Bolthole Index

Bergen County, New Jersey

Zoning, building permits and septic in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey

The Village of Ridgefield Park, in Bergen County, New Jersey, requires a permit from its Building Department for listed construction and alteration work1. The Village adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance2. Septic and well approvals follow state health rules, and we could not confirm which health department handles septic inside the Village3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for listed work, issued by the Village Building Department1
Zoning
The Village adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance2
Owner-builder
Owners of an owner-occupied single-family home may do their own work, with a permit4
Sewer
Sanitary sewer use follows Bergen County Sewer Authority rules5
Septic
State rules require health-department plan approval before a construction permit; the local authority is unconfirmed6
Final inspection
Required before final payment to the contractor7

Who to call

Building permits

Village of Ridgefield Park Building Department

Building permits and inspections inside Ridgefield Park village

201-641-4950

234 Main Street, Room 209, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660

Health department

Bergen County Department of Health Services

Septic plan review for municipalities that contract with the county; confirm whether Ridgefield Park is one

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 Village of Ridgefield Park means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Ridgefield Park, NJ?

Yes, for most construction and alteration work. The Village of Ridgefield Park says you must obtain a permit from its Building Department before work such as additions, interior alterations, decks, fences, sheds, driveways and sidewalks1. The Village's list is partial, and its page tells applicants to call the Building Department when in doubt8.

Ordinary repairs and maintenance are exceptions, subject to the limits on the Village's page1. Final inspections are required before final payment is made to the contractor7. New Jersey's statewide Uniform Construction Code is the framework behind these permits9.

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

The Village of Ridgefield Park Building Department issues building permits inside the Village. It is at 234 Main Street, Room 209, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660, and the phone is 201-641-4950, option 48. Bergen County does not issue building permits for Village addresses; permits are handled by each municipality's own construction official10.

The Village publishes construction-permit and plan-review fees: plan review is 20% of the construction-permit amount, and additions and new construction carry a $105 minimum fee11.

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

Ridgefield Park has its own zoning. The Village states that its zoning ordinance was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on December 12, 20232. Bergen County has no zoning power over the Village; municipal zoning stays with municipalities12.

Lot size, setbacks, height and dwelling size are set district by district under New Jersey municipal zoning13. We could not confirm the dimensional rules for each Ridgefield Park district, or whether RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings are allowed. Ask the Village Building Department, which reviews applications, before you buy.

How do septic permits work inside Ridgefield Park?

Most of Ridgefield Park is served by public sewer, and Village code requires sanitary sewer use to comply with Bergen County Sewer Authority rules5. We could not confirm any septic permit process specific to the Village.

Where a septic system is used, New Jersey requires the construction official to receive proof of health-department approval of the septic plan before issuing a construction permit6. The Bergen County Department of Health Services reviews septic plans for municipalities that contract with it, and we could not confirm whether Ridgefield Park is one14. Call15 to find out which health department has jurisdiction. Wells need a state drilling permit and approval from municipal or county health officials16.

Can you build or renovate your own home in Ridgefield Park?

Owners can do their own work on an owner-occupied single-family home, but a permit is still required4. The owner must personally do any plumbing or electrical work, and may not have a friend, relative or neighbor do it4. Owner-occupied two-family homes and other structures require New Jersey-licensed contractors for plumbing and electrical work8.

What stays with Bergen County, and what should you check before buying in Ridgefield Park?

Bergen County reviews subdivisions and site plans that touch county roads or drainage, and regulates driveways onto county roads17. Land outside the Village follows county and township rules; see the Bergen County page for unincorporated-area answers.

Before buying in Ridgefield Park, confirm the zoning district and its dimensional limits, flood-hazard status, and sewer or septic service with the Building Department. We could not confirm the Village's floodplain provisions. Bergen County's effective property tax rate is 1.7%18.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm whether the Village or the Bergen County Department of Health Services reviews septic plans inside Ridgefield Park; call the county health department before relying on septic14.
  • Working without a required permit can draw a penalty of as much as $500 per day, according to the Village's permit page8.
  • The Village's permit list is partial, so call the Building Department before starting any work not named on it1.

Sources

  1. Building Permit Information (Village of Ridgefield Park), quoted and re-checked
  2. Village Master & Housing Plans & Ordinance Revisions (Village of Ridgefield Park), quoted and re-checked
  3. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  4. Building Permit Information (Village of Ridgefield Park), quoted and re-checked
  5. ecode360.com (Village of Ridgefield Park), quoted and re-checked
  6. Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  7. Building Permit Information (Village of Ridgefield Park), quoted and re-checked
  8. Village of Ridgefield Park Building Department (ridgefieldpark.org)
  9. Current Construction Codes (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  10. The New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code, quoted and re-checked
  11. Article I: Building Department Fees (Village of Ridgefield Park), quoted and re-checked
  12. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Site Plans, quoted and re-checked
  13. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  14. bergencountynj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  15. Bergen County Department of Health Services (bergencountynj.gov)
  16. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Bergen County Standards for Sustainable Land Development—Subdivisions, quoted and re-checked
  18. 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 Village of Ridgefield Park

Village of Ridgefield Park’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Listed construction and alteration work inside Ridgefield Park village.

    • The page says the list is partial and directs applicants to call the Building Department when in doubt.
    • Ordinary repairs and maintenance are identified as permit exceptions, subject to the page's stated limitations.
    “You must obtain a permit from the Building Department before doing the following work:”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Owner-occupied single-family homes inside Ridgefield Park village.

    • The homeowner may personally do the work.
    • A permit remains required.
    • The homeowner may not have a friend, relative, or neighbor perform the plumbing or electrical work.
    • Other structures, including owner-occupied two-family homes, require NJ-licensed contractors for plumbing and electrical work.
    “Homeowners of an owner-occupied single-family home may do their own work. They may not have a friend, relative, or neighbor do the plumbing or electrical work; the homeowner must personally do the work.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside Ridgefield Park village, at least for final inspections.

    • The Village page states that final inspections are required before final payment is made to the contractor.
    “N.J. State Law 13:45A-16.2 States: Final Inspections are Required Before Final Payment is Made to the Contractor.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Ridgefield Park village; the Village adopts and administers its own zoning ordinance.

    • The Village states that the ordinance was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on December 12, 2023.
    • The ordinance replaced Chapters 96 and 96A issued in June 2009.
    “This new zoning ordinance was adopted by the Board of Commissioners on December 12, 2023, after multiple public information sessions and public hearings before the Commission and the Planning Board.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Use of sanitary sewers and sewer-connected development inside Ridgefield Park village.

    • Sanitary sewer use must comply with Bergen County Sewer Authority rules and the contract between the Village and that authority.
    • The development regulations also require water and sewer service to be completed and certified before a certificate of occupancy is issued.
    “The use of all sanitary sewers in the Village of Ridgefield Park shall be in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Bergen County Sewer Authority presently in effect and the contract in existence between the Village of Ridgefield Park and the Bergen County Sewer Authority, which documents shall be read together.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Village construction permits and plan reviews inside Ridgefield Park village.

    • Plan review is 20% of the construction-permit amount.
    • Additions and new construction have a $0.029-per-cubic-foot fee, a $105 minimum fee, and a $0.0016 state training fee.
    • The cited fee chapter contains additional fee categories and exemptions.

    plan review fee: 20 percent · addition/new construction fee: 0.029 USD per cubic foot (minimum fee $105 plus state training fee $0.0016) · minimum addition/new construction fee: 105 USD (plus state training fee)

    “Plan review fee. The fee for plan review shall be 20% of the amount to be charged for the construction permit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Minimum dwelling size — Residential districts inside Ridgefield Park village.
  • Minimum lot size — Residential districts inside Ridgefield Park village.
  • Setbacks — Residential districts inside Ridgefield Park village.
  • Lot coverage — Residential districts inside Ridgefield Park village.
  • Building height — Residential districts inside Ridgefield Park village.
13 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain
  • 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 Village of Ridgefield Park 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