Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Borough of Shrewsbury, NJ

At a glance

Building permit

Required; issued by the borough's construction office¹⁴

Zoning

Yes, the borough's own (Chapter 94)²

Septic

Board of health approval required before a building permit issues; which board covers Shrewsbury is unconfirmed³

Owner-builder

Allowed to build a home for personal use, with an affidavit before the certificate of occupancy; permits still apply⁵

Plan review fee

20% of the new construction permit fee, paid at application⁶

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 14, 2026.

Do you need a building permit in Shrewsbury, NJ?

Yes. The Borough of Shrewsbury has established its own construction code enforcement agency to enforce the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code inside the borough¹. A construction permit is required for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical or electrical work on existing buildings; ordinary maintenance and routine repair are exceptions⁷. Monmouth County does not issue the permit for work inside Shrewsbury⁷. A new building also cannot be occupied until a certificate of occupancy is issued⁸.

Who issues building permits in Shrewsbury, and how do you reach them?

Building permits are issued by the borough's Construction Office at 419 Sycamore Avenue, which the borough lists with a phone of 732-741-4200 and the email [email protected]⁹. Inside Shrewsbury, send questions about building permits there, not to the Monmouth County planning counter. Fees are the borough's own: the plan review fee is 20% of the new construction permit charge, paid at application and not refundable⁶.

Does Shrewsbury have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Shrewsbury has its own zoning. The borough adopts and administers a zoning ordinance, Chapter 94, Zoning and Land Development, with districts that begin with R-1 single-family residential². The district list also includes R-1A, R-1B, R-2 and several business and industrial zones¹⁰. Minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height are district-specific, set in a schedule attached to the zoning chapter²¹¹. We could not confirm those figures, or any rule on RV living, tiny homes or accessory dwellings, so ask the zoning officer before you buy; the R-zone permitted use we saw is a single detached house. The zoning officer and Land Use Board are reachable through Borough Hall¹².

How do septic permits work inside Shrewsbury?

New Jersey law bars a building permit for a new building until the board of health having jurisdiction certifies that the water supply and sewerage facilities comply with state standards³. A septic system must also be inspected by the board of health before it is covered¹³. Which board covers Shrewsbury is not something we could confirm: Monmouth County's Office of Public Health handles septic and well approvals for its member municipalities, not every town¹⁴. Ask Borough Hall, or call the¹⁵. If a public sewer is available, state plumbing rules can require connection when a septic system is no longer suitable¹⁶.

Building a home in Shrewsbury: the steps, in order

1. Ask the zoning officer to confirm the district, permitted use and dimensional limits for your lot¹².
2. Get septic or sewer and water approval from the board of health having jurisdiction³.
3. Apply to the Construction Office; the plan review fee is due at application⁶.
4. Schedule the required inspections with at least 24 hours' notice¹⁷.
5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in⁸.
6. If you build the home yourself, file the owner's affidavit with the construction official before the certificate is issued⁵.

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

Monmouth County does not zone and does not issue construction permits inside Shrewsbury¹⁸. It does review subdivisions and site plans that touch county roads or drainage¹⁹, although site plans for one- or two-family homes are exempt from that committee's review²⁰. A driveway onto a state highway needs a NJDOT access permit²¹. Monmouth County's typical home value is $787,429²² and its effective property tax rate is 1.8%²³. Rules for land outside the borough are on the Monmouth County page.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm minimum lot size, setbacks or RV and tiny home rules for Shrewsbury's districts; the zoning officer can give the schedule for your parcel¹².
• Septic and well approvals may not come from the construction office; confirm which board of health covers the borough before you design³.

Sources

1. Borough of Shrewsbury Code, Ch. 88 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Shrewsbury), quoted and re-checked
2. Borough of Shrewsbury Code, Ch. 94 Zoning and Land Development, Art. X Zoning District Regulations (Borough of Shrewsbury), quoted and re-checked
3. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
4. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
6. Borough of Shrewsbury Code, Ch. 88 Construction Codes, Uniform (Borough of Shrewsbury), quoted and re-checked
7. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code — General Information, quoted and re-checked
8. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
9. Borough of Shrewsbury Construction Office (shrewsburyboro.com)
10. Borough of Shrewsbury Code, Ch. 94 Zoning and Land Development, Art. X Zoning District Regulations (Borough of Shrewsbury), quoted and re-checked
11. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Borough of Shrewsbury Land Use Board and Zoning Officer (shrewsburyboro.com)
13. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
14. Office of Public Health Consumer Public Health/Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
15. Monmouth County Office of Public Health (co.monmouth.nj.us)
16. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code Plumbing Subcode Regulations (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
17. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs consumer construction information, quoted and re-checked
18. P.L. 2013, c.106 — Municipal Land Use Law amendments (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Monmouth County Development Regulations Volume I, quoted and re-checked
20. Monmouth County Development Regulations, Volume I — Application, Review and Approval Procedures, quoted and re-checked
21. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
22. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 14, 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.