Bolthole Index

Bergen County, New Jersey

Building permits, zoning and septic in the Borough of Bergenfield, New Jersey

The Borough of Bergenfield, New Jersey issues construction permits through its Building Department and administers its own zoning in Bergen County.1 New construction requires a permit under New Jersey’s Uniform Construction Code, with an exception for ordinary maintenance.2 Septic plans need approval from the health department having jurisdiction; ask the Bergenfield Health Department to identify the approving office for your address.34

At a glance

Building permits
Bergenfield Building Department issues construction permits; ordinary maintenance is exempt12
Zoning
Borough zoning applies; confirm the parcel’s district15
Construction fees
Published minimum basic fee: $60 for R-3 and R-5 use groups6
Septic approvals
Health-department plan approval before a construction permit for a septic-served building3
RV living
Occupancy unconfirmed; zoning permits cover recreational-vehicle installation7
Tiny homes
Occupancy unconfirmed; ask the borough zoning officer7
Wells
NJDEP drilling permit plus municipal or county health approvals8

Who to call

Building permits

Bergenfield Building Department and Zoning Officer

Bergenfield construction permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy and local zoning review

(201) 387-4055

Municipal Building, 198 N. Washington Avenue, Bergenfield, NJ 07621

Health department

Bergenfield Health Department

Local health contact to ask which health department approves septic and well work for a Bergenfield address; septic jurisdiction is unconfirmed

(201) 387-4055 ext 5

[email protected]

Municipal Building, 198 N. Washington Avenue, Bergenfield, NJ 07621

Health department

Bergen County Department of Health Services

County health contact for jurisdiction questions; Bergenfield septic approval responsibility is unconfirmed

201-634-2600

[email protected]

One Bergen County Plaza • 4th Floor • Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 12, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Bergenfield means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in the Borough of Bergenfield, NJ?

Bergenfield’s Building Department issues construction permits and enforces the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.1 New construction, alterations, renovation, demolition and other covered work require a construction permit before work begins, while ordinary maintenance is exempt.2 Ask the Building Department to classify the proposed work before scheduling a contractor.7 Bergenfield construction inspections occur during the work, and a new building cannot be occupied before the construction official issues a certificate of occupancy.910

Who handles building permits and fees in the Borough of Bergenfield?

Contact the Bergenfield Building Department at (201) 387-4055; the municipal page directs zoning questions to ext. 4092.7 The department handles construction permits, progress inspections and certificates of occupancy as well as borough development regulations.7 Bergenfield’s published minimum basic construction-permit fee is $60 for R-3 and R-5 use groups, with a $100 minimum for other use groups and subcodes.6 The published plan-review fee is 20% of the construction-permit amount, credited toward that amount and nonrefundable; request a project-specific fee calculation from the department.6

Does the Borough of Bergenfield have zoning and setback rules?

The Borough of Bergenfield administers its own zoning and development regulations.1 Bergenfield has distinct zoning districts, so identify the parcel’s district before deciding what to build.5 New Jersey authorizes municipal district-specific lot sizes, dwelling floor areas and setbacks; we could not confirm the applicable numeric Bergenfield limits for a particular parcel.111213 Ask the borough zoning officer for the permitted use and dimensional requirements; a proposal that fails to comply must be modified or pursue a variance.7

How do septic permits and wells work inside the Borough of Bergenfield?

For a Bergenfield building served by septic, the construction official must receive health-department approval of the septic plan before issuing the construction permit, and septic compliance documentation before issuing the certificate of occupancy.3 We could not confirm which health office administers those approvals inside Bergenfield; start with the Bergenfield Health Department and ask whether the borough or Bergen County handles your address.414 New Jersey septic facilities must be inspected and receive permission before being covered.15 A proposed well requires an NJDEP drilling permit, with well-construction approvals from municipal or county health officials.8

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Borough of Bergenfield?

We could not confirm authorization to occupy an RV or tiny home on private land in Bergenfield; ask the borough zoning officer about the proposed use and address before buying a unit.7 Bergenfield expressly requires zoning permits for recreational-vehicle installation and some temporary uses, which does not establish permission to live in an RV.7 A tiny-home proposal must be evaluated against Bergenfield’s zoning and the applicable state construction requirements; a new building requires a certificate of occupancy before use.110

Building a home in the Borough of Bergenfield: what are the steps?

  1. Identify the parcel’s Bergenfield zoning district and ask the zoning officer to review the proposed use and layout.57
  2. Resolve required prior approvals before construction-permit issuance, including health approval of a septic plan if the building will use septic.163
  3. Confirm street access: Bergenfield generally requires the lot to abut a qualifying, suitably improved street or secure the improvement through a performance guarantee.17
  4. Submit the construction application to the Building Department, arrange required staged inspections and obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving into the new home.7910

What stays with Bergen County when building in the Borough of Bergenfield?

Bergenfield’s borough zoning does not replace Bergen County development review: all subdivisions must be submitted to the County Planning Board, and county-road or drainage impacts determine whether county approval is required.118 Ask about county review before committing to a subdivision layout.18 For land outside Bergenfield, consult the Bergen County guide for the broader division of municipal zoning and county planning responsibilities.19 Bergenfield also regulates sewer-connection applications; we could not confirm a general local mandatory water-or-sewer connection rule for new homes.20

Watch-outs

  • A Bergenfield zoning permit for RV installation does not establish residential occupancy permission; ask the borough zoning officer about living in the unit.7
  • We could not confirm Bergenfield’s septic approving office; ask the Bergenfield Health Department before commissioning a septic design.4
  • Bergenfield street-access requirements can affect building-permit eligibility even before construction details are reviewed.17

Sources

  1. Article VI: Zoning Regulations and Establishment of Zones (Borough of Bergenfield), quoted and re-checked
  2. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  3. Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Bergenfield Health Department (bergenfieldnj.gov)
  5. Article VI: Zoning Regulations and Establishment of Zones (Borough of Bergenfield), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 136: Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Bergenfield), quoted and re-checked
  7. Bergenfield Building Department and Zoning Officer (bergenfieldnj.gov)
  8. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Home Warranty—Consumer Information (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Bergen County Department of Health Services (bergencountynj.gov)
  15. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. ecode360.com (Borough of Bergenfield), quoted and re-checked
  18. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  19. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Site Plans, quoted and re-checked
  20. Article I: General Provisions - Borough of Bergenfield (Borough of Bergenfield), quoted and re-checked

Written October 12, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Bergenfield

Borough of Bergenfield’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction-code enforcement inside Bergenfield borough.

    • The local agency enforces the State Uniform Construction Code and may use qualified on-site inspection agencies under N.J.A.C. 5:23.
    “There is hereby established in the Borough of Bergenfield a State Uniform Construction Code Enforcing Agency to be known as the "Bergenfield Construction Code Department,"”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Bergenfield borough; the borough adopts and administers its own land development and zoning chapter.

    • The zoning map is incorporated into Chapter 186 and is on file in the Borough Clerk's office.
    “The Bergenfield Building Department is the Local Municipal Enforcing Agency which issues construction permits, conducts progress inspections and issues certificates of occupancy in accordance with the State of New Jersey Uniform Construction Code Act regulations. The Building Department also administers the Borough of Bergenfield Development Regulations and provisions of the State of New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Bergenfield borough.

    • The code lists R-40, R-15, R-6, R-5, R-M, R-S, B-1, B-2, B-1 AHO, B-2 AHO, AHO, M, P and IH zones.
    • The zoning map is dated January 1979 and is on file in the Borough Clerk's office.
    “For the purpose of this chapter, the Borough of Bergenfield is hereby divided into the following zones:”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and site-plan development inside Bergenfield borough.

    • Chapter 186 contains procedures for preliminary and final subdivision approval, plat details, guarantees, fees, site plans, and resubdivision applications.
    “Article IX Subdivision and Site Plan Review and Approval”
  • Driveway accessRequired

    Building access for buildings and structures inside Bergenfield borough.

    • The street must be an existing state, county or municipal street or an approved/filed plat street.
    • The street must be certified as suitably improved or improvement must be secured by performance guarantee.
    • The Board of Adjustment may vary the requirement upon application or appeal for practical difficulty, unnecessary hardship, or where a street relationship is unnecessary, subject to emergency-access and future-street-layout conditions.
    “No permit for the erection of a building or structure shall be issued unless the lot abuts a street giving access to such proposed building or structure.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Construction permits and related certificates inside Bergenfield borough.

    • Minimum basic construction permit fee is $60 for Use Groups R-3 and R-5 and $100 for other use groups and subcodes; new R-3 construction is $0.09 per cubic foot; plan review is 20% of the construction-permit amount; training surcharge is also collected under N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19(b).
    • The fee section states it was last amended July 7, 2009.

    minimum basic construction permit fee: 60 USD (Use Groups R-3 and R-5) · minimum basic construction permit fee: 100 USD (all other use groups and subcodes) · R-3 new construction fee: 0.09 USD per cubic foot · plan review fee: 20 percent (credited toward permit fee and nonrefundable)

    “Minimum fee. The minimum fee for a basic construction permit covering any or all of building, plumbing, electrical, elevator or fire protection work shall be $60 for Use Groups R-3 and R-5. The minimum fee for all other use groups shall be $100 for all other subcodes.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Sewer-connection permits inside Bergenfield borough.

    • Applications must be in writing and signed by the applicant or agent.
    • A refusal may be appealed to the Planning Board.
    • No permit is issued until the fee is paid; work started before permit issuance is charged twice the regular fee.
    “No permit authorized by this article shall be granted except pursuant to an application in writing therefor signed by the person desiring such permit or his agent, which application shall set forth such facts as are hereinafter required by the provisions of this article.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Bergenfield or Bergen County directly.

  • Building permit — General building permits for construction inside Bergenfield borough.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder work inside Bergenfield borough.
  • Inspections — General building inspections inside Bergenfield borough.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Bergenfield borough.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential dwelling size inside Bergenfield borough.
13 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Short-term rentals

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Borough of Bergenfield publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bergen County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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