Bolthole Index

Camden County, New Jersey

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

Pennsauken Township, New Jersey requires a building permit for all construction except ordinary repairs, issued by the township's own Construction Code Department12. The township writes its own zoning, with 11 districts3; Camden County does not zone4. Septic permits inside the township come from the township Board of Health5.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for all construction except ordinary repairs; issued by the township Construction Code Department12
Zoning
Township zoning (Chapter 141) with 11 districts; Camden County does not zone634
Septic
Permit from the township Board of Health before locating, building or altering a system; the Camden County Septic and Wells Unit also reviews individual systems78
Minimum lot (R-1)
9,000 square feet and 75 feet wide at the building line9
Owner-builder
Owner building a home for personal use is excepted from builder registration, not from permits10
RV living
Not confirmed; ask Planning & Zoning11
Tiny homes
A construction permit is required; township zoning for tiny homes not confirmed12
Wells
State drilling permit plus a municipal or county health official's construction permit13

Who to call

Building permits

Pennsauken Township Construction Department

Building permits and plan review under the State Uniform Construction Code, subcode inspections, and certificates of occupancy inside Pennsauken Township

856-665-1000

2400 Merchantville Ave., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

Zoning

Pennsauken Township Planning & Zoning Department

Zoning permit approvals, the township zoning regulations, and administration of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment

856-665-1000

2400 Merchantville Ave., Pennsauken, NJ 08110

Septic permits

Camden County Septic and Wells Unit

Plan review, installation and repair oversight, and compliance certificates for individual sewage disposal systems, and review of private well test results

(856) 374-6064

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 23, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Pennsauken Township have zoning, and what are the lot-size and setback rules?

Yes. Pennsauken Township adopts and enforces its own zoning under Chapter 141 of the township code, which divides the township into 11 districts63. Those are R-1 to R-5 residential, C-1 and C-2 commercial, LI and HI industrial, plus Waterfront and Crossroads overlays3. Camden County does not zone; in New Jersey the zoning power belongs to municipalities4.

Rules change by district. In R-1, the main single-family district, a lot needs at least 9,000 square feet and 75 feet of width at the building line9. R-1 yards are 35 feet in front, 40 feet in the rear, and two side yards totaling at least 30 feet with neither under 10 feet14. Buildings may cover no more than 35% of an R-1 lot, and buildings plus paving no more than 60%15. A principal building in R-1 is capped at 35 feet and 2 1/2 stories, and an accessory building at 16 feet and 400 square feet16. The Planning & Zoning Department reviews and issues zoning permit approvals for proposed structures and improvements11. We could not confirm the rules for other districts or a minimum dwelling size; ask that office for your lot's district.

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

Yes. Pennsauken Township requires a permit for all construction except ordinary repairs that do not violate any regulation1. The township's own Pennsauken Construction Code Department enforces the State Uniform Construction Code locally2. Camden County does not issue building permits in Pennsauken; the permit comes from the township17.

The Construction Department says it reviews and approves plans and inspects work through building, fire, electrical, plumbing and elevator subcode officials, and the construction official issues certificates of occupancy18. Permit fees are collected before the permit issues, and a certificate of occupancy costs $75119. A construction permit or certificate of occupancy is also conditioned on approvals from the Pennsauken Sewerage Authority and the water provider20. We could not confirm the full fee schedule here; the Construction Department posts one on its page18.

How do septic permits work in Pennsauken Township?

The township code bars anyone from locating, constructing or altering an individual sewage disposal system until the Board of Health issues a permit7. The board may issue that permit when the application comes with an engineer's certificate that the design meets the state standards7. A new system cannot be put into operation, and a new dwelling that relies on it cannot be occupied, until the Board of Health issues a certificate21.

Camden County's Septic and Wells Unit separately states that it oversees all individual sewage disposal system reviews, including plan review, installation, repair and compliance certificates822. Because both offices claim a role, call the county unit at (856) 374-6064 before you apply and ask which office takes your application22. State law also bars any building permit until the board of health certifies the water supply and sewerage plans23.

Soils matter at the county level: USDA rates 0% of Camden County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system24.

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

We could not confirm whether Pennsauken Township allows living in an RV, camping on private land, or placing a tiny home. Ask the Planning & Zoning Department before you buy or park anything11.

Two related rules are confirmed. A mobile home in Pennsauken must be connected to public sanitary sewerage and public water supply25. And a tiny home meant as a dwelling needs a construction permit, with component approvals not replacing a full evaluation of the dwelling; the state's construction pathway does not resolve municipal zoning, utility or septic approvals12.

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

  1. Ask the Planning & Zoning Department which district your lot is in and what it allows; a zoning permit may send you to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment if variances are needed or setbacks are not met11.
  2. Confirm sewer or septic. Public sewer requires Pennsauken Sewerage Authority approval before a permit issues20; an on-site system needs a Board of Health permit7.
  3. File for the construction permit with the Construction Department and pay fees before it issues1. An owner building a home for personal use is excepted from builder registration, but permits and code compliance still apply10.
  4. Expect periodic inspections, including footing trenches, rough plumbing and electrical, and framing26. A septic system may not be covered until the board of health has inspected it27.
  5. Get the certificate of occupancy before moving in28. A home you built yourself needs an owner affidavit filed with the construction official first29.

What stays with Camden County, and what should you check before buying in Pennsauken?

Pennsauken's rules apply inside the township. For land outside it, see the Camden County page. Inside Pennsauken, Camden County still handles individual septic system reviews through its Septic and Wells Unit and reviews private well test results22.

Check these before you buy. A new well needs a New Jersey DEP drilling permit, and municipal or county health officials issue the well construction permit13. We could not confirm township rules on wells, floodplain development, driveways or subdividing a lot; ask Planning & Zoning. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit30, and any subdivision in Camden County goes to the county Planning Board for review31. Taxes are heavy: Camden County's effective property tax rate is 3.1% and the median bill is $8,063 a year3233.

Watch-outs

  • Septic authority is unclear on paper: the township code puts permits with the township Board of Health, while the Camden County Septic and Wells Unit says it oversees all individual system reviews, so confirm with both before you apply58.
  • R-1 numbers do not apply in other districts; the lot, yard and height figures above are for R-1 only, so confirm your lot's district with Planning & Zoning9.
  • We could not confirm township rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings, short-term rentals, wells or floodplain development; call the Planning & Zoning Department at 856-665-100011.

Sources

  1. Chapter 133 Construction Codes, Uniform, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 133 Construction Codes, Uniform, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. P.L. 2013, c.106 — Municipal Land Use Law amendments (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 336 Sewage Disposal Systems, Individual, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 336 Sewage Disposal Systems, Individual, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Septic and Wells, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. Consumer Information for New Home Buyers, quoted and re-checked
  11. Pennsauken Township Planning & Zoning Department (pennsauken.gov)
  12. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code: General Information, quoted and re-checked
  13. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  16. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  17. NJ DCA - Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) (2026 county census)
  18. Pennsauken Township Construction Department (pennsauken.gov)
  19. Chapter 133 Construction Codes, Uniform, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Chapter 133 Construction Codes, Uniform, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  21. Chapter 336 Sewage Disposal Systems, Individual, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  22. Camden County Septic and Wells Unit (camdencounty.com)
  23. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  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. Chapter 141 Development Regulations, Article VII Zoning Regulations, Township of Pennsauken NJ (eCode360) (Pennsauken Township), quoted and re-checked
  26. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Home Warranty—Consumer Information (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  28. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  29. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  30. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  31. Subdivision and Site Plan Review, quoted and re-checked
  32. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  33. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 23, 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 Pennsauken Township

Pennsauken Township’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    All construction inside Pennsauken township except ordinary repairs.

    • Ordinary repairs exempt only if they do not violate any regulations (§ 133-8).
    • Permit fees must be collected before the permit issues (§ 133-8).
    “a permit shall be required for all construction except for ordinary repairs as provided for in section 5:23-2.7 of the state uniform construction code which do not violate any of the regulations.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    New construction and alterations inside Pennsauken township, under the state Uniform Construction Code as enforced by the township.

    • Enforced by the Pennsauken Construction Code Department, a local enforcing agency established by the township.
    “there is hereby established in the township of pennsauken a state uniform construction code enforcing agency to be known as the "pennsauken construction code department,"”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Pennsauken township limits; the township's own Zoning Regulations (Chapter 141, Article VII) govern use and dimensional rules.

    • Zoning is adopted by the township under Chapter 141 (Development Regulations); overlay districts (Waterfront, Crossroads) add their own standards.
    “the township is hereby divided into 11 zoning districts which shall be designated as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts of Pennsauken township.

    • Eleven districts: R-1 to R-5, C-1, C-2, LI, HI, plus the Waterfront (WO) and Crossroads (CO) overlays. The zoning map is kept in the township offices and is not itself online in this text.
    “the township is hereby divided into 11 zoning districts which shall be designated as follows: [amended 5-22-2002 by ord. no. 02-10] r-1 residential districts r-2 residential districts r-3 residential districts r-4 residential districts r-5 residential districts c-1 commercial districts c-2 commercial districts li limited industrial districts hi heavy industrial districts wo waterfront overlay district co crossroads overlay district”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific

    R-1 residential district inside Pennsauken township (main single-family district). Other districts (R-2 through R-5, commercial, industrial) are not covered by this claim.

    • Applies to every use permitted in the R-1 district.

    minimum lot area: >= 9000 square feet · minimum lot width at building line: >= 75 feet

    “a lot area of not less than 9,000 square feet and a lot width of not less than 75 feet at the building line shall be provided for every use permitted in this district.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific

    R-1 residential district inside Pennsauken township (main single-family district).

    • Accessory buildings: a detached accessory use building may sit in a side yard not abutting a street or in a rear yard if not closer than five feet to a property line.
    • Other districts have their own yard tables and are not covered by this claim.

    front yard depth: >= 35 feet · side yards aggregate width: >= 30 feet · side yard minimum width: >= 10 feet · rear yard depth: >= 40 feet

    “(a) on each interior lot there shall be two side yards having an aggregate width of not less than 30 feet, neither side yard having a width of less than 10 feet.”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific

    R-1 residential district inside Pennsauken township (main single-family district).

    • Waterfront management area has its own coverage limits (10% building, 30% lot) under § 141-74 and overrides the district rule there.

    building coverage maximum: <= 35 percent · lot coverage maximum including impervious surfaces: <= 60 percent

    “(a) building coverage. not more than 35% of the area of any lot shall be occupied by buildings. (b) lot coverage. not more than 60% of the lot area shall be occupied by building, paving, sidewalks and other impervious materials.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific

    R-1 residential district inside Pennsauken township (main single-family district); accessory structures in the same district are included.

    • Accessory buildings and structures in R-1: maximum 16 feet and 400 square feet floor area.

    principal building maximum height: <= 35 feet · principal building maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories · accessory building maximum height: <= 16 feet · accessory building maximum floor area: <= 400 square feet

    “the maximum height of buildings and other structures erected or enlarged in this district shall be 35 feet, not exceeding 2 1/2 stories. the maximum height of accessory buildings and other accessory structures erected or enlarged in this district shall be 16 feet, and they shall have a maximum floor area of 400 square feet.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Individual (on-site) sewage disposal systems on land inside Pennsauken township.

    • Permits, certificates and septic-cleaning licenses are issued by the township Board of Health; the state standards N.J.A.C. 7:9-2.1 et seq. apply.
    “no person shall locate, construct or alter any individual sewage disposal system until a permit for the location, construction or alteration of said sewage disposal system shall have been issued by the board of health.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Locating, constructing or altering an individual sewage disposal system inside Pennsauken township.

    • The board of health may issue the permit if an application is accompanied by an engineer's certificate that the design complies with N.J.A.C. 7:9-2.1 et seq. (§ 336-2(b)).
    • Removing the contents of a septic tank or cesspool also requires a board of health permit (§ 336-4(b)).
    “no person shall locate, construct or alter any individual sewage disposal system until a permit for the location, construction or alteration of said sewage disposal system shall have been issued by the board of health.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New individual sewage disposal systems and new dwellings relying on them inside Pennsauken township.

    • The certificate of compliance is issued on an engineer's signed written statement that the system was built per the permit; it is not required for alterations to existing systems (§ 336-3).
    “new individual disposal systems shall not be placed in operation nor shall new dwellings or buildings or additions thereto which must rely on such a system for sewage disposal be sold or occupied until the board of health shall have issued a certificate”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    On-site sanitation (individual septic systems) for homes not on public sewer inside Pennsauken township.

    • Allowed only under the state individual-system standards and a board of health permit and certificate (Chapter 336).
    “the provisions of n.j.a.c. 7:9-2.1 et seq. shall apply in the township of pennsauken to the location, construction, use and maintenance of individual sewage disposal systems.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupWater and sewer (with conditions)

    Transportable single-family dwellings (mobile homes) inside Pennsauken township only; the definition does not state the rule for site-built homes.

    • Applies through the zoning definition of 'mobile home' in Article I of Chapter 141.
    “but which must in pennsauken township be connected to public sanitary sewerage and public water supply.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Conditional — New buildings inside Pennsauken township that need a construction permit or certificate of occupancy.
      “the issuance of a construction permit or certificate of occupancy shall be conditioned upon the prior approvals as such term is defined and enumerated in n.j.a.c. 5:23-1.4; and the following approvals:”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Construction permit and certificate fees inside Pennsauken township.

    • Fee schedules in Chapter 133 (including § 133-14 administrative surcharge and § 133-17 mechanical fees) were not fully read; the certificate of occupancy fee is cited here.
    • Fees are collected before permit issuance (§ 133-8).

    certificate of occupancy fee: 75 USD ($250 for change-of-use group certificate)

    “the fee for a certificate of occupancy shall be $75.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Construction permit process inside Pennsauken township.

    • The chapter names a central permit office (§ 133-5) and says fees are paid before issuance (§ 133-8); the step-by-step application procedure was not read.
    “the central permit office shall be located at the above enforcing agency center and shall operate in accordance with the provisions of the act and the code.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder construction of a home inside Pennsauken township.
  • Inspections — Inspections for new homes inside Pennsauken township.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Pennsauken township.
  • Living in an RV — Recreational vehicle occupancy on private land inside Pennsauken township.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Pennsauken township.
9 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Pennsauken 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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