Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ Building Permits, Zoning & Septic Rules

Ho-Ho-Kus, a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, sets its own zoning under Borough Code Chapter 85¹. Building permits come from the borough's own Construction Department under the state Uniform Construction Code². Septic systems inside the borough are handled by the Borough Board of Health³. Bergen County has no county-level zoning over municipal zoning⁴.

At a glance

Building permit: Required for new construction, additions and most alterations; issued by the borough Construction Department²⁵
Zoning: Borough zoning under Code Chapter 85; Bergen County does not zone¹⁴
Septic: Borough Board of Health permit and certificate; licensed-engineer plans required³⁶
Minimum house size (R-1): 1,750 sq ft one-story; 2,250 sq ft multistory⁷
R-1 setbacks: 50 ft front, side and rear⁸
Short-term rentals: Rentals of 175 days or less are prohibited⁹
Owner-builder: No new-home builder registration for a home you build for your own use; plumbing house connection needs a qualified owner¹⁰¹¹

Who to call

Building permits

Ho-Ho-Kus Construction Department (Building Department)

Construction permits and inspections under the NJ Uniform Construction Code inside Ho-Ho-Kus, plus zoning permits for small sheds

201-652-4400 Ext. 241

333 Warren Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey 07423

Planning & zoning

Ho-Ho-Kus Planning Board

Subdivision, site plan, conditional use and related variance applications

201-652-4400 Ext. 236

333 Warren Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey 07423

Septic permits

Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Health (Health Department)

Board of Health for the borough; confirm with the office who reviews septic plans for a given lot

201-445-7217

333 Warren Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey 07423

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

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Does Ho-Ho-Kus have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, setbacks and house size?

Yes. The Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus adopted its own zoning chapter, and Bergen County does not zone for the borough¹⁴. Rules differ by district, so the first step is to confirm which district a lot sits in.

R-1 Single-Family Residential: the minimum livable floor area is 1750 square feet for a one-story house and 2250 for a multistory house⁷. Front, side and rear yards are each 50 feet⁸. A principal building may be 35 feet high and an accessory building 15 feet¹².

R-2 Single-Family Residential: the minimum lot is 10000 square feet, with 75 feet of frontage, 60 feet of lot width and 100 feet of depth¹³. Yards are 30 feet front, 10 feet on the sides and 30 feet in the rear¹⁴.

On reduced-frontage lots in the R-2A district, a single-lot paved driveway is 11 feet wide and a shared driveway is 16 feet¹⁵.

Do you need a building permit in Ho-Ho-Kus, and who issues it?

Yes. A construction permit is required in New Jersey for new construction and for work on existing buildings, including structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work¹⁶. In Ho-Ho-Kus, the borough's Construction Department says permits must be obtained from the Building Department for additions, alterations, garages, pools and similar work².

A shed of 200 square feet or under and less than 10 feet high needs a zoning permit only². Anything larger falls under the construction permit list.

Contact the Construction Department at 201-652-4400 Ext. 241². Zoning approval is separate from a construction permit, so a project can need both. Bergen County does not issue building permits for projects inside the borough.

How do septic permits work inside Ho-Ho-Kus?

Septic systems inside Ho-Ho-Kus are administered by the Borough Board of Health, not the county and not the construction office³. Locating, constructing or altering an individual sewage disposal system requires a Board of Health permit, and a certificate of compliance for location and design is also required⁶. Applications must include plans prepared by a licensed engineer⁶.

The code lists a $20 application and plans fee for a new system and a $5 fee for an alteration⁶, and a $5 reinspection fee¹⁷. Check with the Board of Health for the current schedule.

The borough's health page says it uses the Northwest Bergen Regional Health Commission for most Health Department services¹⁸. Call 201-445-7217 to confirm who reviews septic plans for your lot¹⁸. New Jersey law also requires septic facilities to be inspected before they are covered¹⁹.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Ho-Ho-Kus?

We could not confirm any borough rule that allows or prohibits living in a recreational vehicle, camping on private land, or occupying a tiny home or accessory dwelling in Ho-Ho-Kus. Because the borough controls land use through its own zoning, the answer sits in Borough Code Chapter 85 and in the zoning officer's reading of it for your district¹.

Before you plan around an RV or tiny home, call the Construction Department at 201-652-4400 Ext. 241 and ask for the zoning officer². Get the answer in writing.

One rule is clear: paid or consideration-based use or occupancy of a dwelling for 175 days or less is prohibited inside the borough⁹.

Building a home in Ho-Ho-Kus: the steps, in order

Confirm the district and its lot, setback, height and floor-area rules in Borough Code Chapter 85¹.
Check subdivision limits if you plan to divide land: the borough regulates subdivisions, and an agricultural division creating no new streets needs resulting parcels of at least 5 acres²⁰.
Ask the Planning Board about subdivision, site plan, conditional use or variance applications²¹.
Check flood hazard status. Development in a flood hazard area requires a borough permit²².
Septic: if the lot is not on sewer, apply to the Board of Health with engineer-prepared plans⁶.
Apply for construction permits through the Construction Department².
Plan for inspections and a certificate of occupancy. New buildings statewide require a certificate of occupancy²³.

If you build a home for your own use, New Jersey exempts that from new-home-builder registration¹⁰; the owner must file an affidavit with the construction official before a certificate of occupancy issues²⁴.

What stays with Bergen County and the state, and what to check before you buy

Bergen County has no zoning power over Ho-Ho-Kus's municipal zoning⁴. The county's driveway road-access permit, a $250 review fee, applies only to driveways onto county roads²⁵. A driveway onto a state highway needs state access approval²⁶. Private wells need a state well permit²⁷.

For county land outside the borough, see the Bergen County page.

Bergen County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%²⁸ and the median property tax bill is $10,001 a year²⁹; those are county figures, not Ho-Ho-Kus's own.

Watch-outs

Rentals of a dwelling for 175 days or less are prohibited in Ho-Ho-Kus, which rules out most short-term rental plans⁹.
We could not confirm borough rules for RV occupancy, camping, tiny homes or accessory dwelling units; ask the Construction Department at 201-652-4400 Ext. 241².
We could not confirm a borough private-well permit rule; the state requires a well permit for residential wells²⁷.
Zoning amendments were adopted after the code's last published update, so confirm the current district rules with the zoning officer before relying on the figures above¹.

Sources

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 Ho-Ho-Kus

Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus’s own rules

Owner-builder exemptionConditional
Owner installation of a house connection for a single-family dwelling used exclusively for the owner's living purposes.
- The owner must demonstrate personal qualification and necessary tools and testing equipment.
- The person must be the bona fide owner and occupant.
- The plumbing work must be personally performed by that person.
- The work must comply with Part 2, the Plumbing Code, and Borough Council and Board of Health ordinances.
“except that a permit may be issued to a person to install a house connection to a single-family dwelling used exclusively for his own living purposes, including the usual accessory buildings and quarters in connection with such building, provided that:”
Article IV Permit Requirements ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Local zoningPresent
Land inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough; Borough Code Chapter 85 is its zoning chapter.
- The code states that it includes legislation through 2026-04-28; the chapter page separately lists zoning amendments adopted 2026-07-28.
“[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus 12-23-1980 by Ord. No. 551. Amendments noted where applicable.]”
Chapter 85 Zoning ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Zoning districtsPublished
Zoning districts inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- The chapter lists R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-4, R-5, multifamily affordable housing, R-6, GB, downtown inclusionary overlay zones, general business/inclusionary residential and IP districts I through III.
- The schedule of requirements was marked as being updated; the text portion of the code is to be used until completed.
“This schedule is in the process of being updated. Please refer to the text portion of the code until it is completed.”
Chapter 85 Zoning ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Who permits septicLocal
Individual sewage disposal systems inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough; administered by the Borough Board of Health, subject to referenced New Jersey standards.
- The chapter adopts the Individual Sewage Disposal System Code of New Jersey (1963) and prescribes higher local standards.
- Applications require licensed-engineer plans and specifications.
“A certificate issued by the Board of Health certifying that a proposed individual sewage disposal system, or an alteration of any such system, is in compliance with the provisions of the Realty Improvement Sewerage and Facilities Act, P.L. 1954, c. 199, Standards for the Construction of Sewage Facilities for Realty Improvements, and any higher standards prescribed by this chapter.”
Chapter 55 Sewage Disposal: Individual Systems ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Septic permitRequired
Locating, constructing or altering an individual sewage disposal system inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- A Board of Health certificate of compliance as to location and design is also required.
- The application must include licensed-engineer plans and specifications.
- A separate application and certificate are required for each installation.
new-system application and plans fee: 20 USD · alteration application and plans fee: 5 USD
“No person shall locate, construct or alter any individual sewerage disposal system until the Board of Health shall have issued a certificate of compliance as to location and design with respect to such system and a permit to construct or alter such system.”
Chapter 55 Sewage Disposal: Individual Systems ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Septic inspectionRequired
Individual sewage disposal system installation inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- No exposed part may be filled in or covered until inspected by the Board of Health or authorized representative.
- The Board of Health may test materials, construction, products or units.
- A certificate of compliance as to installation is required before operation.
reinspection fee: 5 USD (When caused by failure to comply with the application, plan, permit or code.)
“No part of an individual sewerage disposal system exposed to view upon completion of installation shall in any manner be filled in around or covered from view until it has been inspected by the Board of Health or its duly authorized representative.”
Chapter 55 Sewage Disposal: Individual Systems ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Agricultural exemptionConditional
Agricultural divisions of land inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough where no new streets are created.
- The Planning Board or Subdivision Committee must find the division to be for agricultural purposes.
- All resulting parcels must be at least five acres.
- The exclusion does not eliminate other applicable municipal development regulations.
minimum resulting parcel: >= 5 acres (agricultural division with no new streets)
“The following shall not be considered subdivisions within the meaning of this chapter if no new streets are created: divisions of land found by the Planning Board or Subdivision Committee thereof appointed by the Chairman to be for agricultural purposes where all resulting parcels are five acres or larger in size;”
Chapter 32B Land Subdivision and Site Plan Review ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Subdivisions inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- Final subdivision approval is required before transfer, sale or agreement to transfer or sell land forming part of a subdivision, except under an agreement expressly conditioned on final subdivision approval.
- Agricultural divisions with no new streets and resulting parcels of at least five acres are excluded from the chapter's subdivision definition if found and certified as stated.
agricultural resulting parcel size: >= 5 acres (division for agricultural purposes, no new streets, and Planning Board or Subdivision Committee finding)
“No person shall transfer, sell or agree to transfer or sell, except pursuant to an agreement expressly conditioned on final subdivision approval, any land which forms part of a subdivision as defined in this chapter until final approval of such subdivision has been obtained pursuant to this chapter.”
Chapter 32B Land Subdivision and Site Plan Review ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Building in a floodplainRequired
Development in a flood hazard area inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- The applicant must apply to the Floodplain Administrator and obtain the required permit.
- Depending on the nature and extent of development involving a building or structure, an additional floodplain-development permit or approval may be required in addition to a building permit.
- The application must identify the development and site, state intended use and occupancy and valuation, include site and construction documents, and be signed.
permit commencement deadline: 180 days (permit becomes invalid if development does not commence within 180 days; extensions may be granted in writing for periods not exceeding 180 days each)
“Any person, owner or authorized agent who intends to conduct any development in a flood hazard area shall first make application to the Floodplain Administrator and shall obtain the required permit.”
Article IV Permits—Floodplain Management ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Short-term rentalsProhibited
Paid or consideration-based use or occupancy of a dwelling unit for 175 days or less inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- An otherwise lawful occupancy for more than 30 days is not prevented by the chapter.
- Up-to-30-day occupancy without consideration by a member of the owner's housekeeping unit, such as a house guest, is permitted.
- The prohibition was amended 2020-10-27 by Ordinance 2020-38.
prohibited rental duration: 175 days or less (lawful occupancy for more than 30 days; owner-household guest without consideration)
“Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Borough Code, it shall be unlawful for an owner, lessor, sublessor, any other person(s) or entity(ies) with possessory or use right(s) in a dwelling unit, their principals, partner or shareholders, or their agents, employees, representatives and other person(s) or entity(ies), acting in concert or a combination thereof, to receive or obtain actual or anticipated consideration for soliciting, advertising, offering, and/or permitting, allowing, or failing to discontinue the use or occupancy of any dwelling unit, as defined herein, for a period of 175 days or less.”
Chapter 57A Short-Term Rental Property ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Permit processPublished (with conditions)
Individual sewage-disposal approval process inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- Applications are supplied by the Board of Health Secretary.
- A separate application and certificate are required for each installation.
- Licensed-engineer plans and specifications are required.
- A permit and location/design certificate precede construction; an installation certificate precedes operation.
“All applications for certifications are supplied by the Secretary of the Board of Health for that purpose. A separate application shall be filed and a separate certificate issued for each installation.”
Chapter 55 Sewage Disposal: Individual Systems ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus

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

Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified
R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- The stated areas exclude garages, basements, open porches, livable attics and accessory buildings.
one-story livable floor area: >= 1750 square feet (R-1 dwellings) · multistory livable floor area: >= 2250 square feet (R-1 dwellings)
“Livable floor area for one-story dwellings shall not be less than 1,750 square feet, with 2,250 square feet for multistory dwellings, exclusive of garages, basements, open porches, livable attics and accessory buildings.”
Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Minimum lot sizeSpecified
R-2 Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- Corner lots require at least 12,000 square feet.
- Lot area is computed within 145 feet of the front street line.
minimum lot area: >= 10000 square feet (corner lots require 12,000 square feet) · minimum frontage: >= 75 feet · minimum lot width: >= 60 feet · minimum lot depth: >= 100 feet
“The lot area shall not be less than 10,000 square feet and shall be computed within 145 feet of the front street line, except corner lots, which shall not have less than 12,000 square feet.”
Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
SetbacksSpecified
R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough; interior and corner lots.
- Front yard may conform to an existing setback line within 600 feet, but no building need have a front yard greater than 80 feet.
- Corner lots have a 50-foot side-street yard and 50-foot interior side yard.
front yard: >= 50 feet (existing setback-line rule and 80-foot maximum required front yard) · side yards: >= 50 feet (each side yard) · rear yard: >= 50 feet
“Front yard depth: 50 feet, except that where the existing buildings on the same side of the street and within 600 feet of either side line of the subject property form an existing setback line, new buildings shall conform to the existing setback line, provided that no building need have a front yard greater than 80 feet.”
Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
One more reviewed finding on this topic
- Specified — R-2 Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
  “Front yard depth: 30 feet, except that where the existing buildings on the same side of the street and within 200 feet of either side line of the subject property form an existing setback line, new buildings shall conform to the existing setback line, provided that no building need have a front yard greater than 50 feet.”
  Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Building heightSpecified
R-1 Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- The principal-building limit includes no more than 2 1/2 stories; the accessory-building limit includes no more than 1 1/2 stories.
principal building height: <= 35 feet · accessory building height: <= 15 feet
“Maximum building heights. No principal building shall exceed a height of 35 feet containing no more than 2 1/2 stories. No accessory building shall exceed a height of 15 feet containing no more than 1 1/2 stories.”
Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
One more reviewed finding on this topic
- Specified — R-2 Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
  “No principal building shall exceed a height of 35 feet containing no more than 2 1/2 stories. No accessory building shall exceed a height of 15 feet containing no more than 1 1/2 stories.”
  Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026
Driveway accessRequired
Reduced-frontage lots in the R-2A Single-Family Residential District inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
- The lot must be served by a public street for primary roadway access.
- The configuration must be a reduced-frontage lot under the identified settlement agreement.
- The reduced-frontage portion may be no deeper than 145 feet from the front lot line.
- No principal or accessory buildings may be placed in the reduced-width portion.
single-lot paved driveway width: >= 11 feet · shared driveway width: >= 16 feet (driveway serves more than one lot)
“Served by a paved driveway with a minimum width of 11 feet where serving one lot or a minimum of 16 feet should the driveway serve more than one lot by a shared driveway easement.”
Article IV: District Regulations ↗Re-checked Oct 12, 2026

Still unanswered

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

Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
Inspections — Building inspections inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
Living in an RV — Occupancy of recreational vehicles on private land inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.
Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Ho-Ho-Kus borough.

4 more unanswered

Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
Accessory dwellings
Well permit

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