Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Hackensack, New Jersey

Hackensack’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Construction, extension, repair, removal, or alteration inside Hackensack city, subject to ordinary-repair exceptions.

  • The City FAQ says permits are generally required when work is more than a repair of a building, electrical, plumbing, or fire element.
  • Ordinary repairs are excepted under the quoted Uniform Construction Code rule.

  “A building or structure shall not be constructed, extended, repaired, removed or altered… without construction permits except for ordinary repairs.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Sales and rentals of certain residential units and changes in tenancy of commercial spaces inside Hackensack city.

  • A continued certificate of occupancy is required for certain residential units, including one- and two-family homes, and for changes in tenancy of commercial spaces.
  • One-family applications require $100; two-family applications require $150.

  one-family continued certificate application fee: 100 USD · two-family continued certificate application fee: 150 USD

  “The City of Hackensack requires a Continued Certificate of Occupancy for the sale and rental of certain residential units including, but not limited to, one or two-family homes.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Hackensack city; the City adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance.

  • The City’s official zoning FAQ states that its zoning ordinance regulates land use, lot size, setbacks, height, and related development controls.

  “The Zoning Ordinance regulates things such as land use, lot size, setbacks, signage, and parking”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts and district-based controls inside Hackensack city.

  • The City publishes a zoning ordinance and official zoning map materials; numeric district schedules were not fully retrievable in this research pass.

  “Zoning categorizes land into districts with specific permitted and prohibited uses.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RVs, trailers, or camp cars used or parked on land inside Hackensack city.

  • Parking on premises is unlawful except in a duly licensed trailer camp or campsite, or for loading and unloading for no longer than 48 hours.
  • Licensed trailer camps require a City permit and Health Department approval.
  • In flood hazard areas, RVs must also satisfy Chapter 89 conditions; placement is prohibited in coastal high hazard areas and floodways.

  loading/unloading maximum: <= 48 hours

  “Any trailer so parked shall be used for no purpose other than loading or unloading as provided above.”

• Who permits septicLocal

  Individual sewage disposal systems inside Hackensack city.

  • Hackensack’s Health Department issues the licenses and certificates described by Chapter 140.

  “No person shall locate, construct or alter any individual sewage disposal system until a license for the location, construction or alteration of said sewage disposal system shall have been issued by the Health Department.”

• Septic permitRequired

  Locating, constructing, or altering an individual sewage disposal system inside Hackensack city.

  • A Health Department license is required before the work begins.

  application and plans fee: 25 USD (for locating and constructing an individual sewage disposal system) · license issuance fee: 25 USD (for locating, constructing, or altering an individual sewage disposal system)

  “For the issuance of a license to locate and construct or alter an individual sewage disposal system: $25.”

• Septic inspectionRequired

  New individual sewage disposal systems and systems requiring reinspection inside Hackensack city.

  • New systems cannot be operated, and dwellings relying on them cannot be sold or occupied, until a Health Department certificate is issued.
  • Reinspection after failure incurs a $5 fee.
  • The certificate is not required for alterations to an existing system.

  reinspection fee: 5 USD (for each reinspection caused by failure to comply with the license or code)

  “For each reinspection of an individual sewage disposal system or part thereof caused by the failure of the licensee to locate and construct or alter the same in accordance with the terms of the license issued or the terms of the aforesaid code, an inspection fee of $5 shall be charged.”

• Mandatory utility hookupConditional

  Connections to Hackensack’s sewer system inside the City.

  • A sewer connection permit is required before making a sewer connection.
  • Residential sewer connection fees must be paid before connection and before issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
  • A connection expected to generate more than 350 gallons per day requires an engineering capacity determination.

  sewerage unit flow: 300 gallons per day · residential sewer connection fee: 2500 USD per sewerage unit (fees are recomputed at the end of each City budget year) · capacity-review threshold: > 350 gallons per day (engineering determination required)

  “No person shall make any sewer connection unless a permit to do so has first been issued in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 107, Licenses and Permits.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Hackensack city.

  • Chapter 150 provides general provisions, minor-subdivision procedure, preliminary and final plat approval, design standards, fees, and penalties.
  • The chapter identifies review by the Bergen County Planning Board for preliminary plats.

  “Chapter 150 Subdivision of Land [...] Article II Minor Subdivision Procedure [...] Article III Preliminary Plat Approval [...] Article IV Final Plat Approval; Improvements [...] Article V Design Standards”

• Driveway accessRequired

  New or expanded driveways inside Hackensack city.

  • Driveways are included among construction activities requiring zoning review.
  • The City FAQ specifically states that expanding a driveway requires a permit and identifies Section 175-5.3G.

  minimum driveway zoning fee: >= 60 USD (driveway fee is $20 per $1,000 of estimated cost of work)

  “Do I need a permit to expand my driveway? Yes, we have to review your project for compliance.”

• Building in a floodplainLimited

  Development in designated flood hazard areas inside Hackensack city.

  • Chapter 89 contains flood-hazard permitting, inspection, manufactured-home, and recreational-vehicle provisions.
  • Recreational vehicles are prohibited in coastal high hazard areas and floodways; temporary placement in flood hazard areas requires full licensing and highway readiness and is limited to fewer than 180 consecutive days.

  temporary RV placement: < 180 consecutive days (must be fully licensed and ready for highway use)

  “Article IV Permits [...] § 89-29 Permits required [...] Article VI Inspections [...] § 89-39 Inspections of development.”

• Permit feesPublished

  Zoning, continued-occupancy, sewer-connection, and individual-sewage-system permits inside Hackensack city.

  • Fees may be updated by later ordinance or annual recomputation where the cited code provides for it.

  standard zoning application fee: 50 USD (includes change in tenancy) · zoning determination letter fee: 50 USD · one-family continued certificate application fee: 100 USD · two-family continued certificate application fee: 150 USD · residential sewer connection fee: 2500 USD per sewerage unit (annual recomputation provided by code) · individual sewage system application fee: 25 USD (locate and construct) · individual sewage system license fee: 25 USD (locate, construct, or alter)

  “Driveway $20.00 per $1,000.00 estimated cost of work With a minimum of $60.00”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Hackensack city.
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Hackensack city zoning districts.
• Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Hackensack city zoning districts.
• Setbacks — Setbacks in Hackensack city zoning districts.
• Lot coverage — Lot or impervious coverage in Hackensack city zoning districts.

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.

Off-grid gear

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

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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