Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Union Beach, New Jersey

At a glance

Building permit

Required; issued by the borough's construction official under the state code²⁵

Zoning

Yes, borough zoning districts apply to all land in Union Beach¹

Septic

Approved by the board of health with jurisdiction before a building permit issues³

RV living

Visits up to two weeks only; longer stays must move to a campground⁴

Certificate of occupancy

Required for each change of occupant⁶

Owner-builder

Allowed for your own home, but the construction permit is still required⁷

Who to call

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

Does Union Beach have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot rules?

Yes. The Borough of Union Beach divides all land inside the borough into zoning districts under its land use chapter¹. The districts include R-8 residential, R-AC residential-adult community, TH-2 townhouses, B-1 neighborhood commercial, B-2 highway business and B-3 downtown gateway, plus industrial, waterfront commercial and conservation districts⁸.

Monmouth County does not zone land; New Jersey gives zoning power to municipalities⁹. Minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and height are set district by district in the borough ordinance, so check the district of the exact lot before you buy¹⁰¹¹.

On RVs, the borough ordinance says no one may occupy or reside in a boat, trailer or camper except a trailer used for emergency purposes or for temporary visits up to two weeks; a longer visit means the unit must move to a campground⁴. Tiny homes and manufactured homes are not addressed in the parts of the ordinance we could confirm, so ask the Planning Board before assuming either is allowed.

Do you need a building permit in Union Beach, and who issues it?

Yes. New Jersey requires a construction permit for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical or electrical work on existing buildings; ordinary maintenance is excluded⁵. In Union Beach the permit is issued locally, by the borough's construction official, not by Monmouth County².

The Union Beach Code Enforcement office handles borough ordinances and certificates of occupancy¹². Under the state code, a new building cannot be used or occupied until the construction official issues a certificate of occupancy¹³, and the borough ordinance also requires a certificate of occupancy for each change of occupant⁶.

The construction official's contact details are listed on the borough site¹⁴. We could not confirm the borough's own building permit fee schedule, so ask that office before budgeting.

How do septic permits and wells work inside Union Beach?

New Jersey does not let a municipality issue a building permit until the board of health with jurisdiction certifies that the water supply and sewerage facilities comply with state and local standards³. Any septic tank, tile field or seepage pit must also be inspected by the board's representative before it is covered¹⁵.

Who that board of health is for a Union Beach address is not something we could confirm. The Monmouth County Office of Public Health approves septic systems and wells for its member municipalities, but the county's own sources do not say it serves every town¹⁶. Union Beach also lists its own Board of Health¹⁷. Call that office first, and the county's Office of Public Health second.

Well drilling needs a state permit, and the municipal or county health official issues the well construction permit¹⁸. If public sewer is available to a lot with an old septic system, the local health inspector can require a connection¹⁹.

Building a home in Union Beach: the steps, in order

1. Find the lot's zoning district in the borough's land use chapter and confirm the use and dimensions allowed there⁸.
2. Ask the board of health for septic or well approval, or public sewer and water confirmation, before applying for the construction permit³.
3. Apply to the construction official for the construction permit; plan review can proceed while other approvals are pending, but no permit issues until required state, county and local approvals are in place²⁰.
4. Call for each required inspection at least 24 hours ahead²¹.
5. Get the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in¹³.

If you build your own home for your own use, you are exempt from builder registration, but the construction permit is still required⁷.

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

Union Beach decides zoning and issues construction permits; the county does not²². What stays with the county is subdivision review for covered projects and work that touches county roads or drainage facilities, handled by the county's development review process²³. One- and two-family residential site plans are exempt from county development review committee review²⁴.

For land outside the borough's limits, see the Monmouth County page.

Before you buy, confirm the lot's zoning district, the septic or sewer situation, and flood status with the borough's zoning and floodplain staff. Monmouth County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%, with a median annual bill of $10,001²⁵²⁶.

Watch-outs

• Union Beach limits RV, trailer and camper occupancy to temporary visits of up to two weeks, so living in one on a lot while you build is not allowed under the borough ordinance we reviewed⁴.
• A construction permit can't be issued until the board of health certifies septic and water facilities, so settle septic or sewer first³.
• We could not confirm the borough's building permit fees, its accessory dwelling rules or its minimum home size; ask the construction official and the Planning Board before you commit¹⁴.

Sources

1. Chapter 13: Land Use and Development Regulations - Borough of Union Beach, NJ (Borough of Union Beach), quoted and re-checked
2. NJ DCA - The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
3. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
4. Chapter 13: Land Use and Development Regulations - Borough of Union Beach, NJ (Borough of Union Beach), quoted and re-checked
5. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code — General Information, quoted and re-checked
6. Chapter 13: Land Use and Development Regulations - Borough of Union Beach, NJ (Borough of Union Beach), quoted and re-checked
7. N.J.A.C. 5:25 — Regulations Governing New Home Warranties and Builders' Registration, quoted and re-checked
8. Chapter 13: Land Use and Development Regulations - Borough of Union Beach, NJ (Borough of Union Beach), quoted and re-checked
9. P.L. 2013, c.106 — Municipal Land Use Law amendments (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
10. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), 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 Union Beach Code Enforcement (unionbeachnj.gov)
13. N.J.A.C. 5:23 Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
14. Borough of Union Beach Construction Official (unionbeachnj.gov)
15. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
16. Office of Public Health Consumer Public Health/Inspection Services, quoted and re-checked
17. Borough of Union Beach Board of Health (unionbeachnj.gov)
18. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code Plumbing Subcode Regulations (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
21. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs consumer construction information, quoted and re-checked
22. Monmouth County Development Regulations Volume I, quoted and re-checked
23. Monmouth County Development Regulations Volume I, quoted and re-checked
24. Monmouth County Development Regulations, Volume I — Application, Review and Approval Procedures, quoted and re-checked
25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
26. Median property tax bill: 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.