River Edge Borough, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

In the Borough of River Edge, construction permits come from the Building Department (201-599-6322), open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; it will not accept or issue applications after 3 p.m. Stephen Depken is both Construction Official and Zoning Official, and zoning review must be finished before building permit applications for additions, new homes, fences, pools, decks and sheds are even submitted. Contractors must show state registration before any permit issues, a home sale needs the department’s certificate of resale, and every rental of a one- or two-family home needs a $35 Fire Prevention Bureau inspection.

What requires a building permit in River Edge?

River Edge works under the state Uniform Construction Code, and its Building Department page says plainly that permits are required before any work starts. The state code exempts ordinary maintenance altogether and lets minor work begin once the office has been notified, with the permit following. The borough’s own list of jobs that need a permit, which it says is not complete, is broader than many homeowners expect.

What River Edge decides and what the state holds

The building rules are New Jersey’s. River Edge sets its construction fee ordinance, its zoning, site plan and subdivision codes, its soil movement and street opening permits, and its resale and rental certificate process. The state keeps one subcode for itself: the Department of Community Affairs holds River Edge’s elevator subcode post, so elevator work is reviewed and inspected by DCA.

River Edge building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department is River Edge’s UCC enforcing agency, and its construction official also serves as zoning official and the Land Use Board’s zoning officer. DCA’s roster (September 2, 2026) lists Stephen A. Depken as construction official and building subcode official, borough subcode officials for electrical, fire protection and plumbing work, and DCA in the elevator post. The roster gives Borough Hall, 705 Kinderkamack Road, as the address, while the department’s own page shows its location as 10 River Edge Road; call before visiting.

River Edge permit types

River Edge posts the state construction permit application (the F100 jacket) and the building, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and mechanical technical sections on its Borough Forms and Permits page, with a chimney verification form for fuel-burning equipment and a framing checklist. Its own forms cover the zoning steps that come first and the certificates that follow.

Residential permits

• Additions and new houses. Start with the Application for Zoning Officer Review: one set of plans and an updated survey, a $50 review fee, the owner’s signature and the contractor’s home improvement registration number. The borough warns that false or misleading survey information can bring fines of up to $500.
• Fences, pools, decks, sheds, driveways and patios. The same zoning form, with the item drawn to scale on the survey. A retaining wall over 4 feet needs engineering approval, and its UCC permit comes only after zoning and engineering approval.
• Mechanical replacements. Water heaters, furnaces, boilers and central air are on the borough’s permit list and use the matching technical sections.
• Soil movement. A soil moving permit under Chapter 354, Soil Removal, needs a sealed set of plans, a contour map and grades signed by a licensed engineer or architect, and the total cubic yards certified; construction permits are not issued until the engineer’s review is complete and an approval letter is received.
• Short-term and long-term rentals. The borough posts a short-term rental application and a landlord identity statement alongside the rental inspection rules.

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

Commercial permits

A business needs a commercial zoning use application before it fits out a space, and a change of tenancy or ownership of a business has its own certificate form. Fire inspections for commercial work are scheduled on Monday and Thursday afternoons. Food trucks need a Type 1 state fire permit; the Fire Prevention Bureau’s page posts the application and the $54 fee. Work in a borough street, including utility connections, needs a street opening permit under Chapter 362, Article 3, with insurance, a Call Before You Dig confirmation, the contractor’s New Jersey business registration and a refundable bond.

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

What comes before the construction permit

• Zoning Officer review. The Zoning Officer issues a letter of conformance if no board approval is needed, or a letter of non-conformance listing the variances or approvals required.
• Land Use Board. River Edge has one Land Use Board for variances, appeals of the zoning officer, interpretations, site plans and subdivisions. Applicants must first get the letter of non-compliance, then file with the Land Use Clerk and pay all fees before a hearing date is set; meetings are in the Council Chambers on the second floor of Borough Hall and also on Zoom.
• Engineering. Retaining walls over 4 feet and soil movement need engineering review.
• County and state. Disturbance over 5,000 square feet needs a Bergen County Soil Conservation District plan, and work in a county road needs a county road opening permit.

River Edge permit costs and fees

River Edge does not post its construction fee schedule online; the Building Department applies the borough’s fee ordinance and staff contact you when the permit is out of review and ready for pick-up. These fees appear on the borough’s own forms and pages:

Land Use Board fees must be paid in advance, by separate checks, before the certified owners list is issued and a hearing is scheduled, and the board may require extra escrow for its engineer and planner. The resale certificate form does not print its fee, so ask the Building Department when you file it.

Trade permits and who may pull them

River Edge requires proof of state registration from contractors before it issues any permit, and points applicants to the Division of Consumer Affairs for registration. Trade work goes on the technical sections of the same application and is inspected by the subcode official for each trade.

• Electrical: filed by a state-licensed electrical contractor; electrical and building inspections run Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 to 11 a.m.
• Plumbing: filed by a state-licensed master plumber; plumbing inspections are Monday and Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m.
• Fire protection: sprinkler and alarm work on the fire section; commercial fire inspections are Monday and Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m.
• Mechanical: heating, cooling and water heater replacements on the mechanical section, with chimney verification for fuel-burning appliances.
• Elevators: handled by DCA.

Builders of new homes register with DCA rather than Consumer Affairs, and the state licenses electrical contractors, master plumbers and HVACR contractors. An owner working on his or her own home is exempt from contractor registration, but the borough’s registration check applies to any contractor named on the application.

How to apply for a River Edge building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

The borough warns that it always has a high volume of applications in review. State rules still give the office 20 business days to act on a complete application, but the clock does not start until zoning is cleared, which River Edge requires before the building application is even submitted. Missing contractor registration is another stopper, since no permit issues without it. A construction code decision can be appealed to the Bergen County Construction Board of Appeals within 15 days.

Inspections and certificates in River Edge

Email the Building Department at its inspections address to request an inspection; state rules call for a written request at least 24 hours before the visit. Inspectors keep set hours: building inspections Monday and Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m. and, with electrical, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8 to 11 a.m.; plumbing Monday and Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m.; and commercial fire inspections Monday and Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. Use the borough’s framing checklist before calling for a framing inspection. Finals lead to a certificate of occupancy or approval.

Selling a home needs a certificate of resale from the Building Department. The seller must close every open permit before the inspection. The inspector then checks smoke detectors on every level, including the basement, and within 10 feet of each bedroom door, carbon monoxide detectors on every level, a serviced 2A-10B:C fire extinguisher mounted within 10 feet of the kitchen, handrails on stairs, that sump pumps do not drain into the sewer, and that the sidewalk is in repair. Monitored alarm systems need a test report dated within 30 days of closing.

Renting out a one- or two-family home that the owner does not live in needs its own Fire Prevention Bureau inspection, by appointment at 201-599-6323, for a $35 fee. The bureau’s page asks for ten-year sealed battery smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide alarm; the Building Department’s page adds a portable fire extinguisher to the certificate.

New Jersey building code in River Edge

River Edge applies the statewide UCC adopted by DCA, with its zoning, site plan and subdivision codes published online. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists River Edge (community 340068) as participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps effective 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

River Edge permit search and official resources

River Edge has no online permit lookup. Ask the Building Department about a current application, or file the borough’s OPRA request form with the Borough Clerk at 705 Kinderkamack Road for copies of past permits, certificates and approvals.

• River Edge Building Department
• Borough forms and permits
• Construction permit application (F100 jacket)
• Application for Zoning Officer review
• Certificate of resale, residential
• Soil movement permit application
• Street opening permit application and fees
• Home or property modifications: Land Use Board requirements
• Land Use Board
• Land Use Board zoning application and fees
• Fire Prevention Bureau
• OPRA request form, borough records
• NJ DCA adopted construction codes
• NJ DCA UCC application and technical forms
• DCA Local Construction Contacts roster
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey

River Edge building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to replace my water heater in River Edge?

Yes. Replacing or installing a water heater, furnace or boiler is on the borough’s permit list, along with central air, roofs and siding.

Do I need zoning approval before a building permit?

Yes, for additions, new homes, fences, pools, decks and sheds. The borough requires zoning review before the building application is submitted, with no exceptions.

What time does the River Edge building office close?

It is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and does not accept or issue applications after 3 p.m.

What do I need to sell my house in River Edge?

A certificate of resale from the Building Department. Close all open permits first; the inspection covers smoke and CO detectors, a fire extinguisher near the kitchen, handrails, sump pumps and the sidewalk.

What does a variance cost?

$350 for up to three residential variances on a single-family lot, $200 for each one after that and $1,500 for a use variance, plus a $10 owner list and a $900 legal escrow.

Who inspects elevators in River Edge?

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which holds the borough’s elevator subcode.

Do rentals need an inspection?

Yes. Renting a one- or two-family home the owner does not live in needs a $35 Fire Prevention Bureau inspection; call 201-599-6323.

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