Totowa Borough, New Jersey Building Permit Guide

In the Borough of Totowa, the Building Department at 537 Totowa Road, 2nd floor (973-956-1000 ext. 1016), issues construction permits and handles zoning: Allan Burghardt is named on the borough page as Construction Code Official, Building Subcode Official and Zoning Officer. Inspections are booked by phone at least one day ahead, tree removal, driveways, sidewalks and fence replacements all need permits, and a house cannot change hands without a certificate of re-sale and a fire certificate.

What requires a building permit in Totowa?

Totowa’s own wording is that permits are needed for most improvements to a property, and that anyone unsure should call the Building Department before starting. The page then names four jobs that always need a permit in Totowa: removing any tree, driveways, sidewalks, and replacing a fence.

What Totowa decides and what the state holds

The building, plumbing, electrical and fire standards are the state’s Uniform Construction Code. Totowa’s part is local: its construction fee ordinance, its zoning and land use rules, the tree removal permit, the certificate of re-sale required by Chapter 153-14 of the borough ordinances, and Fire Prevention Bureau programs under Chapter 186. DCA keeps one subcode for itself here, elevators, according to its roster of local construction officials.

Totowa building department: who handles permitting

The Building Department is a small office: the construction code official, who is also the building subcode official and zoning officer, a zoning inspector who doubles as housing and property maintenance officer, and subcode officials for fire, plumbing and electrical work. The DCA roster (as of September 2, 2026) lists the same construction official for Totowa and for neighboring Woodland Park, and gives the office’s direct line as 973-956-7929, the number printed on the borough’s zoning and dwelling certificate forms. The Planning Board Secretary also works out of the Building Department, so board filings and construction permits start at the same counter.

Totowa permit types

Totowa does not print its own construction application; its forms page links the state’s UCC construction permit packet, with the jacket and the building, electrical, plumbing and fire sections. Local permits have their own Totowa forms.

Residential permits

• Sheds and fences. The borough’s zoning permit form asks for the block and lot, the owner, the contractor and the contractor’s license number, and a description of the work.
• In-ground pools. A standing notice to pool installers requires every application to include a site plan prepared by a New Jersey licensed professional engineer, with three sets of plans at submission; the borough attaches its ordinance and a site plan checklist.
• Tree removal. A $35 permit; mark each tree with string or tape (never paint), do not book the tree service until the permit is approved, and expect the tree service to chip and haul all debris. The borough may require a landscape plan or replacement trees, and an approved permit is valid for three months. The borough also has a Shade Tree Commission, which meets on the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Totowa Library.
• Rentals. A dwelling certificate and smoke detector certificate are needed when a rental gets a new occupant, and landlords file a registration statement.

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

Commercial permits

Commercial work goes through the same UCC application, with site changes reviewed by the Planning Board; the forms page carries a minor site plan application. A business that receives the Fire Prevention Bureau’s registration survey must return it within 30 days, under a $500 penalty for each failure, and regulated activities need a fire safety permit. In October 2026 the council adopted Ordinance 18-2026, adding a “Rapid Entry System” article to the Fire Prevention chapter of the code; ask the Fire Bureau how it applies to a new or altered commercial building.

Along Route 46, the Planning Board set a public hearing for November 12, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. on whether Block 177, Lots 2, 2.01, 3 and 3.01 (1 and 75 Route 46) should be designated a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment, following council resolutions 46-2026 and 104-2026. The study map and the preliminary investigation report are kept in the Planning Board Secretary’s office inside the Building Department and on the borough’s affordable housing page; if the board recommends designation, the decision moves to the Borough Council.

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

What comes before the construction permit

• Zoning. Because the construction official is also the zoning officer, zoning questions go to the same office; sheds and fences use the borough’s zoning permit form, which carries his name.
• Planning Board and Board of Adjustment. Application paperwork goes to the Building Department at least 15 days before a meeting; agenda places are first come, first served.
• Flood maps. The Building Department page posts the five volumes of the FEMA flood maps for the borough.
• Zoning map and master plan. The borough posts its zoning map with the 2014, 2016 and 2018 master plan re-examinations, so an owner can see the zone and planning policy for a lot before applying.
• Soil and county approvals. Larger sites that disturb more than 5,000 square feet need a soil conservation district plan, and work affecting a county road needs Passaic County approval.

Totowa permit costs and fees

Totowa’s construction fee schedule is part of the borough code and is not reproduced on its website, so the Building Department gives the fee for each permit. The amounts the borough prints on its own forms are below; the state training surcharge is collected on top of the construction fee.

The resale and fire certificate fees are paid as two separate checks to the Borough of Totowa, one for each certificate. Ordinance 19-2026, introduced on October 27, 2026 and listed for final passage on November 10, 2026 (ask the Clerk whether it was adopted), would opt the borough into the Garden State C-PACE program, which finances clean energy and resiliency work on commercial property; it is not a permit fee.

Trade permits and who may pull them

Electrical, plumbing and fire work are filed on their own subcode sections of the state packet and inspected by the borough’s subcode officials; plumbing and electrical inspectors keep Monday and Wednesday morning hours. New Jersey does not license general contractors: a contractor doing home improvements must be registered with the Division of Consumer Affairs, a builder of new homes registers with DCA, and electrical contractors and master plumbers carry state licenses. The borough’s own forms ask for the contractor’s license or registration number. A homeowner working on their own home does not need a contractor registration.

• Pools and spas. The re-sale checklist requires hard-wired ground fault protection for pool and spa receptacles.
• Gas appliances. Vents from gas-fired appliances and the connection from the water heater, furnace or boiler to the chimney are both on the list the inspector checks when a house is sold.
• Water meters. Every home must have an external reading device on the water meter.

How to apply for a Totowa building permit

Review, corrections and what causes delay

State rules give the office 20 business days to approve or deny a complete application, and an application waiting on zoning or another prior approval is not yet complete. Board cases set the pace for bigger projects: the Planning Board meets on the second and fourth Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and the Board of Adjustment on the second Wednesday at 7 p.m., and the borough has carried applications to a later meeting at the applicant’s request. The Planning Board posts its 2026 agendas and minutes on the borough site, and its last 2026 meeting date listed is December 10.

Inspections and certificates in Totowa

Inspections are scheduled by calling the Building Department at least one day ahead. Each trade is inspected by its own subcode official, and a certificate of occupancy or approval follows the final inspections.

Selling or renting a home

Chapter 153-14 of the borough ordinances says occupancy or possession of a building cannot pass from one person to another without a certificate of re-sale. The packet costs $100 for the resale certificate and $100 for the fire certificate on a single-family house, or $200 each on a two-family house, and the buyers must bring photo ID for every adult moving in and birth certificates for minor children. The inspection looks for open permits, illegal construction and illegal two-family or multifamily use, as well as house numbers on the house and mailbox, gas appliance vents, installed meters, a pressure relief pipe ending within 6 inches of the floor, handrails on steps with four or more risers and fire separations. A home on a private well must submit a clean well test, or the certificate is not issued. The Fire Prevention Bureau’s current checklist calls for a smoke detector on every level and within 10 feet of each bedroom door, sealed 10-year batteries in battery units, carbon monoxide alarms within 10 feet of bedrooms and a service report for monitored alarm systems; it says a fire extinguisher is no longer required (Bill A3894, February 3, 2025), although the older sale packet still lists one.

New Jersey building code in Totowa

Totowa enforces the state code through its own Building Department, with DCA covering elevators. FEMA’s Community Status Book lists Totowa (community 340408) in the National Flood Insurance Program, with flood maps dated April 17, 2020.

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

Totowa permit search and official resources

Owners can see every permit recorded on their property, including its history, through the borough’s Edmunds Construction Permit Self Service after the Building Department issues a username and ID; contractors see the permits on which they are listed. Older files are requested with the borough’s OPRA public records form (revised 2024) on the forms page, which can be faxed to 973-956-8414.

• Building Department: contacts, hours and inspections
• Construction Permit Self Service (Edmunds)
• Borough forms: zoning, tree, sale packet, OPRA
• Certificate of sale packet, one- and two-family homes
• Tree removal permit application
• In-ground pool site plan requirement
• Fire Prevention Bureau
• Smoke detector inspection requirements
• Fire safety permit application and fees
• Planning Board meetings
• Board of Adjustment meetings
• Public notices and 2026 ordinances
• Ordinance 18-2026, Rapid Entry System
• DCA Local Construction Contacts roster
• FEMA Community Status Book, New Jersey

Totowa building permit FAQs

Do I need a permit to take down a tree in Totowa?

Yes. Any tree removal needs the $35 permit, approved before the tree service is booked; the permit lasts three months.

Is a permit needed to replace an existing fence?

Yes. Fence replacements are on the borough’s permit list and use the zoning permit form for sheds and fences.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call the Building Department at least one day before you need it.

What does selling a house cost in Totowa?

$200 for a single-family house ($100 resale certificate plus $100 fire certificate) or $400 for a two-family house, paid as two separate checks.

Who is Totowa’s zoning officer?

The construction code official, Allan Burghardt, also serves as zoning officer, so zoning and building questions go to the same office.

What does an in-ground pool application need?

A site plan prepared by a New Jersey licensed professional engineer, submitted in three sets with the construction application.

Does a rental need an inspection when the tenant changes?

Yes. The borough’s forms include a dwelling certificate and smoke detector certificate for rentals, which lists the current owner and the new occupants and requires access to the entire structure and property for the inspection.

Can I see my property’s permit history online?

Yes, through Construction Permit Self Service once the Building Department sets up your username and ID.

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