Bolthole Index

Bergen County, New Jersey

Building permits, zoning and land rules in the Borough of Lodi, New Jersey

The Borough of Lodi, New Jersey requires a construction permit for new building and for most work on existing buildings, issued through the borough's own Building Department12. Lodi adopts and enforces its own zoning ordinance, with zoning questions going to the borough's Zoning Department34. Septic authority inside the borough is unconfirmed; the code requires connection to the public sewer5.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the Borough of Lodi Building Department under the state Uniform Construction Code12
Zoning
Yes; the borough's own zoning ordinance, enforced by the Zoning Department34
Certificate of occupancy
Required for initial and continued occupancy and use6
Sewer
Buildings fronting a public way or public sewer right-of-way must connect to the public sewer5
Septic
Not confirmed for Lodi; ask the borough Health Office7
Owner-builder
State builder-registration exemption for a person building a home for personal use; borough-level rules unconfirmed8
RV / tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask the Zoning Department4

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Lodi Building Department (Construction Official)

Building permits and building, electrical and plumbing subcode inspections inside the Borough of Lodi

973-859-7410

NMelfi@Lodi-NJ.org

One Memorial Drive, Room 204, Lodi, NJ 07644

Zoning

Borough of Lodi Zoning Department (Zoning Officer)

Zoning, subdivision and site plan ordinances; zoning permits; Planning Board and Zoning Board applications

973-859-7465

One Memorial Drive, Room 204, Lodi, NJ 07644

Health department

Bergen County Department of Health Services

Septic plan review for municipalities that contract with the county; confirm whether Lodi's health jurisdiction is the borough or the county

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

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

Yes. The Borough of Lodi has its own zoning chapter, Chapter 585, adopted by the Borough Council by Ordinance No. 2020-283. The borough is divided into residential, commercial and industrial districts, listed as R-1, R-2, R-LR, R-MR, C-NR, C-C, C-H, C-PD, C-R and I-LI9. The official zoning map is kept in the Building Official's office, and the original tracing in the Borough Clerk's office is the final authority on current zoning status9.

The Zoning Department administers the zoning, subdivision and site plan ordinances4. Minimum lot size, setbacks, lot coverage, height and minimum dwelling size depend on the district, and we could not confirm the numeric figures for Lodi's districts. Likewise, we could not confirm rules on tiny homes, accessory dwellings or living in an RV. Call the Zoning Department with the address and ask which district it sits in before you assume anything.

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

Yes. New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code requires a construction permit for new construction and for work on existing buildings, including structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work; ordinary maintenance such as routine repair is exempt1. Inside Lodi, the borough's own Building Department issues permits for residential, commercial and industrial construction and conducts the building, electrical and plumbing subcode inspections2.

A certificate of occupancy is required for both initial and continued occupancy and use of a building or land in Lodi6. The Building Department lists forms for a local permit application, planning board hearing, site plan waiver, soil movement and road opening permits2.

How do septic permits work inside Lodi, NJ?

We could not confirm a septic authority or septic permit rule for land inside Lodi. What the borough's code does say is that a building fronting on a public way or public sewer right-of-way must connect separately and independently to the public sewer5. A lot on a street with public sewer is therefore a sewer-connection question, not a septic one.

If a property is somehow not served by sewer, New Jersey's rule is that the construction official must require approval of the septic plan from the health department having jurisdiction before issuing a construction permit10. Ask the Building Department who that is for your parcel, and check with the Bergen County Department of Health Services, which reviews septic plans for towns that contract with the county117.

Building a home in Lodi: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and permitted use with the Zoning Department4.
  2. If you are dividing a lot, ask about the borough's minor and major subdivision and site plan procedures12.
  3. Apply to the Building Department for the construction permit2.
  4. Arrange sewer connection for the building5.
  5. Pass the building, electrical and plumbing subcode inspections2.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in6.

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

Lodi decides zoning and issues building permits itself; Bergen County does not zone land13. The county's role is narrower: all subdivisions must be submitted to the County Planning Board for review, with approval required only where a subdivision abuts a County road or drainage facility14, and a $250 road-access permit fee applies to a residential driveway on a County road15.

A person who builds a new home for personal use and occupancy is not required to register as a builder under state rules, but may not do so more often than once every five years without registering8. For the rest of Bergen County, see the Bergen County page. Bergen County's median property tax bill is $10,001 a year16.

Watch-outs

  • Lodi's numeric lot size, setback, coverage and height figures live in a bulk schedule attached to the zoning chapter that we could not read; get them from the Zoning Department before you design anything94.
  • Septic authority, well rules, tiny-home and RV occupancy inside Lodi are unconfirmed; the Building Department and Zoning Department are the offices to ask24.
  • Search results for "Lodi" often show Lodi, California or other Lodis; the rules here are for the Borough of Lodi in Bergen County, New Jersey3.

Sources

  1. Uniform Construction Code General Information, quoted and re-checked
  2. Borough of Lodi Building Department (Construction Official) (lodi-nj.org)
  3. Chapter 585: Zoning - Borough of Lodi, NJ (Borough of Lodi), quoted and re-checked
  4. Borough of Lodi Zoning Department (Zoning Officer) (lodi-nj.org)
  5. Article VI: Sewer Connections and Use - Borough of Lodi, NJ (Borough of Lodi), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article VI: Administration and Enforcement; Building Official - Borough of Lodi, NJ (Borough of Lodi), quoted and re-checked
  7. Bergen County Department of Health Services (bergencountynj.gov)
  8. N.J.A.C. 5:25-2.1, Registration required, quoted and re-checked
  9. Article III: Establishment of Districts; Official Zoning Map - Borough of Lodi, NJ (Borough of Lodi), quoted and re-checked
  10. Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  11. bergencountynj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 505: Subdivision of Land and Site Plan Review - Borough of Lodi, NJ (Borough of Lodi), quoted and re-checked
  13. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Site Plans, quoted and re-checked
  14. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  15. Fee Schedule for Site Plan Application, quoted and re-checked
  16. Median property tax bill: 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 Borough of Lodi

Borough of Lodi’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Initial and continued occupancy and use of buildings or land inside Lodi borough.

    • A new or altered building requires an application after completion in conformity with applicable codes and ordinances.
    • A temporary certificate may be issued for up to 90 days during required alterations or for part of a partially completed building.
    • Applications carry a fee under Chapter 235, Article IV.

    temporary certificate maximum period: <= 90 days (During completion of required alterations or for part of a partially completed building)

    “A certificate of occupancy shall be deemed to authorize and is required for both initial and continued occupancy and use of the building or land to which it applies.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Lodi borough.

    • Chapter 585 was adopted by the Borough Council on 2020-12-15 by Ordinance No. 2020-28.
    “HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Lodi 12-15-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-28.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Lodi borough.

    • Listed districts are R-1, R-2, R-LR, R-MR, C-NR, C-C, C-H, C-PD, C-R, and I-LI.
    • The official zoning map dated 2020 accompanies the chapter and is maintained in the Building Official's office.
    • The original tracing in the Borough Clerk's office is the final authority for current zoning status.
    “The Borough of Lodi is hereby divided into the zones or districts as shown on the Zoning Map and listed below:”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Buildings inside Lodi borough fronting on a public way or public sewer right-of-way.

    • The rule requires separate and independent connection through the house-connection branch provided in front of the building or nearest downstream.
    • The excerpt does not establish a water-connection requirement.
    “Each building fronting on a public way or a public sewer right-of-way must be connected separately and independently with the public sewer through the house connection branch provided therefor in front of the building or nearest in the downstream direction.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and site-plan review inside Lodi borough.

    • The code provides separate minor-subdivision and major-subdivision/site-plan procedures.
    • The chapter cross-references zoning, fees, flood damage prevention, sewers, water, and other standards.
    “§ 505-12 Minor subdivision procedure. § 505-13 Major subdivision and site plan procedure.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from construction permits or inspections inside Lodi borough.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in Lodi borough residential districts, including R-1 and R-2.
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot size in Lodi borough residential districts, including R-1 and R-2.
  • Setbacks — Setbacks in Lodi borough residential districts, including R-1 and R-2.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage in Lodi borough residential districts, including R-1 and R-2.
13 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Lodi publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bergen County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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