Bolthole Index

Camden County, New Jersey

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Haddon Township, New Jersey

Haddon Township, New Jersey (Camden County) adopts and administers its own zoning, and building work needs a construction permit under the statewide Uniform Construction Code12. The township's Construction & Zoning Office is the place to start3. Camden County's Septic and Wells Unit oversees individual sewage disposal system reviews4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required under New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code2
Zoning
Township zoning, Chapter 142 Article V, with 12 districts1
R-1 minimum lot
10,000 square feet, 75 feet of frontage5
R-2 minimum lot
6,000 square feet, 50 feet of frontage6
Septic
Camden County Septic and Wells Unit4
Owner-builder
Allowed for your own home; permits and inspections still apply7

Who to call

Building permits

Haddon Township Construction & Zoning Office

Construction permits and inspections under the Uniform Construction Code, and zoning (zoning officer, phone (856) 833-6266)

(856) 833-6265

[email protected]

10 Reeve Ave., Township Annex Building, Haddon Township, NJ 08108

Septic permits

Camden County Septic and Wells Unit

Individual sewage disposal system reviews, installation, repair and compliance certificates

(856) 374-6064

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 Haddon Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Haddon Township have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Haddon Township adopts and administers its own zoning, divided into 12 districts1. Camden County itself does not zone; zoning in New Jersey is a municipal function8.

In the R-1 single-family district, Haddon Township requires 10,000 square feet of lot area, 75 feet of frontage and a 35-foot height limit59. R-1 front and rear setbacks are 30 feet, with 10 feet on one side10. Buildings may cover 30% of an R-1 lot and impervious surfaces 50%11.

The denser R-2 district needs 6,000 square feet and 50 feet of frontage6. R-2 setbacks are 25 feet front and rear and 6 feet on one side12, with 60% impervious coverage allowed13. Confirm your parcel's district with the zoning officer before you plan anything.

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

Building permits are required for construction, enlargement, repair, renovation, alteration and demolition under New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code2. The code is enforced by the municipal construction official in each Camden County town, not by the county14.

In Haddon Township that means the Construction & Zoning Office in the township annex building3. We could not confirm the township's own fee schedule or its exact permit steps, so ask that office. State rules cap municipal plan review fees between 5 and 25 percent of the construction permit fee15.

How do septic permits work in Haddon Township?

Septic permits are not a township function. The Camden County Septic and Wells Unit oversees all individual sewage disposal system reviews, including plan review, installation and repair416. State law also requires septic approval before a building permit for a new improvement is issued17. We could not confirm whether your specific lot is on public sewer; ask the township construction office or the county unit.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Haddon Township?

We could not confirm Haddon Township's rules on living in an RV or tiny home, so ask the zoning officer at the Construction & Zoning Office before you buy3. Statewide, a premanufactured tiny home still has to go through New Jersey's construction code pathway18.

Building a home in Haddon Township: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the zoning officer which district your lot is in and what it requires31.
  2. Get septic or sewer status confirmed with the Camden County Septic and Wells Unit16.
  3. If you need a variance, the township routes it to the planning/zoning board3.
  4. Apply for the construction permit at the Construction & Zoning Office2.
  5. Schedule inspections by email or the portal as work progresses19.
  6. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in20.

What stays with Camden County, and what to check before you buy

Camden County reviews septic and also subdivisions through its Planning Board421. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit22. Owners building their own home can file an owner affidavit, but permits and inspections still apply7. For land outside Haddon Township, see the Camden County page. Camden County's effective property tax rate is 3.1%23.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Haddon Township's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the zoning officer3.
  • The lot sizes above are for the R-1 and R-2 districts only; other districts differ24.
  • Owner-builders still need permits and inspections7.

Sources

  1. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), 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. Haddon Township Construction & Zoning Office (haddontwp.com)
  4. Septic and Wells, quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. NJ DCA - The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  8. Camden County Development Regulations (2026 county census)
  9. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. NJ DCA - Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) (2026 county census)
  15. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Camden County Septic and Wells Unit (camdencounty.com)
  17. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code: General Information, quoted and re-checked
  19. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Home Warranty—Consumer Information (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Subdivision and Site Plan Review, quoted and re-checked
  22. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  24. Chapter 142 Land Use and Development, Article V Zoning - Township of Haddon, NJ (Haddon Township), quoted and re-checked

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 Haddon Township

Haddon Township’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Haddon township limits: the township adopts and administers its own zoning in Chapter 142 (Land Use and Development), Article V (Zoning).

    • Zoning governs use and dimensional standards by district; each use is allowed only as the district schedule permits.
    • Zoning districts were amended 5-27-2025 by ord. no. 1476 per the code's bracketed history.
    “for the purpose of this chapter, the township of haddon is hereby divided into 12 districts as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Haddon township limits: the township's 12 zoning districts.

    • Districts listed: R-1, R-2, R-D, R-G, R-H, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, I-1, PCR, R-1AH, AHO-1, AHO-2, AHO-3 as listed in the § 142-34 table on the same page (the quoted sentence introduces the list).
    • The map is incorporated by reference as the 'zoning map of the township of haddon'; the map itself was not opened.
    “[amended 5-27-2025 by ord. no. 1476] for the purpose of this chapter, the township of haddon is hereby divided into 12 districts as follows: symbol r-1 single-family residential r-2 single-family residential r-d downtown residential”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Land inside Haddon township limits in the R-1 single-family residential district (main single-family district).

    • Area and yard requirements listed for the R-1 district, § 142-37a(4).
    • Accessory uses (private garages, sheds, pools, RVs and campers) carry their own setbacks.

    required lot area: 10000 square feet · lot frontage: 75 feet · lot width: 75 feet · lot depth: 100 feet

    “required lot area 10,000 square feet maximum height 35 feet maximum building coverage 30% maximum impervious coverage 50% minimum yard dimensions lot frontage 75 feet lot width 75 feet lot depth 100 feet front yard setback 30 feet rear yard setback 30 feet side yard (one side) 10 feet total side yards 25 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Land inside Haddon township limits in the R-2 single-family residential district (older, denser neighborhoods).
      “required lot area 6,000 square feet maximum height 35 feet maximum building coverage 30% maximum impervious coverage 60% minimum yard dimensions lot frontage 50 feet lot width 50 feet lot depth 100 feet front yard setback 25 feet rear yard setback 25 feet side yard (one side) 6 feet total side yards 15 feet”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Land inside Haddon township limits in the R-1 single-family residential district.

    • Principal building setbacks; accessory buildings have separate setbacks (5 feet to side and rear lines, 10 feet to other building).

    front yard setback: 30 feet · rear yard setback: 30 feet · side yard (one side): 10 feet · total side yards: 25 feet

    “required lot area 10,000 square feet maximum height 35 feet maximum building coverage 30% maximum impervious coverage 50% minimum yard dimensions lot frontage 75 feet lot width 75 feet lot depth 100 feet front yard setback 30 feet rear yard setback 30 feet side yard (one side) 10 feet total side yards 25 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — Land inside Haddon township limits in the R-2 single-family residential district.
      “front yard setback 25 feet rear yard setback 25 feet side yard (one side) 6 feet total side yards 15 feet accessory building minimum distance to side line 5 feet distance to rear line 5 feet distance to other building 10 feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Land inside Haddon township limits in the R-1 single-family residential district.

    • Building coverage and impervious coverage are separate limits.

    maximum building coverage: <= 30 percent · maximum impervious coverage: <= 50 percent

    “maximum building coverage 30% maximum impervious coverage 50%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • Building heightSpecified

    Land inside Haddon township limits in the R-1 single-family residential district.

    maximum height: <= 35 feet

    “required lot area 10,000 square feet maximum height 35 feet maximum building coverage 30% maximum impervious coverage 50%”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Haddon Township or Camden County directly.

  • Building permit — Building permits for new homes inside Haddon township limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption for homes inside Haddon township limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections for new homes inside Haddon township limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for new homes inside Haddon township limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Haddon township limits.
17 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
  • 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 Haddon Township publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Camden County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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