Somers Point City, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

Construction permits in the City of Somers Point are issued by the Construction, Zoning and Code Enforcement office, listed at 741 Shore Road (609-927-9088, ext. 142), where Mark McCrane is the Construction Official and also the zoning official. The office takes Planning Board and Zoning Board applications too, and before a home is sold or rented it inspects the property under a $250-per-unit land/structure compliance application. Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday.

What requires a building permit in Somers Point?

Somers Point follows the state Uniform Construction Code for what needs a construction permit: building, altering, adding to, repairing, demolishing or changing the use of a structure, and installing or replacing electrical, plumbing, fire protection and mechanical systems. The city adds its own approvals on top: zoning review under its Developmental Regulations (Chapter 114 of the city code), historic district review, street openings and an inspection before a home changes hands or tenants.

As the state code draws the line, ordinary maintenance needs no permit at all, and minor work needs a permit but may start once the office has been told about it. Anything else waits for the permit to be issued.

What the city decides and what the state holds

The construction rules are the state’s. Somers Point sets its fees, its zoning and site plan rules in Chapter 114 (including the Bay-Front District in Article XI and the Somers Point Historic District in section 114-97), its street opening rules in Chapter 220, and its resale and rental inspection checklist. The city no longer runs its own Bureau of Fire Prevention and Inspection; its page says that service is now provided by the State of New Jersey through DCA’s Division of Fire Safety.

Somers Point building department: who handles permitting

One office handles construction, zoning and code enforcement. It takes planning and zoning applications and moves them through the boards, issues construction permits, makes inspections and issues certificates of occupancy, while the Code Enforcement Official enforces the zoning ordinances and other city ordinances. DCA’s roster of local construction offices (as of September 2, 2026) shows city staff in the building, fire protection and plumbing posts, leaves the electrical subcode entry blank and lists the Department of Community Affairs for elevators.

DCA’s roster and the city’s certificate of occupancy form both give City Hall, 1 West New Jersey Avenue, as the construction office address, while the city’s department page lists 741 Shore Road; call ext. 142 to confirm where to drop off plans. Because no electrical subcode official appears on the roster, ask the office who reviews and inspects electrical work before you file.

Somers Point permit types

Construction permits use the state UCC application jacket with a technical section for each subcode, available from DCA’s forms page. City forms cover the steps around the permit: the Planning Board development application with its minor site plan and subdivision checklists, the Zoning Board of Adjustment application, a structure relocation form, the historic district applications, the street opening permit and the land/structure compliance (certificate of occupancy) application.

Residential permits

• Houses, additions and decks. Zoning compliance under Chapter 114 is checked by the same office before the construction permit is issued.
• Historic district work. Projects in the Somers Point Historic District use the Historic Preservation Commission’s initial application and its Application for Certificate of Appropriateness; the Commission advises the Planning and Zoning Boards.
• Moving a building. The forms list includes a structure relocation application.
• Sales and rentals. A land/structure compliance inspection checks the property against the city’s resale and rental list.

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

Commercial permits

The Planning Board reviews preliminary and final site plans for all new construction, building conversions, changes of use and conditional uses, plus major and minor subdivisions. When a project needs a use variance, the Zoning Board of Adjustment hears it and can grant the site plan approval at the same time. Commercial projects in the Bay-Front District follow the district rules in Article XI of Chapter 114.

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

What comes before the construction permit

• Planning Board. Seven regular members and two alternates; meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall.
• Zoning Board of Adjustment. Seven regular members and two alternates; interprets the development regulations and grants variances; meets on the second Monday at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall. Plot plans and surveys filed with the board may be examined at the Code Enforcement Office.
• Historic Preservation Commission. Created by Ordinance 20 of 1992; meets on the second Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall.
• Street work. Opening a street or closing a road for work needs a Chapter 220 permit from the City Clerk, filed as an original and one copy with any application fee, inspection fee, surety and insurance the city sets.
• Soil erosion and state permits. Disturbance over 5,000 square feet needs DelAtlantic Soil Conservation District certification (609-625-3144); NJDEP permits apply in mapped flood hazard or coastal areas where the site needs them.

Somers Point permit costs and fees

The city’s construction fee ordinance is part of its code on eCode360 and is not reprinted on the construction page, so the office calculates each permit fee from the application. The fees printed on the city’s own forms are below.

For a duplex, the land/structure compliance fee is 2 × $250, or $500, before any reinspection. The state surcharge, per the live state guide, is $0.00371 per cubic foot for new buildings and additions and $1.90 per $1,000 of value for other work.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing, fire protection and mechanical work are filed as technical sections with the construction permit and reviewed under their own subcodes. The state roster lists city staff for building, fire protection and plumbing, no electrical subcode official, and DCA for elevators.

• Electrical: the electrical technical section; confirm with the office who reviews and inspects it. Electrical contractors hold state licenses.
• Plumbing and gas: the plumbing technical section; master plumbers hold state licenses.
• Fire protection: sprinkler and alarm systems on the fire technical section, reviewed by the city’s fire protection subcode official. Fire code inspections of buildings in use are now a state service.
• Heating and cooling: equipment is listed on the technical sections it touches; HVACR contractors hold state licenses.

New Jersey has no general contractor license. Home improvement contractors must be registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs and new-home builders with DCA, and the registration number goes on the application; owners working on their own home are exempt from registration.

How to apply for a Somers Point building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

State rules give the construction official 20 business days to decide a complete application; with no decision and no agreed extension, the applicant may treat it as denied and appeal. Board hearings follow the monthly schedules above, so a project needing a site plan, variance or historic review should allow for them, and electrical work should be confirmed with the office before filing because the roster shows no electrical subcode official.

Inspections and certificates in Somers Point

The construction office makes the inspections and issues certificates of occupancy. State rules ask for written notice at least 24 hours before an inspection is wanted, so call or write to ext. 142 with the permit number and the type of inspection. A new building needs a certificate of occupancy before use, and altered space gets a certificate of approval.

Before a sale or rental, file the Land/Structure Compliance Application ($250 per dwelling unit) with the seller, agent and buyer details, the settlement date, any lockbox code and whether the home will be a short-term (under 175 days) or long-term rental. The office checks for open permits and inspects against its list for all resale and rental inspections:

• Outside: walks and driveways free of trip hazards, a mowed yard, house numbers at least 4 inches tall and visible from the street, sound paint, service cable, gutters, decks and steps (a graspable rail at three or more risers) and building exterior.
• Inside: smoke detectors within 10 feet of bedrooms and on every level including the basement, carbon monoxide detectors within 10 feet of sleeping rooms, a 2A:10B:C extinguisher of no more than 10 pounds mounted in the kitchen, stair rails, bathroom windows or exhaust fans, GFI outlets near sinks and in garages, basements and outdoors, working fixtures with hot and cold water, a water heater relief pipe ending within 6 inches of the floor, vented gas appliances and dryers, single-keyed door locks and at least one insect screen per room.
• Smoke alarms: since January 1, 2019, battery smoke alarms must be ten-year sealed lithium units; existing hardwired alarms and carbon monoxide alarms are exempt from that rule.

New Jersey building code in Somers Point

Somers Point enforces the statewide UCC through its own construction office, with DCA covering elevators. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Somers Point (community 340017) as a participating National Flood Insurance Program community with flood maps dated November 17, 1982, and the city is in the Community Rating System at class 6, worth a 20% discount on eligible flood insurance; the city’s flood pages explain flood zones and resilient building.

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

Somers Point permit search and official resources

Permit and inspection files are kept by the construction office; ask there first about an existing permit or certificate. Formal records requests go to the City Clerk at City Hall, 1 West New Jersey Avenue, and Historic Preservation Commission minutes are on file at the Clerk’s Office and available on request.

• Construction, Zoning and Code Enforcement office
• Land/structure compliance (certificate of occupancy) application
• City forms: Planning Board, Zoning Board, rental license, street opening
• Street opening and road closure permit application
• Zoning Board of Adjustment application
• Planning Board
• Zoning Board of Adjustment
• Historic Preservation Commission
• Fire inspection (now provided by the state)
• Somers Point flood protection information
• DCA construction permit forms
• DCA roster of local construction offices
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey

Somers Point building permit FAQs

What inspection do I need to sell a house in Somers Point?

A land/structure compliance inspection, applied for on the city’s certificate of occupancy form; it costs $250 per dwelling unit and $100 for each reinspection.

What does the resale inspection check?

Exterior safety items, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors near bedrooms and on every level, a kitchen fire extinguisher, stair rails, GFI outlets, plumbing, venting and door locks.

Does Somers Point still have a fire prevention bureau?

No. The city says it no longer maintains a Bureau of Fire Prevention and Inspection; the State of New Jersey provides that service.

When does the Planning Board meet?

Generally on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in City Hall; the Zoning Board meets on the second Monday at 7:00 p.m.

Do I need approval for work in the historic district?

Yes. The Historic Preservation Commission reviews applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness and advises the Planning and Zoning Boards.

Who issues street opening permits?

The City Clerk, under Chapter 220 of the city code, on an original application and one copy.

Where is the construction office?

The city page lists 741 Shore Road; forms and DCA’s roster give City Hall, 1 West New Jersey Avenue. Call 609-927-9088, ext. 142, first.

Simplify Somers Point City 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 Somers Point City permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.