Bolthole Index

Burlington County, New Jersey

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

Borough of Palmyra, Burlington County, New Jersey administers its own zoning under Chapter 158 of the borough code1. Building permits are required statewide and are issued by the borough's construction official, not the county23. Septic approval is a separate health-department step; Burlington County runs a Septic and Well Program4, but we could not confirm which health office covers addresses inside Palmyra.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the borough's construction official23
Zoning
Borough zoning, Chapter 158, nine districts15
R-1 minimum lot
7,500 sq ft, 60 ft wide, 125 ft deep6
R-1 minimum home size
1,200 sq ft7
Living in an RV or tent
Barred on any lot, any district89
Septic
Needs health-department approval before a building permit; Palmyra's office unconfirmed104
Owner-builder
Allowed with an affidavit; permits and inspections still apply11

Who to call

Building permits

Palmyra Borough Construction Office (Construction Official)

Building permits, plan review and inspections under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code inside Palmyra

(856) 829-1096

20 West Broad Street, Palmyra, NJ 08065

Zoning

Palmyra Borough Zoning Officer

Zoning questions for lots inside Palmyra

(856) 829-1096

Septic permits

Burlington County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

County Septic and Well Program applications; ask whether it covers your Palmyra address

609-265-5548

15 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton, NJ 08060

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Palmyra, NJ have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Palmyra has its own zoning. The borough divides itself into R-1 Residential Single-Family, R-2 Residential Multifamily, TC Town Center Commercial, NC Neighborhood Commercial, HC Highway Commercial, OC Office Commercial, I Industrial, P Public and Institutional, and OS Conservation and Open Space districts5. Burlington County does not zone; the state gives the zoning power to municipalities, not counties12.

Living in a house trailer or tent is barred on any lot in any district, temporary or permanent89. The code does not use the words "recreational vehicle", so applying that rule to a specific RV is an interpretation; ask the Zoning Officer before parking one on a lot13. A tiny home is not addressed by name in the sections we reviewed, so confirm with the same office.

What are the lot size, setback and height rules in Palmyra's R-1 district?

In the R-1 Residential Single-Family district, a lot needs at least 7,500 square feet, 60 feet of width, 125 feet of depth and 60 feet of frontage6. A principal structure needs a 30-foot front yard, an 8-foot side yard (20 feet for both sides combined) and a 25-foot rear yard14. Buildings may cover up to 35% of the lot and hard surfaces up to 50%15.

Dwellings in R-1 must be at least 1,200 square feet7, and the maximum height of a principal structure is 35 feet16. Accessory buildings may sit 3 feet from side and rear lines but need a 30-foot front yard17, and top out at 18 feet18. No one may live in an accessory building or garage19. We did not confirm the standards for the other districts, so ask the Zoning Officer13.

Do you need a building permit in Palmyra, and who issues it?

Yes. New Jersey requires a construction permit for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work on existing buildings20. Inside Palmyra the permit comes from the borough, whose Construction Office is led by a construction official and building inspector at 20 West Broad Street3. Burlington County does not issue these permits2.

A complete application must be released or denied within 20 business days21. Permit fees are set by the municipality, and we could not confirm Palmyra's fee schedule; ask the Construction Office. Owners who build their own home still need permits and inspections, and must file an affidavit with the construction official before a certificate of occupancy can issue11.

How do septic permits work for a home in Palmyra?

New Jersey law bars a building permit until the board of health having jurisdiction certifies the sewerage facilities10. The health department involved may be municipal or county22. Burlington County's Environmental Health Division runs a Septic and Well Program with applications to construct or alter an individual subsurface sewage disposal system423.

We could not confirm whether the county or a local board of health handles septic review for an address inside Palmyra, or whether your lot must connect to public sewer. Call the Burlington County Environmental Health Division and the borough Construction Office before you buy. County-wide, only about 0.2% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system if septic is allowed24.

How do you build a home in Palmyra? The steps, in order

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which district the lot is in and whether the use, lot size and setbacks fit13.
  2. Confirm water and sewer service for the lot and get health-department approval for any septic system10.
  3. File the Construction Permit Application Form with the borough Construction Office21.
  4. Expect stops for footing, foundation, utility, midpoint and final inspections on a one- or two-family home25.
  5. Pass the final inspection and get a certificate of occupancy before moving in26.

What stays with Burlington County, and what to check before you buy in Palmyra?

The county does not zone or issue building permits here12. It reviews subdivisions that affect county roads or drainage27, and its health department runs the septic and well program4. For land outside Palmyra, see the Burlington County page.

Before buying, check the flood status of the lot and driveway access: a driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit28. Burlington County's effective property tax rate is 2.4%29.

Watch-outs

  • Palmyra's zoning map is dated January 2003 and was not available to us, so confirm a lot's district with the Zoning Officer5.
  • The borough's rules for building permit fees, flood hazard areas, driveways, short-term rentals and sewer connection were not confirmed; ask the Construction Office3.
  • Septic authority inside Palmyra is unconfirmed; ask the Burlington County Environmental Health Division before relying on a septic plan23.

Sources

  1. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  2. NJ Department of Community Affairs - Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  3. Palmyra Borough Construction Office (Construction Official) (boroughofpalmyra.com)
  4. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  10. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (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. Palmyra Borough Zoning Officer (boroughofpalmyra.com)
  14. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  15. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  16. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  17. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  18. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  19. Article III: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map - Borough of Palmyra, NJ (eCode360, Chapter 158 Land Development) (Borough of Palmyra), quoted and re-checked
  20. Uniform Construction Code General Information, quoted and re-checked
  21. Uniform Construction Code General Information, quoted and re-checked
  22. Bulletin 79-7 Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  23. Burlington County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (burlingtoncountynj.gov)
  24. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  25. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs consumer construction information, quoted and re-checked
  26. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. New Jersey State Hazard Mitigation Plan Capability Assessment, quoted and re-checked
  28. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  29. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Palmyra

Borough of Palmyra’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Palmyra borough limits: Palmyra borough administers its own zoning in Chapter 158 Land Development, Article III Zoning Districts and Zoning Map

    • Construction and land use must conform to the regulations of the zone in which the lot lies (Section 158-15a).
    • Zoning district boundaries are set by the zoning map dated January 2003 referenced in Section 158-13.
    “for the purposes of this code, the borough of palmyra is hereby divided into districts as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Palmyra borough: R-1 Residential Single-Family, R-2 Residential Multifamily, TC Town Center Commercial, NC Neighborhood Commercial, HC Highway Commercial, OC Office Commercial, I Industrial, P Public and Institutional, OS Conservation and Open Space

    • The district map is the zoning map of the borough of palmyra dated January 2003, which the code makes part of Chapter 158 (Section 158-13); the map itself is an attachment that was not captured.
    “r-1 residential single-family r-2 residential multifamily tc town center commercial nc neighborhood commercial hc highway commercial oc office commercial i industrial p public and institutional os conservation and open space”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Dwelling units in the R-1 Residential Single-Family district of Palmyra borough

    • R-2 Residential Multifamily minimum dwelling unit is 900 square feet (Section 158-17d(4)(c)); not applied here.
    • State Uniform Construction Code and other rules were not checked in this run.

    minimum dwelling unit area: >= 1200 square feet

    “(c) minimum dwelling unit: 1,200 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family detached and twin dwelling lots in the R-1 Residential Single-Family district of Palmyra borough

    • Minimum lot width 60 feet, minimum lot depth 125 feet and minimum frontage 60 feet also apply (Section 158-16d(1)).
    • R-2 Residential Multifamily lot standards were not captured in this run.

    minimum lot area: 7500 square feet · minimum lot width: 60 feet · minimum lot depth: 125 feet · minimum lot frontage: 60 feet

    “(1) lot size. (a) minimum area in square feet: 7,500. (b) minimum width: 60 feet. (c) minimum depth: 125 feet. (d) minimum frontage: 60 feet.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal structures in the R-1 Residential Single-Family district of Palmyra borough

    • Front yard may be reduced to the largest front-yard distance of an adjacent building on the same street, as stated in the code's footnote; reconstruction or repair of a current portion of the principal structure is exempt from the 30-foot requirement, but a tear-down and replacement must meet it (Section 158-16d(2)(a)).
    • A preexisting twin home in the district may keep a side yard equal to the one-side minimum (Section 158-16d(2)(c)).
    • Setbacks are measured from the street right-of-way line (Section 158-14b).

    minimum front yard: 30 feet (may be reduced to adjacent building setback on same street) · minimum one side yard: 8 feet · minimum both side yards: 20 feet (preexisting twin home side yard) · minimum rear yard: 25 feet

    “(b) minimum one side yard: eight feet. (c) minimum both side yards: 20 feet, except for a preexisting twin home within the district, which will be allowed a minimum side yard equivalent to the minimum one side yard set forth in § 158-16d(2)(b) above. (d) minimum rear yard: 25 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Lots in the R-1 Residential Single-Family district of Palmyra borough

    • Coverage limits are stated in the R-1 district section; the R-2 district has different limits (building 40%, hard surface 50%) and was not applied here.

    maximum building coverage: <= 35 percent · maximum hard surface coverage: <= 50 percent

    “(4) lot coverage. (a) maximum building coverage: 35%. (b) maximum hard surface coverage: 50%.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal structures in the R-1 Residential Single-Family district of Palmyra borough

    • The code prints the story limit as '2 1/2 feet' (Section 158-16d(5)(a)); this appears to be a typo for stories and was not interpreted; the 35-foot maximum height is the operative limit as printed.
    • The height provisions do not apply to spires of a church or house of worship (Section 158-15d(1)).

    maximum height, principal structure: <= 35 feet

    “(5) height requirements (principal structure). (a) maximum number of stories: 2 1/2 feet. (b) maximum height: 35 feet.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Living or sleeping in a house trailer (RV-type unit) on any lot in any zoning district of Palmyra borough, temporary or permanent

    • The code names house trailer, tent, shack, outbuilding and temporary structures; it does not use the term recreational vehicle, so the application to a specific RV is an interpretation of the house-trailer language.
    • Stated under the general prohibited-uses subsection of Section 158-15g.
    “(4) the use of a bar, building or structure of a temporary nature, garage, house trailer, outbuilding, shack or tent on any lot or parcel of land for living or sleeping purposes in any district on either a temporary or permanent basis.”
  • Camping on your landProhibited

    Living or sleeping in a tent or temporary structure on any lot in any zoning district of Palmyra borough, temporary or permanent

    • The quoted prohibition covers living or sleeping use; it does not address recreational day use or a short visit in a tent, which were not located in the code.
    • Stated under Section 158-15g(4).
    “(4) the use of a bar, building or structure of a temporary nature, garage, house trailer, outbuilding, shack or tent on any lot or parcel of land for living or sleeping purposes in any district on either a temporary or permanent basis.”
  • Accessory dwellingsProhibited

    Residential occupancy of accessory buildings or garages (an accessory dwelling inside an accessory structure) in Palmyra borough

    • This covers accessory buildings and garages only; it does not address a dwelling unit attached to the principal house, which was not located.
    • R-1 permitted accessory uses (Section 158-16b) do not list a dwelling unit.
    “(d) no accessory building or garage shall be occupied for residential purposes.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permit for new construction in Palmyra borough
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for a homeowner building a dwelling in Palmyra borough
  • Building code adopted — Construction code adopted for Palmyra borough
  • Inspections — Building inspections for new construction in Palmyra borough
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for a new dwelling in Palmyra borough
15 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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 Palmyra publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Burlington County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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