Bolthole Index

Monmouth County, New Jersey

Building permits and zoning in the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ

The Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey requires construction permits for covered work and administers its own zoning through borough officials.123 In Monmouth County, septic and well approvals remain health-department matters rather than zoning approvals; the county Office of Public Health oversees those systems for its member municipalities.4

At a glance

Building permits
Borough construction permits required for covered work12
Zoning
Borough land-development and zoning rules apply3
Minimum lot
R district: 7,000 square feet; 50-foot width; 100-foot depth5
Minimum dwelling
R district ground floor: 1,020 square feet for one-story homes; 630 for homes over one story6
Septic approvals
Health-board certification required for applicable improvements; county service depends on membership74
Owner-builder
Personal-use builder-registration exception; construction permits still apply82
Private wells
NJDEP drilling permit plus local health construction approval9

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea Construction & Zoning Department

Borough construction permits, zoning applications and inspection requests

732-502-4510

[email protected]

301 Main Street Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ 07717

Online permits →

Septic permits

Monmouth County Office of Public Health — Consumer Public Health / Inspection Services

Septic-system and well approvals and inspections for member municipalities; confirm parcel jurisdiction here

732-431-7456 x 8580

[email protected]

Floodplain permits

Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea Flood Information Center

Flood maps and floodplain development application information

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 Avon-by-the-Sea 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 Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ?

Avon-by-the-Sea administers the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code through the Avon Code Enforcement Agency.1 Construction permits are required before covered construction, alterations, demolition and changes of use; ordinary maintenance has a state exemption, while minor work follows a notice-and-permit process.2 Avon-by-the-Sea also requires a permit application before constructing, moving, altering or changing a building’s use or using land.10 Treat construction approval and zoning compliance as separate parts of the same project: buildings and land must conform to the borough land-development chapter.3

Who handles building permits and zoning in the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea?

Start with the borough Construction & Zoning Department at 301 Main Street, Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ 07717; call 732-502-4510 or email [email protected].11 The borough’s inspectors work part time, so allow for that when arranging application review and inspections.11 Submit inspection requests in writing through the SDL Portal, by email or at the office.11 For site-development and minor-land-use applications, the department asks for 2 survey copies with the proposal drawn to scale.11 Additions, porches, decks, renovation alterations and new homes require 2 sets of architectural drawings.11

Does the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea have zoning and minimum lot sizes?

Avon-by-the-Sea has its own zoning, and the R Single-Family Residential District requires a minimum lot area of 7,000 square feet, width of 50 feet and depth of 100 feet.35 Those are R-district standards, not borough-wide dimensions for every district.5 In the R district, the front setback follows the average front-yard depth along the applicable block, with the subject site excluded for new construction.12 Each side yard must be at least 10% of lot width or 6 feet, whichever is greater, and both side yards together must total at least 30% of lot width.12 R-district driveways also need a 3-foot side-yard setback.13

How do septic approvals and well permits work inside the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea?

For an Avon-by-the-Sea project involving septic facilities, New Jersey requires the health board having jurisdiction to certify the proposed water supply and sewerage facilities before the building permit issues or construction begins.7 The Monmouth County Office of Public Health oversees septic and well approvals for its member municipalities; ask its Consumer Public Health office to confirm the parcel’s jurisdiction and required septic application.414 A septic system cannot be covered until the health board’s authorized representative has inspected it and granted permission.15 A proposed private well requires an NJDEP drilling permit, a licensed driller and municipal or county health construction approval.9

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea?

We could not confirm Avon-by-the-Sea’s RV-occupancy, temporary-camping or tiny-home occupancy rules; ask the borough Zoning Officer about the proposed use before buying a trailer or designing a dwelling.11 Avon’s R district requires a one-story single-family detached dwelling to have at least 1,020 square feet of ground-floor area; a single-family detached dwelling over one story needs at least 630 square feet of ground-floor area.6 Those ground-floor requirements do not establish permission to occupy a tiny home or an RV.6 Borough buildings cannot be used or changed in use until the Construction Code Official issues the required certificate of occupancy confirming zoning compliance.16

What are the steps to build a home in the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea?

  1. Ask borough zoning staff to review the proposed use and R-district lot dimensions where applicable.35
  2. Submit the survey and architectural drawings required for the proposed project to Construction & Zoning.11
  3. Obtain required state, county and local prior approvals before the construction permit is issued.17
  4. Arrange required construction-stage inspections before work conceals the components being inspected.18
  5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before using the new building.19

An owner building for personal use may qualify for the state builder-registration exception, but must still meet construction-permit requirements and file the required owner-built-home affidavit before a certificate of occupancy can issue.8220

What should you check before buying in the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea?

Review Avon-by-the-Sea’s flood information alongside the proposed building footprint: the borough uses preliminary flood maps as best available data for substantial improvements and new construction.21 The borough Flood Information Center provides floodplain development application instructions.21 Confirm the parcel’s district before applying R-district minimums, because the reviewed lot and dwelling standards are district-specific.56 For land outside the borough, use the Monmouth County guide and identify the municipality administering zoning; Monmouth County’s land-use controls are municipal rather than a single county zoning ordinance.22

Watch-outs

  • Owner-builder status does not waive Avon-by-the-Sea construction permits or the owner-built-home affidavit required for occupancy approval.220
  • We could not confirm Avon-by-the-Sea’s complete off-grid sanitation or accessory-dwelling rules; ask Construction & Zoning about the proposed arrangement before committing to a design.11
  • Avon-by-the-Sea uses preliminary flood maps for new construction and substantial improvements.21

Sources

  1. Chapter 87 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), 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. Chapter 113 Land Development (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  4. Office of Public Health Consumer Public Health/Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article IV District Zoning Regulations, R District (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article IV District Zoning Regulations, R District (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  7. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. Builder Registration and New Home Warranty for Builders (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. ecode360.com (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  11. Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea Construction & Zoning Department (avonbytheseanj.com)
  12. Article IV District Zoning Regulations, R District (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article IV District Zoning Regulations, R District (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  14. Monmouth County Office of Public Health — Consumer Public Health / Inspection Services (co.monmouth.nj.us)
  15. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. ecode360.com (Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea), quoted and re-checked
  17. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Home Warranty—Consumer Information (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (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. Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea Flood Information Center (avonbytheseanj.com)
  22. Monmouth County Development Regulations, Volume I, 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 Avon-by-the-Sea

Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, movement, alteration, change of building use, or use of land inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.

    • A permit must be applied for before the activity.
    • For variance, site-plan, and subdivision applications, final approved plans must be submitted before permit issuance.
    “It shall be unlawful for any persons, corporation or agent to construct, move, alter or change the use of any building or portion of a building or use any land without first applying for a permit.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough is administered through the borough's Avon Code Enforcement Agency under the New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code.

    • Items not specifically addressed by the municipal chapter are referred to N.J.A.C. 5:23 and the Uniform Construction Code.
    • A 2026 amendment is listed as adopted May 11, 2026.
    “There is hereby established in the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "Avon Code Enforcement Agency,"”
  • InspectionsLimited

    Zoning-compliance inspections of buildings, plans, and premises inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.

    • The zoning inspection authority concerns violations of Chapter 113; construction-code inspections are handled under the Uniform Construction Code.
    “It shall be the duty of the Zoning Officer or his duly authorized assistants to cause any building, plans or premises to be inspected or examined and to order, in writing, the remedying of any conditions found to exist in violation of any provision of this chapter and he shall have the right to enter any building or premises during the daytime in the course of his duties.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Use or change of use of a building inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.

    • The certificate must be issued by the Construction Code Official and state that the building or proposed use complies with Chapter 113.
    “No building shall be used or changed in use until a Certificate of Occupancy shall have been issued by the Construction Code Official stating that the building, or the proposed use thereof, complies with the provisions of this chapter.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough; the borough adopts and administers its own land-development and zoning chapter.

    • The code includes zoning districts, zoning regulations, development applications, permits, and certificates of occupancy.
    “Conformity required. No building shall hereafter be used, erected, altered, converted, enlarged, added to, moved or reduced, wholly or in part, nor shall any land be designed, used or physically altered for any purpose or in any manner except in conformity with this chapter.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea

Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwelling units in Avon-by-the-Sea's R Single-Family Residential District.

    • One-story and over-one-story dwellings have different minimum required ground-floor areas.

    minimum required ground floor area, one-story single-family detached dwelling: >= 1020 square feet · minimum required ground floor area, single-family detached dwelling over one story: >= 630 square feet

    “(5) Minimum required ground floor area. (a) One-story single-family detached dwelling unit: 1,020 square feet. (b) Single-family detached dwelling units over one story: 630 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family residential development in Avon-by-the-Sea's R Single-Family Residential District.

    • The R district also specifies minimum lot width and depth.

    minimum lot area: >= 7000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 50 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet

    “Minimum lot requirements: Lot area: 7,000 square feet. Lot width: 50 feet. Lot depth: 100 feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Principal buildings in Avon-by-the-Sea's R Single-Family Residential District.

    • Front setback is determined by the average front-yard depth of the block facing the same street, or an adjacent block if there are no existing buildings in the block.
    • For new construction, the subject site is excluded from the calculation.

    minimum rear-yard setback: >= 25 feet · minimum side-yard setback: >= 6 feet (10% of lot width or six feet, whichever is greater) · aggregate side-yard setback: >= 30 percent of lot width

    “Side yard setback (each): 10% of lot width or minimum of six feet, whichever is greater. Aggregate of two side yards: 30% of lot width.”
  • Driveway accessLimited

    Driveways serving residential lots in Avon-by-the-Sea's R Single-Family Residential District.

    • Driveways must maintain a three-foot side-yard setback.

    minimum driveway side-yard setback: >= 3 feet

    “Driveways shall maintain a three-foot side yard setback.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea or Monmouth County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders constructing inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.
  • Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on land inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on land inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy on land inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy on land inside Avon-by-the-Sea borough.
6 more unanswered
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic permit
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Avon-by-the-Sea publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Monmouth County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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