Bolthole Index

Bergen County, New Jersey

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

Building in Englewood, New Jersey (Bergen County) starts with the city's own Building Department, which enforces the State Uniform Construction Code inside city limits1. Zoning is set by the city, not by Bergen County23. New septic tanks, cesspools and privies are prohibited in Englewood, so public sewer is the path4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the City of Englewood Building Department under the State Uniform Construction Code156
Zoning
City zoning with multiple one-family, multiple-residence, business and industrial districts; Bergen County does not zone23
Septic
New septic tanks, cesspools and privies are prohibited inside the city4
Sewer connection
Required when public sewer is reachable within 100 feet of the property line7
Subdivision
City planning board, plus a county planning board filing8
Owner-builder
State builder registration does not apply to a person building a home for personal use; a construction permit is still required9
Property tax
Bergen County's effective rate is 1.7%10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Englewood Building & Code Enforcement (Building Department)

Receives applications for building, electrical, fire and plumbing construction permits inside Englewood, and certificates of occupancy

(201) 871-6642

2-10 North Van Brunt Street Englewood, NJ 07631

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 Englewood means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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

Englewood zones its own land. The city divides itself into districts that include multiple one-family, multiple-residence, business, industrial, overlay and redevelopment districts2. Bergen County has no zoning authority over municipal zoning; municipalities, not counties, zone land in New Jersey3.

Dimensional rules such as lot size, yards, coverage and height depend on the district your parcel sits in, so look up the district on the city's zoning map before you plan anything. The City of Englewood's Building & Code Enforcement page lists a zoning map and a zoning determination form11. We did not find a rule in the city's code pages on tiny homes, accessory dwellings or manufactured homes, and the reviewed district tables showed no minimum dwelling size, so ask the Building Department before assuming anything.

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

Yes. Construction permits inside Englewood are handled by the city's own enforcement agency, called the Building Department, which administers the State Uniform Construction Code1. Statewide, a construction permit is required for new construction and for work on existing buildings, with an exception for ordinary maintenance12.

Inside city limits the city's Central Permit Office receives applications for construction permits and certificates of occupancy and collects fees5. Permit applications for building, electrical, fire and plumbing work go to the City of Englewood Building Department for review, payment and issuance11. The state sets the codes; the current building subcode is the 2024 International Building Code, New Jersey edition13.

How do septic permits work in Englewood?

They mostly do not: Englewood's code states that no person shall construct or install a cesspool, septic tank or privy in the city4. A new home or addition in Englewood is therefore planned around the public sewer.

When public sewer is available and a connection can be made within 100 feet of the property boundary, the owner must connect at their own expense and stop using any private wastewater system within 90 days of receiving a directive from the City Engineer7. A separate sewer connection permit is required under the city's sewer chapter7. Outside the city, septic is reviewed by the Bergen County Department of Health Services only for municipalities that contract with the county14; confirm who has jurisdiction for any parcel with the city before you rely on a septic plan.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Englewood?

We could not confirm a rule. The city's reviewed code pages did not state a direct rule on temporary camping or RV occupancy, tiny-home occupancy or manufactured-home occupancy inside Englewood2. Because Englewood zones its land by district, any such use would be decided by the zoning for your parcel, not by Bergen County3.

Ask the City of Englewood Building Department at (201) 871-6642 and ask for a written zoning determination for your address before you buy or park anything on the lot11.

Building a home in Englewood: the steps, in order

  1. Find your zoning district on the city's zoning map and confirm the use and lot dimensions with the zoning staff11.
  2. Confirm sewer. New septic systems are prohibited, so plan to connect to public sewer4.
  3. If you are subdividing, file with the Englewood planning board or board of adjustment and also file with the Bergen County Planning Board for approval or a waiver8.
  4. Submit construction permit applications to the City of Englewood Building Department5.
  5. Build to the State Uniform Construction Code and schedule inspections through the Building Department1.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in5.

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

Zoning and building permits are the city's; the county's role is narrower. Every subdivision in Bergen County is submitted to the County Planning Board for review, and approval is required only when it affects a County road or drainage facility15. A driveway onto a Bergen County road can carry a county road-access permit fee16. The county page covers land outside the city: Bergen County.

Before buying, confirm the zoning district, sewer availability, and a driveway-access rule for the address, which we could not find in the city's reviewed pages. Bergen County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%10, and the county's typical home value is high, so budget carefully17.

Watch-outs

  • Zoning rules in Englewood differ by district, so a neighbor's setback or use does not carry to your lot2.
  • The current building subcode is the 2024 International Building Code, New Jersey edition, so older plans may need updating13.
  • A person building a home for their own use is exempt from state builder registration but still needs a construction permit9.
  • We could not confirm Englewood's owner-builder, well, agricultural and driveway rules; ask the Building Department at (201) 871-664211.

Sources

  1. Chapter 167: Construction Codes, Uniform (Englewood), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article IX: Zoning Districts and Zoning Map (Englewood), quoted and re-checked
  3. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Site Plans, quoted and re-checked
  4. Article I: Septic Tanks, Cesspools, Privies (Englewood), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 167: Construction Codes, Uniform (Englewood), quoted and re-checked
  6. City of Hackensack - Building, Housing & Land Use (2026 county census)
  7. Article II: Use of Public Sewers Required Exceptions (Englewood), quoted and re-checked
  8. Part 3: Site Plan and Subdivision Regulations (Englewood), quoted and re-checked
  9. Builder Registration and New Home Warranty for Builders, quoted and re-checked
  10. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  11. City of Englewood Building & Code Enforcement (Building Department) (cityofenglewood.org)
  12. Uniform Construction Code General Information, quoted and re-checked
  13. Current Construction Codes, quoted and re-checked
  14. bergencountynj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  15. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  16. Fee Schedule for Site Plan Application, quoted and re-checked
  17. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data

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 Englewood

Englewood’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Englewood city.

    • The local enforcement agency administers the State Uniform Construction Code.
    • The City may retain a private on-site inspection or plan-review agency for a subcode.
    “There is hereby established in the City of Englewood a State Uniform Construction Code enforcement agency, to be known as the "Building Department,"”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Land inside Englewood city.

    • The zoning map is dated February 1, 2001 and last revised February 18, 2009, according to the code text.
    • The district list includes multiple one-family, multiple-residence, business, industrial, overlay, and redevelopment districts.
    “The City of Englewood is hereby divided into the following districts:”
  • Septic permitLimited

    Construction or installation of septic systems inside Englewood city.

    • Construction or installation is prohibited, so no ordinary septic-construction permit pathway was identified.
    “No person shall construct or install a cesspool, septic tank or privy in the City of Englewood.”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    New septic, cesspool, or privy sanitation systems inside Englewood city.

    “No person shall construct or install a cesspool, septic tank or privy in the City of Englewood.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Any building inside Englewood city when the public sewer is available and a connection can be made within 100 feet of the property boundary.

    • The owner pays the expense.
    • The owner must connect and discontinue private wastewater disposal within 90 days after receiving a City Engineer directive.
    • A connection permit is separately required by the sewer chapter.

    connection-distance: <= 100 feet (from the property boundary) · compliance-period: 90 days (from receipt of City Engineer directive)

    “The owner of any building shall, at his own expense, connect such building to the public sewer and discontinue use of any private wastewater disposal system within 90 days from his receipt of a directive from the City Engineer directing him to do so and stating that such public sewer is available and that a connection thereto can be made at a point not more than 100 feet distant from the boundary line of the property on which such building is located.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision applications inside Englewood city.

    • Approval is administered by the Englewood Planning Board or Board of Adjustment when it has jurisdiction.
    • A subdivision application must also be filed with the Bergen County Planning Board for approval or waiver.
    “Concurrently with filing an application with the Englewood Board, a subdivision application shall be filed with the Bergen County Planning Board for either county subdivision approval or a waiver therefrom.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Applications for construction permits and certificates of occupancy inside Englewood city.

    • The Central Permit Office operates under the Construction Official.
    • The office receives applications, issues notices and orders, collects fees, and performs other functions assigned by the Construction Official.
    • Applications are processed during normal City business hours except emergencies and unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances.
    “The Central Permit Office shall receive all applications for construction permits and certificates of occupancy, issue notices and orders, collect fees, penalties and fines, and perform such other functions as may be determined by the Construction Official. Said office shall be open during normal business hours of the City.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building work inside Englewood city.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders performing construction inside Englewood city.
  • Inspections — Building work inside Englewood city.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Englewood city.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Englewood city.
7 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access

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 Englewood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bergen County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Bergen County: county rules, score and offices