Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey

At a glance

Zoning

Yes, set by the borough in Chapter 22; any use not listed is prohibited¹

Building permit

Required; issued by the local construction official, not the county²

Septic

Board of health having jurisdiction approves; confirm which one with the borough⁴

RV living

Not allowed; one unoccupied RV may be stored on a single-family lot⁵

Camping

Campgrounds and transient accommodation are prohibited in all zones⁶

Owner-builder

Owner-built homes need a Department of Community Affairs affidavit before a certificate of occupancy⁷

Who to call

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

Does Spring Lake Heights have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. Spring Lake Heights zones its own land in Chapter 22, Municipal Land Use Regulations, and any use not specifically permitted in a zone is prohibited¹. The borough's residential districts are R-1 through R-5, with mixed-use districts MU-1 and MU-2⁸.

Living in an RV is not an option inside the borough. Only one unoccupied RV, camper, motor home or boat of 16 feet or less may be stored on a single-family property, outside the front yard, and a stored vehicle may not be occupied or hooked to utilities⁵. Campgrounds and other temporary or transient accommodation are prohibited in every zone⁶.

We could not confirm the borough's rules on tiny homes, accessory dwellings, lot size or setbacks. Ask the zoning officer listed below⁹.

Do you need a building permit in Spring Lake Heights, and who issues it?

Yes. New Jersey requires a construction permit for any new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical or electrical work on existing buildings; ordinary maintenance is excepted². Monmouth County does not issue the permit; the municipality's enforcing agency does².

In Spring Lake Heights the construction official works from the Borough of Spring Lake office on Warren Avenue¹⁰. Zoning approval is handled separately by the borough's code and zoning officer⁹. Fees are set by each municipality's own ordinance, and we could not confirm the borough's schedule².

How do septic permits work inside Spring Lake Heights?

State law bars a building permit for a new realty improvement until the board of health having jurisdiction certifies the water supply and sewerage facilities⁴. A septic tank or field also cannot be covered until the board of health's representative has inspected it¹¹.

Which health department serves Spring Lake Heights is not something we could confirm. Monmouth County's Office of Public Health handles septic and wells only for its member municipalities, and other municipalities are served by other local or regional health departments¹². Ask the borough clerk at the number below, or the Monmouth County Office of Public Health, which board of health covers your lot⁹. Many lots inside a borough this dense are on public sewer, so first ask whether a sewer connection is available.

Building a home in Spring Lake Heights: the steps, in order

1. Confirm the zoning district and what the lot allows with the borough's zoning officer⁹.
2. Get septic or sewer and water sign-off from the board of health having jurisdiction before a building permit can issue⁴.
3. Apply for the construction permit with the construction official¹⁰.
4. Schedule the required inspections; the state requires notice to the enforcing agency of at least 24 hours before an inspection¹³.
5. Obtain a certificate of occupancy before anyone uses or occupies a new building¹⁴.

If you build the home yourself, the personal-use exemption covers builder registration only, not the permit, and the owner must file a Department of Community Affairs affidavit before a certificate of occupancy issues⁷.

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

Monmouth County does not zone land; municipal zoning controls the type of use and intensity of development¹⁵. The county does review certain subdivisions and site plans that touch county roads or drainage, but site plans for one- or two-family residential units are exempt¹⁶. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit¹⁷.

For land outside the borough, see the Monmouth County page. County-level figures: Monmouth County's median property tax bill is $10,001 a year¹⁸.

Watch-outs

• We could not confirm the borough's building code chapter, permit fees, minimum lot size, setbacks or tiny-home rules; ask the zoning officer⁹.
• Septic and well authority for this borough is unconfirmed; ask which board of health has jurisdiction before you sign a contract¹⁹.
• The borough's Zoning & Code Enforcement staff and the regional construction office are in different buildings; call each¹⁰.

Sources

1. Article VI Zoning Regulations, Borough of Spring Lake Heights Code, Ch. 22 Municipal Land Use Regulations (Borough of Spring Lake Heights), quoted and re-checked
2. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code — General Information, 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. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
5. Article VI Zoning Regulations, Borough of Spring Lake Heights Code, Ch. 22 Municipal Land Use Regulations (Borough of Spring Lake Heights), quoted and re-checked
6. Article VI Zoning Regulations, Borough of Spring Lake Heights Code, Ch. 22 Municipal Land Use Regulations (Borough of Spring Lake Heights), quoted and re-checked
7. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
8. Article VI Zoning Regulations, Borough of Spring Lake Heights Code, Ch. 22 Municipal Land Use Regulations (Borough of Spring Lake Heights), quoted and re-checked
9. Zoning & Code Enforcement, Borough of Spring Lake Heights (springlakehts.com)
10. Construction Official (regional construction office, Borough of Spring Lake) (springlakehts.com)
11. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
12. Office of Public Health Consumer Public Health/Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
13. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs consumer construction information, quoted and re-checked
14. N.J.A.C. 5:23 Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
15. Monmouth County Development Regulations Volume I, quoted and re-checked
16. Monmouth County Development Regulations, Volume I — Application, Review and Approval Procedures, quoted and re-checked
17. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
19. Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked

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.