Bolthole Index

Bergen County, New Jersey

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

The Borough of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey requires a permit for many improvements, including additions, decks, roofing and swimming pools, and its own building department issues them1. Zoning is set by the borough, not by Bergen County2. We could not confirm who administers septic permits inside the borough; the borough has a municipal sewer system with its own connection permit3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for many improvements; issued by the borough building department1
Zoning
Set by the borough, not Bergen County2
Certificate of occupancy
Required on home re-sales and rentals4
Sewer
Municipal sewer connection permit issued by the plumbing inspector3
Septic
Not confirmed for the borough; ask the building department or the county health department5
Owner-builder
Own-use builders skip state builder registration, not permits6

Who to call

Building permits

Englewood Cliffs Building Department (Construction Official and Zoning Officer)

Building permits, certificates of occupancy and zoning approval inside the Borough of Englewood Cliffs

(201) 568-9262

482 Hudson Terrace, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

Health department

Bergen County Department of Health Services

Septic plan review and oversight for the municipalities that contract with the county health department; confirm whether the borough is one of them

201-634-2600

healthdept@bergencountynj.gov

One Bergen County Plaza, 4th Floor, Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 13, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Borough of Englewood Cliffs means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Englewood Cliffs, NJ have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and setbacks?

Englewood Cliffs has its own zoning. In New Jersey, municipalities, not counties, have the authority to zone land for different uses, so Bergen County does not set zoning inside the borough2. Lot size, setbacks, lot coverage and building height are set district by district in the borough's zoning ordinance, and the state leaves those numbers to each municipality78.

We could not confirm any borough rule on RV living, tiny homes, manufactured homes or short-term rentals9. Ask the borough Zoning Officer at the building department before you plan any of them. Do not assume silence means permission.

Do you need a building permit in Englewood Cliffs, and who issues it?

Yes for most work. The Borough of Englewood Cliffs states that a permit is required for many improvements, such as additions, decks, roofing and swimming pools10. Statewide, a construction permit is required for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work on existing buildings; only ordinary maintenance and routine repair are excepted11.

The borough's building department issues them, not Bergen County1. Permit pick-up and payment are Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM10. A certificate of occupancy fee is 5% of the construction permit fee, with a minimum of $65 for residential work12.

What is a certificate of occupancy in Englewood Cliffs?

A Continuing Certificate of Occupancy is required on all re-sales of homes and on rental properties inside the borough10. The certificate of continued residential occupancy fee is $5012. New buildings need a certificate of occupancy from the construction official before anyone uses them13. Ask the building department for the forms before listing or renting a property.

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Englewood Cliffs?

Englewood Cliffs operates a municipal sewer system, and a sewer connection permit issued by the plumbing inspector is required for each connection3. Septic is a separate question. We could not confirm whether a septic system is allowed on any lot inside the borough, or which health office would review it.

Where septic is used in New Jersey, the board of health having jurisdiction must certify the plan before a building permit can be issued14. Bergen County's health department reviews septic plans only for the towns that contract with it5. Call the borough building department first, then the Bergen County Department of Health Services at 201-634-260015.

Can you build your own home in Englewood Cliffs?

Yes, an owner can build a new home for personal use without registering as a home builder with the state. That exception does not waive construction permits or code compliance6. The owner must also file an affidavit with the construction official before a certificate of occupancy can be issued16.

Building a home in Englewood Cliffs: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the borough Zoning Officer which district the lot is in and what it allows10.
  2. Confirm sewer connection or septic with the plumbing inspector and, if septic is proposed, the board of health having jurisdiction314.
  3. Apply to the borough building department for the construction permit1.
  4. Schedule the periodic inspections the code requires, including footings and rough plumbing and electrical before framing17.
  5. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in13.

What stays with Bergen County, and what to check before you buy in Englewood Cliffs

Bergen County does not zone land or issue building permits inside the borough. Its role is planning review: every subdivision is submitted to the County Planning Board, which approves only those that affect a county road, drainage facility or county-owned land18. A driveway onto a county road not subject to site plan approval carries a road-access permit fee of $25019. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit20. For land outside the borough, see the Bergen County page.

Watch-outs

  • Septic rules, private wells and RV or tiny-home occupancy inside Englewood Cliffs are unconfirmed; ask the borough building department before buying land that depends on any of them10.
  • Bergen County's septic plan review covers only the towns that contract with the county, so the county health department may not be the right office for an Englewood Cliffs lot5.
  • A home sale or rental triggers a Continuing Certificate of Occupancy, so budget for it and the $50 fee at closing12.
  • The statewide building subcode is the 2024 International Building Code, New Jersey edition, and plans are reviewed against it21.

Sources

  1. Building Department (Borough of Englewood Cliffs), quoted and re-checked
  2. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Site Plans, quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 11: Sewer and Water (Borough of Englewood Cliffs), quoted and re-checked
  4. englewoodcliffsnj.org (Borough of Englewood Cliffs), quoted and re-checked
  5. bergencountynj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  6. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs: New Home Warranty and Construction (Borough of Englewood Cliffs), quoted and re-checked
  7. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  8. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Manufactured/Modular Buildings Program (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. Englewood Cliffs Building Department (Construction Official and Zoning Officer) (englewoodcliffsnj.org)
  11. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 9: Building and Housing (Borough of Englewood Cliffs), quoted and re-checked
  13. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Bergen County Department of Health Services (bergencountynj.gov)
  16. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, New Home Warranty—Consumer Information (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  19. Fee Schedule for Site Plan Application, quoted and re-checked
  20. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Current Construction Codes, quoted and re-checked

Written October 13, 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 Englewood Cliffs

Borough of Englewood Cliffs’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Property improvements inside Englewood Cliffs borough, including additions, decks, roofing, and swimming pools.

    • The borough page says permits are required for many improvements; the cited passage does not state that every type of work requires a permit.
    • Permit pick-up and payment are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
    “You are required to obtain a permit for many improvements you make to your property”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Re-sales of homes and rental properties inside Englewood Cliffs borough; new construction is subject to the Uniform Construction Code certificate process.

    • The borough page states a continuing certificate is required on all home re-sales and rental properties.
    • For new construction, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs states that once final inspections pass, the construction official issues a Certificate of Occupancy.

    residential certificate of occupancy fee: 5% of construction permit fee, minimum $65 USD · certificate of continued residential occupancy fee: 50 USD

    “A Continuing Certificate of Occupancy is required on all re-sales of homes”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Connections to the Borough of Englewood Cliffs municipal sewer system.

    • A sewer connection fee is charged under Chapter 11.
    • A sewer connection permit is required for a connection; the permit is specific to the lot and block, or unit or building number, for which it was issued.
    • The reviewed source did not state a distance or availability threshold requiring every new home to connect when a sewer is available.
    “Permits for sewer connections, both storm and sanitary, shall be provided and shall be issued by the plumbing inspector.”
  • Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Division of land for agricultural purposes inside Englewood Cliffs borough.

    • The resulting parcels must be three acres or larger.
    • No new streets or roads may be involved.

    minimum resulting parcel size: >= 3 acres (No new streets or roads involved)

    “no new streets or roads are involved: divisions of land for agricultural purposes where the resulting parcels are three acres or larger in size”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Building and occupancy permits administered by Englewood Cliffs borough.

    • The cited fee schedule includes fees for certificates of occupancy and continued occupancy; other permit fees vary by work type and are not exhaustively captured in this claim.

    residential certificate of occupancy: 5% of construction permit fee, minimum $65 USD · certificate of continued residential occupancy: 50 USD · commercial certificate of occupancy: 5% of construction permit fee, minimum $85 USD

    “The fee for a certificate of continued residential occupancy shall be $50.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Englewood Cliffs

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

  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    A person constructing a new home inside Englewood Cliffs borough for that person's own personal use.

    • The exception applies to a person constructing a new home for personal use.
    • Other construction-permit and Uniform Construction Code requirements still apply.
    “The only exception is a person who constructs a new home for his or her own personal use.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Englewood Cliffs or Bergen County directly.

  • Living in an RV — Long-term or residential RV occupancy on land inside Englewood Cliffs borough.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Englewood Cliffs borough.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy on land inside Englewood Cliffs borough.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy on land inside Englewood Cliffs borough.
  • Accessory dwellings — Accessory-dwelling or accessory-apartment occupancy inside Englewood Cliffs borough.
6 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Englewood Cliffs publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bergen County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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