Passaic County, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

Passaic County has 16 municipalities, from the Borough of Bloomingdale to the Borough of Woodland Park, and Paterson is the county seat. Building permits come from the construction office of the town where the work is. The county runs a Construction Board of Appeals, reviews site plans that affect county roads or drainage, and issues driveway and road opening permits.

This guide covers the county offices a Passaic County project can run into. The construction permit itself is filed with the town.

What requires a building permit in Passaic County?

Passaic 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 Passaic County?

Each of the 16 municipalities issues its own construction permits; Clifton, Passaic and Paterson are cities and Little Falls, Wayne and West Milford are townships. In Paterson:

Paterson’s building subcode fee for new construction is $0.034 per cubic foot (minimum $50); alterations and repairs are $30 per $1,000 of cost from $1,000 to $50,000, $23 per $1,000 from $50,001 to $100,000 and $19 per $1,000 above that (minimum $90).

Passaic County offices on the way to a permit

Construction Board of Appeals

The county board hears appeals from property owners against decisions, actions or inaction of a municipal official (Paterson has its own board). File within fifteen (15) days of receiving the Notice of Violation / Order to Correct, with the application, a copy of the violation and a $100.00 check; the fee is waived when the appeal is about an agency’s failure to act in time. The board meets every 3rd Thursday of the month at 4 p.m. at 401 Grand Street, 2nd Floor, Paterson. Questions: Office of the County Counsel, (973) 881-4466.

County Planning Board

Before a town issues a building permit, any site plan for land development along a county road, or that drains stormwater to a county road or county drainage facility, must go to the County Planning Board for review and approval. Submit two signed and sealed copies of surveys, plans and reports with a signed application to the Department of Planning & Economic Development, 401 Grand Street, Room 417, Paterson, plus a PDF copy. Staff: (973) 569-4040.

Work in a county road

A Right-of-Way Access permit is needed to build, remove or change a driveway onto a county road; without Planning Board approval, plans go to the County Engineering Department and a decision letter comes within 15 business days. Any work or storage in the county right-of-way needs a Highway Opening and Use Permit from the County Roads Department. The county maintains 246 miles of roadway.

Soil erosion and sediment control

Passaic County is in the Hudson-Essex & Passaic Soil Conservation District, 80 Orchard Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003, 862-333-4505. Construction activities over 5,000 square feet need an erosion control plan.

Passaic County permit costs and fees

Each town in Passaic 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

How to get a building permit in Passaic County

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

Inspections in Passaic County

Inspections are done by the town that issued the permit, not by the county.

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 Passaic County permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals
• Passaic County Planning Board
• Passaic County road permits
• Passaic County municipalities
• Paterson construction code ordinance

Frequently asked questions

Does Passaic County issue building permits?

No. Each of its 16 municipalities issues construction permits through its own construction office.

When does the Passaic County Planning Board review a project?

When the site plan is along a county road or drains stormwater to a county road or county drainage facility; it must be approved before the town issues the building permit.

What does Paterson require before a construction permit?

A Tax Collector certification that all municipal taxes and assessments on the property are paid, and a $20 safe disposal fee for debris is added to the permit fee.

Simplify Passaic County permitting with Alliance Permitting

• 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.

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