Bolthole Index

Bergen County, New Jersey

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in the Borough of Maywood, New Jersey

Building in the Borough of Maywood, Bergen County, New Jersey means going through the Borough's own building department, which enforces the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code1. Maywood also sets its own zoning, with a zoning official and a combined planning and zoning board2. Septic authority is the open question: Bergen County's health department serves only contracting towns, so confirm with the Borough's Board of Health3.

At a glance

Building permit
Handled by the Borough's building department under the state Uniform Construction Code14
Zoning
Borough zoning (Chapter 209), with districts such as A-1 one-family52
Septic
Not confirmed for Maywood; ask the Borough Board of Health and Bergen County Health Services3
RV / tiny home
Trailer camps and mobile-home establishments prohibited in the LL light industrial district; other districts not confirmed6
A-1 building height
35 feet to the ridge on sloped roofs; 28 feet on flat roofs7
Owner-builder
State registration exemption for a home built for personal use; a construction permit is still required8
Short-term rentals
Vacation rentals prohibited9

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Maywood Building Department

Construction permits, inspections and zoning permits for fences, patios, driveways, sidewalks, curbs, aprons and sheds inside Maywood

201-845-2900

15 Park Avenue, Maywood, NJ 07607

Online permits →

Zoning

Borough of Maywood Planning Board (Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment)

Variances, interpretations of the zoning ordinance, and site plan and subdivision review inside Maywood

201-845-2900

15 Park Avenue, Maywood, NJ 07607

Health department

Bergen County Department of Health Services

Septic plan review and oversight for towns that contract with Bergen County; confirm whether Maywood 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 Maywood means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Maywood, NJ?

Yes. Inside the Borough of Maywood, construction is regulated under the New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code, enforced by the Borough's own enforcing agency1. The statewide rule requires a permit before covered construction, enlargement, alteration or demolition begins, while ordinary maintenance is excepted10. The Borough's building department also requires a separate zoning permit for fences, patios, driveways, sidewalks, curbs, aprons and sheds4.

A house built by its owner is not exempt from permits: New Jersey's owner-builder exemption covers builder registration and warranty requirements, not construction permits8. Maywood's local code text we reviewed did not state its own permit trigger, so treat the state rule as the operative one and confirm details with the building department.

Who issues building permits in Maywood, and how do you reach them?

The Borough of Maywood Building Department at Borough Hall issues construction permits and certificates of occupancy and handles plan review11. Applications go through the Borough's online permit portal, and each permit needs a contractor license copy, a permit jacket and subcode tech sheets4. Fees are computed under the State Uniform Construction Code and the Borough fee schedule chapter, and are collected before review or issuance12. Inspections are requested by email4. Bergen County does not issue building permits for Maywood; the county has no zoning power over municipal land use13.

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

Maywood has its own zoning ordinance with regulations for the A-1, A-2, PC, RC, GA and LL districts plus overlay, senior-housing, office-retail and townhouse districts5. Rules differ by district. In the A-1 one-family district, building height tops out at 35 feet to the ridge on sloped roofs and 28 feet on flat roofs7. Variances and interpretations go to the Planning Board, which also acts as the zoning board of adjustment2.

Trailer camps and mobile-home establishments are prohibited in the LL limited light industrial district6. We could not confirm Maywood rules on living in an RV, tiny homes or accessory dwellings in other districts, so ask the zoning official at the building department before planning any of them. Vacation rentals of 30 consecutive days or less are prohibited in the Borough9.

How do septic permits work in Maywood?

We could not confirm which office administers on-site septic systems inside Maywood. New Jersey requires a septic plan approval and proof of health-department certification before a construction permit is issued for a building using septic14. Bergen County Health Services reviews septic plans only for the towns that contract with the county, and Maywood's status was not confirmed3. Maywood has its own Board of Health2, so ask it and Bergen County Health Services which agency has jurisdiction for your lot.

Private wells, where allowed, require a state well permit for drilling15.

Building a home in Maywood: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning district and dimensional limits with the Maywood zoning official4.
  2. If the project needs a variance, subdivision or site plan approval, apply to the Planning Board first2.
  3. Check whether any of the lot lies in a flood hazard area; development there needs a permit from the Floodplain Administrator, in addition to a building permit16.
  4. Confirm sewer or septic with the Borough Board of Health and Bergen County Health Services14.
  5. Apply for the construction permit and zoning permit through the Borough's permit portal4.
  6. Request inspections by email and obtain a certificate of occupancy before moving in17.

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

Land outside Maywood's borders is a different answer; see the Bergen County page for unincorporated-area questions. For Maywood parcels, the county's role is limited to subdivision review where a county road or drainage facility is affected18 and to a road-access permit for driveways onto county roads19. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit20.

Maywood sits in a developed part of Bergen County, so buyers should confirm flood hazard status, sewer connection and the lot's zoning district before closing. Bergen County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%21.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm who administers septic systems inside Maywood; ask the Borough Board of Health and Bergen County Department of Health Services before buying a lot that is not on public sewer3.
  • A zoning permit is required in addition to a construction permit for fences, patios, driveways, sidewalks, curbs, aprons and sheds4.
  • New construction and additions in Maywood carry affordable-housing (COAH) fees4.
  • Rules for RVs, tiny homes and accessory dwellings outside the LL district were not confirmed; ask the Maywood zoning official6.

Sources

  1. Chapter 148: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  2. Borough of Maywood Planning Board (Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment) (maywoodnj.com)
  3. bergencountynj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  4. Borough of Maywood Building Department (maywoodnj.com)
  5. Article VI: District Regulations - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  6. Article VI: District Regulations - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 209 Attachment 1: Schedule A-1, Limiting Schedule (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  8. Builder Registration and New Home Warranty for Builders, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 275: Short-Term Vacation and Event Space Rentals - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  10. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 148: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 148: Construction Codes, Uniform - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  13. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Site Plans, quoted and re-checked
  14. Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  15. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. Chapter 184, Article IV: Permits - Borough of Maywood, NJ (Borough of Maywood), quoted and re-checked
  17. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (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. Effective property tax rate: 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 Maywood

Borough of Maywood’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Maywood borough limits.

    • The Borough enforces the New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code through its local Enforcing Agency.
    “New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Structures using engineered lumber inside Maywood borough limits.

    • The reflective symbol must be applied by the Construction Official or designee and is a condition of issuance of a UCC certificate of occupancy.
    “issuance of a UCC certificate of occupancy”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Land inside Maywood borough limits.

    • Article VI publishes regulations for A-1, A-2, PC, RC, GA, LL, overlay, senior-housing, office-retail, and townhouse districts.
    “A-1 Residential one-family district. [...] LL Limited light industrial district.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Maywood borough limits.

    • Chapter 209 separately contains provisions for minor and major subdivisions.
    “Part 4 Subdivision of Land [...] Article XIV Minor Subdivisions [...] Article XV Major Subdivisions”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Any development in a flood hazard area inside Maywood borough limits.

    • The applicant must apply to the Floodplain Administrator and obtain the required permit. Depending on the proposed development, a floodplain development permit or approval may be required in addition to a building permit. A permit expires if work is not commenced within 180 days, or after 180 days of suspension or abandonment; written extensions for justifiable cause may be granted for periods no more than 180 days each.

    permit commencement deadline: <= 180 days (written extensions for justifiable cause may be granted) · maximum extension period: <= 180 days

    “shall first make application to the Floodplain Administrator and shall obtain the required permit”
  • Short-term rentalsProhibited

    Vacation rentals and unlawful event-space use of residential rental homes inside Maywood borough limits.

    • The chapter defines vacation rentals as transient exclusive dwelling-unit rentals of 30 consecutive days or less. Borough-approved hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts are excluded from that definition.

    transient-rental duration: <= 30 consecutive days (Borough-approved hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts are excluded from the vacation-rental definition)

    “Vacation rentals [...] are prohibited in the Borough of Maywood.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Construction permits and certificates inside Maywood borough limits.

    • Fees are collected before review or issuance; fees follow the State Uniform Construction Code and Chapter 169 fee schedule. Accessibility work solely promoting disabled-person access is exempt from construction-permit surcharge and Enforcing Agency fees.
    “All fees required for plan review and the issuance of any permit or certificate shall be collected prior to the review or the issuance of the permit or certificate. Fees shall be computed in accordance with the requirements and standards set forth in the State Uniform Construction Code and in accordance with the fee schedule set forth in Chapter 169, Fees, a copy of which shall be posted in the central permit office.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Uniform Construction Code applications inside Maywood borough limits.

    • Except for emergencies and other unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances, the public has the right to process applications at the central permit office.
    “Said office shall receive applications for construction permits and plan review, issue 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.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Maywood

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

  • Building heightSpecified

    A-1 One-Family District inside Maywood borough limits.

    • For flat roofs the maximum is 28 feet to the highest parapet point; for sloped roofs it is 35 feet to the ridge beam.

    maximum building height: <= 35 feet (flat roofs are limited to 28 feet)

    “The maximum height of flat roofs shall be 28 feet”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Trailer camps in Maywood's LL Limited Light Industrial District.

    • This is a district-specific prohibition; it does not establish the rule for every district or every form of RV occupancy.
    “Uses prohibited shall include but not be limited to: [...] Tourist lodge, trailer camp, mobile home establishment, motel, hotel”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Mobile-home establishments in Maywood's LL Limited Light Industrial District.

    • This is a district-specific prohibition and does not establish the rule for every district or every individual manufactured dwelling.
    “Uses prohibited shall include but not be limited to: [...] Tourist lodge, trailer camp, mobile home establishment, motel, hotel”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — New residential construction inside Maywood borough limits.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Maywood borough limits.
  • Inspections — Residential construction inside Maywood borough limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — A-1 Residential One-Family District inside Maywood borough limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Maywood borough limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • 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 Borough of Maywood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Bergen County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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