews land use first. Medford also has its own elevator subcode official rather than DCA, according to DCA’s roster of local enforcing agencies (as of September 2, 2026). That roster still lists the office at 17 North Main Street and leaves the construction official post blank, while the township’s own pages give 49 Union Street and name James Mazzio; use the township’s address.

Medford permit types

Medford uses the state UCC forms and links each one, including the elevator technical sections that other towns leave to DCA. Submit one original of each form. The Zoning Office has separate packets for residential, fence, pool, shed, sign and non-residential zoning permits, a zoning variance packet, and a flow chart showing how zoning and construction approvals connect.

Residential permits

• Sheds and accessory structures. On lots under one acre, one shed, gazebo or cabana up to 15 feet high and 200 square feet; one or two structures totalling 400 square feet on one to two acres; up to three totalling 600 square feet on two acres or more.
• Garages. One garage per house on lots under five acres, for no more than three vehicles, at most 45 feet wide and 24 feet deep; a detached garage tops out at 20 feet to the peak with eaves no higher than 10 feet.
• Driveways. Under Pinelands Commission rules and township ordinances, any new, expanded or rebuilt driveway, including stone and pavers, counts toward lot coverage; new driveways on township roads need a driveway permit.
• Pools and fences. Zoning permit packets list the requirements, and pool barriers follow the UCC pool and spa rules enforced by the Construction Office.

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

Commercial permits

A business moving into Medford gets a zoning permit to occupy its space after the Zoning Office checks the use against the land development ordinances; a change of tenant costs $75. New owners of commercial property need a certificate of occupancy only where the use changes, such as retail to restaurant or office to assembly. Larger projects go through site plan review with application fees and escrows set by §901.

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

What comes before the construction permit

• Zoning approval. Bring a property survey; after zoning approves, apply to the Construction Department. Some projects need the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
• Pinelands. South of Route 70 the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan applies, and the township links the Commission’s permitting page and interactive map.
• Septic and wells. The Burlington County Health Department permits and inspects every well and septic system in town.
• Soil and county. More than 5,000 square feet of disturbance needs Burlington County Soil Conservation District certification; work on county roads needs county approval.
• Street openings and dumpsters. Excavating a township street needs a Clerk’s Office permit, and dumpsters or PODS in a road need a free Clerk’s permit under a 2019 ordinance.

Medford permit costs and fees

Medford does not post its UCC construction fee schedule on the Construction Office page, and the township’s council ordinances are kept on eCode360; ask the office (ext. 317) for a fee estimate when you file. The land use fees are posted: §901 of the Land Development Code, as amended by Ordinance 2023-14, sets application fees and escrows for planning and zoning applications, including the zoning permit fees below.

Worked example from §901: a homeowner adding a deck and a new fence in one zoning application pays $50, and the $500 escrow is collected only if the Zoning Officer decides engineering or planning review is needed; an in-ground pool is $150 because the fee includes review of the pool grading plan. The construction permit fee and the state training surcharge come on top and are set by the Construction Office.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Medford’s checklist shows which technical sections each project needs; a kitchen remodel, for example, may need building, electrical, fire and plumbing sections, a gas water heater needs the plumbing section, and a boiler needs electrical and mechanical. All are filed together on the UCC jacket and inspected by the subcode officials. The township page lists a building subcode official, a plumbing subcode official, a fire subcode official and inspector, and the construction official who also serves as electrical subcode official.

• Building and plumbing inspections run Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Fire protection inspections run Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
• Electrical and mechanical inspections are scheduled by the office; the posted hours do not list a separate window.
• Elevators are filed on the elevator technical sections with the township, which has its own elevator subcode official.

Medford insists on one licensing point: a valid home improvement contractor registration from the Division of Consumer Affairs must accompany every residential permit application filed by a contractor. Electricians, plumbers and HVACR contractors hold state licenses; New Jersey has no general contractor license; new-home builders register with DCA; and owners working on their own homes are exempt from registration.

How to apply for a Medford building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The UCC requires a decision on a complete application within 20 business days, but in Medford the clock cannot start until zoning has approved the project. Common delays are Zoning Board referrals for larger sheds, lot-coverage problems from driveways and patios in Pinelands-area lots, missing well or septic approvals from the county, and residential applications filed without the contractor’s registration.

Inspections and certificates in Medford

Following the change to N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.18(c), Medford takes inspection requests for new construction, additions and renovations only in writing, at least 24 hours before the date you want. Complete the township’s inspection request form (project address, permit number, contact, date, subcode and inspection type such as footing, foundation, slab, pressure test, above ceiling, rough, frame, insulation or final) and email it as an attachment or deliver it in person. No inspection is scheduled until the office confirms availability in writing, and every township inspector carries photo identification.

For a home sale, the certificate comes from the Fire Department, not the Construction Office: call 609-953-3291 for the smoke and carbon monoxide inspection. Smoke alarms must be on every level, including basements, and within 10 feet of sleeping areas; original interconnected systems must be kept rather than swapped for battery units; and at least one CO alarm must be near the sleeping areas, with more where bedrooms are on several levels. Homes on public water or sewer also need final meter readings and sewer inspections from Utility Billing.

Rentals are different: under Ordinances 2015-2 and 2018-24 the Construction Code Office inspects one- and two-family rentals at each change of use, ownership or tenancy for $200, the Fire Department checks smoke detectors at each new tenant, pre-1978 units need a lead-safe certificate, and private wells need a water test every five years.

New Jersey building code in Medford

Medford enforces the Uniform Construction Code through its own construction office, including the elevator subcode. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Medford (community 340104) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, and the township gives its flood map as FIRM 340104B, effective December 21, 2017; the Construction Office (ext. 340) helps owners read it.

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

Medford permit search and official resources

Medford has no online permit search. Copies of permits, plans and certificates are requested through the Clerk’s Office, which processes all requests for township records on its OPRA request form; the township notes that state law allows up to seven business days. Council agendas, minutes and ordinances are posted on eCode360, and the council meets on the first and third Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. at 91 Union Street. Appeals from a construction official’s decision go to the Burlington County Construction Board of Appeals.

• Medford Construction and Inspections
• Inspection request form
• Construction permit checklist (spreadsheet)
• Ordinary maintenance and minor work reference
• Building and zoning permit flow chart
• Planning, Zoning and Code Enforcement
• Zoning permit fees (§901)
• Residential zoning permit packet
• Shed zoning packet
• Tree removal application
• Rental inspection application
• FEMA flood information
• Clerk’s Office and OPRA
• DCA local construction contacts roster
• Pinelands Commission municipalities
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey

Medford building permit FAQs

Is my Medford property in the Pinelands?

If it is south of Route 70, yes; the township says all of Medford south of Route 70 is in the federally designated Pinelands reserve, where wetlands, buffers and scenic corridors can limit development.

Do I need a permit for a shed?

Every shed needs zoning approval; over 168 square feet it needs Zoning Board approval, and at 200 square feet or more a construction permit as well.

How much is a zoning permit for a fence or deck?

$50 under §901, with a $500 escrow only if engineering or planning review is required.

Who inspects smoke detectors when I sell?

The Medford Fire Department (609-953-3291) issues the residential certificate for closing.

How do I book an inspection?

Email the township’s inspection request form to the Construction Office at least 24 hours ahead and wait for written confirmation.

Who issues septic and well permits?

The Burlington County Health Department in Westampton (609-265-5515).

Does my contractor need to be registered?

Yes. Medford requires a valid home improvement contractor registration with every residential permit application filed by a contractor.

Simplify Medford Township 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 Medford Township permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.