Paramus Borough, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

In Paramus, the Building Department at Borough Hall, 1 West Jockish Square (lower level), 201-265-2100 ext. 2230, issues all construction permits under the Uniform Construction Code; Michael O’Connell is the Construction Official. Patios, driveways, generators and similar outdoor work need the borough’s site work permit, many projects need a $35 residential or $300 commercial zoning review first, and selling or renting a home requires a $100 Certificate of Compliance inspection.

What requires a building permit in Paramus?

The borough’s Construction Permits page quotes the code’s rule that a building or structure may not be constructed, extended, repaired, removed, renovated, altered or reconstructed without a construction permit, ordinary repairs aside, and then lists the household jobs that come up most. Roofing and siding are on that list, although the state’s ordinary maintenance rules cover roof covering replacement on a detached one- or two-family house and siding replacement on a one- or two-family house (not polypropylene siding), so ask the department which applies.

The site work and zoning permit is issued under Paramus’s subdivision and site plan ordinances and needs a survey no more than 20 years old showing the location, setbacks and size of the work. A new driveway must have a concrete apron between the curb and sidewalk; the form warns that the borough is not responsible for damage to driveways built without one.

What Paramus decides and what the state holds

The construction rules are New Jersey’s. Paramus sets its own construction fees in Chapter 203 of the borough code (“Construction Codes, Uniform”), its zoning in Chapters 371 and 429, site work standards in Chapter 371, and the resale and rental Certificate of Compliance. The DCA roster lists the Department of Community Affairs as the borough’s elevator subcode official, so elevator devices are permitted and inspected by the state.

Paramus building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department issues construction permits, runs the inspections and signs certificates of occupancy; its inspectors hold state licenses. The Zoning Department, reached on its own extensions, reviews zoning and site work, and the Board of Adjustment hears variances. Business certificates and fire permits can also be filed online through the borough’s SDL portal.

Paramus permit types

A Paramus construction file is built from the state forms the borough posts: the UCC-F170 construction permit form (work description, site, contractor and estimated cost) with every application, the F100 jacket with its certification in lieu of oath signed, and the technical sections for building (F110), electrical (F120), plumbing (F130), fire protection (F140) and mechanical (F145). Plans go in one set for each subcode, with specifications and a survey where the location of the work matters.

Residential permits

• Plans. The borough expects drawings signed and sealed by a New Jersey architect or engineer. Where the homeowner is acting as the contractor on an owner-occupied one-family home, the homeowner signs and dates the drawings instead.
• Mechanical work. The F145 section is required for residential construction and for replacing water heaters, boilers and furnaces; replacement or new fuel-fired equipment and chimney liners also need the F370 chimney verification, with the liner specifications.
• Pools. The handout keeps pools and hot tubs 10 feet from rear and side lines and 5 feet from the house, shed or garage. An in-ground pool fence is at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates that swing away from the pool; an above-ground pool wall of 48 inches can serve as the barrier if its ladder is guarded. Pools need building, electrical and plumbing permits and a survey no older than 20 years.
• Fences. Up to 6 feet 6 inches along rear and side lines; inside the 35-foot front setback, 3 feet for a solid fence and 3 feet 6 inches for an open one, with the finished side facing the neighbor.

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 existing space needs a continued certificate of occupancy and a Paramus business license, filed online through SDL or on the paper business application; any construction for the fit-out takes its own permits. Commercial contractors register with the borough under Chapter 179-1 on the commercial contractor’s registration form ($100, with the declarations page of the company’s liability policy). Signs have their own review: a sign committee application, checklists for pylon, monument, awning and directory signs, and zone-by-zone sign limits.

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 review. Required, with a non-refundable fee under Section 429-215, for new dwellings, additions, add-a-levels, dormers, decks and pools ($35) and for new commercial buildings, additions and site plan reviews ($300). The fee is kept if the Zoning Officer finds the work is not permitted or a variance is needed.
• Board of Adjustment. Hears appeals and interpretations and grants “c” (bulk) and “d” (use) variances; a height increase of more than 10 feet or 10% is a “d” variance. It meets on the second and fourth Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Borough Hall council chambers. Planning Board and Board of Adjustment applications share one form.
• Soil and grading. The borough has its own soil moving permit application; the certificate of occupancy checklist also looks for Bergen County Soil Conservation District approval where a site needs it.
• Utilities and streets. Curb cuts and street openings use separate borough applications, and the occupancy checklist includes Bergen County Utilities Authority sign-off.

Paramus permit costs and fees

Paramus sets its construction permit fees in Chapter 203 of the borough code. The Building Department pages do not print the full UCC fee table, so the figure for a construction permit comes from the department when the application is reviewed. The fees printed on the borough’s own forms are these:

Payments at the Building Department window cannot be made by credit card. Zoning review fees are paid by check to the Borough of Paramus with the zoning review application.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Each trade has its own technical section, filed with the same F100 jacket, and its own inspection.

• Electrical (F120). A licensed electrician must sign and seal the section, unless the homeowners are doing the work themselves in an owner-occupied single-family home.
• Plumbing (F130). The same rule applies: a licensed plumber signs and seals it, except for homeowners working on their own owner-occupied single-family home.
• Fire protection (F140). Any fire protection work needs this section, with its certification in lieu of oath signed.
• Mechanical (F145). Used for residential mechanical work and equipment replacement.
• Contractors. Home improvement contractors working on houses register with the Division of Consumer Affairs (the borough posts the state’s Contractors’ Registration Act FAQ); commercial contractors also register with Paramus itself.
• Secondary power. The resale guidelines note that homes with a generator, solar panels or energy storage must carry permanent labels within 18 inches of the main electrical panel and the meter.

How to apply for a Paramus building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

Each subcode reviews its own section, so a missing seal on an electrical or plumbing section, an unsigned certification in lieu of oath or a survey that does not show setbacks holds up the whole file. A zoning denial stops the construction permit, and work the Zoning Officer finds non-conforming moves to the Board of Adjustment. Work done without a permit may also need zoning approval, variances or Planning Board approval after the fact, and may have to be removed if they are refused.

Inspections and certificates in Paramus

The Building Department inspects each major phase of construction, Monday to Friday. Typical stops are electrical rough wiring and service, plumbing rough, underground, water, gas, sewer and storm lines, the bottom of footing trenches before concrete, the foundation before backfill, framing (only after the electrical and plumbing rough inspections pass, with the F390 checklist on site) and insulation before wallboard, with the building closed in and watertight.

A foundation location survey must reach the department before a foundation or backfill inspection for any new structure, any addition over 500 square feet and any free-standing structure. A certificate of occupancy then needs every final inspection plus the outside approvals that apply: borough engineering and shade tree review, the Bergen County Soil Conservation District, the Bergen County Utilities Authority, the new-home warranty and the affordable-housing (COAH) fee. Occupying without one can bring a penalty of up to $2,000.

Selling or renting a home

A Certificate of Compliance is required to sell or rent a home in Paramus and is mandatory for the closing. Close out any open permits at least a week before scheduling; then apply on paper or through SDL with the $100 fee. Inspections run daily from 9 a.m. to noon: the borough’s certificate page says the inspector confirms the location of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and the fire extinguisher, while its resale guidelines (revised June 12, 2025) say fire extinguishers are no longer required but are recommended. The certificate is emailed or collected at the office. Hardwired smoke alarms installed with the original construction may not be swapped for battery units; where hardwired alarms were never required, ten-year sealed battery alarms are used. If the smoke alarms report to an alarm company, call the company 15 minutes before the inspector arrives.

New Jersey building code in Paramus

Paramus enforces the statewide UCC through its Building Department under Chapter 203, with DCA holding the elevator subcode. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Paramus (community 340062) as 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

Paramus permit search and official resources

Permit histories, plans and certificates are public records: ask through the borough’s Records Request (OPRA) page. A zoning verification letter, which confirms a property’s zone, costs $50 per request through the Zoning Department.

• Paramus Building Department
• Construction permits and UCC forms
• Building inspections
• Certificates of occupancy and Certificate of Compliance
• Certificate of Compliance guidelines for resale and tenancy
• Licenses, permits and zoning forms
• Zoning review fee application (Section 429-215)
• Site work and zoning permit application
• Sheds, fences, pools, patios, decks and driveways handout
• Commercial contractor’s registration form
• Board of Adjustment
• Records request (OPRA)
• DCA Local Construction Contacts roster
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey

Paramus building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit for a patio or driveway in Paramus?

Yes, a site work permit with a survey no older than 20 years; new driveways need a concrete apron between the curb and the sidewalk.

Does a shed or fence need a building permit?

The July 2026 site work form treats a shed of 100 square feet or less and a fence as zoning-permit-only work; larger sheds, or sheds on a slab or footings, are accessory structures.

What does it cost to sell a house in Paramus?

The Certificate of Compliance costs $100, and open permits must be closed at least a week before the inspection is scheduled.

Can a homeowner do their own electrical or plumbing work?

Yes, in an owner-occupied single-family home; otherwise a licensed electrician or plumber must sign and seal the technical section.

How much is a zoning review?

$35 for residential projects such as additions, dormers, decks and pools, and $300 for commercial new buildings, additions and site plan reviews.

Can I pay by credit card?

Not at the Building Department window.

When does the Board of Adjustment meet?

On the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7 p.m. in the Borough Hall council chambers.

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