Bolthole Index

Burlington County, New Jersey

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Pemberton Township, New Jersey

Pemberton Township, in Burlington County, New Jersey, adopts its own zoning ordinance (Chapter 190) and enforces the state Uniform Construction Code through its own Division of Construction Code Enforcement12. Septic systems are regulated through the township Board of Health, and Burlington County's Environmental Health office takes septic applications34. Burlington County does not zone5.

At a glance

Zoning
Township zoning ordinance, Chapter 1901
Construction permits
Required; issued by the township construction office26
Septic
Township Board of Health ordinance; Burlington County takes septic applications34
Sewer connection
Required within 120 days of notice where a public sewer runs along the property7
Building height (R-3 and AR)
30 feet and 2.5 stories89
Owner-builder
Owner affidavit required for a certificate of occupancy; permits and inspections still apply10
Wells
State drilling permit plus a municipal or county health permit11

Who to call

Building permits

Pemberton Township Department of UCC, Construction Code Enforcement

State Uniform Construction Code permits and inspections inside Pemberton Township

609.894.3340

permits@pemberton-twp.com

500 Pemberton-Browns Mills Road, Pemberton, NJ 08068

Zoning

Pemberton Township Zoning Division

Zoning permit applications and zoning map questions inside Pemberton Township

(609) 894-3376

peverett@pemberton-twp.com

500 Pemberton-Browns Mills Road, Pemberton, NJ 08068

Septic permits

Burlington County Health Department, Environmental Health Division

Applications for permits to construct or alter individual subsurface sewage disposal (septic) systems, and well permits, under the county Septic and Well Program

609-265-5548

15 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton, NJ 08060

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Pemberton Township means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Pemberton Township, NJ have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and RVs?

Pemberton Township adopts and administers its own zoning chapter, Chapter 190 on eCode360, and zoning-only questions are answered from that chapter, not from the county1. Burlington County has no zoning power of its own, so the township's districts are the rules that apply to your parcel5. The districts we confirmed are R-1, R-3, AR agricultural residential and AP agricultural production; others, including preservation-area districts, exist but we did not list them all12.

In the R-3 and AR districts, a principal building may not exceed 30 feet and 2.5 stories, with higher limits for churches and schools (and barns in AR)89. In AR, when two or more lots are proposed within three years, clustering is mandatory: at an overall density of six acres per unit, residential lots shrink to one acre13. Detached AR dwellings without a garage must have at least 1,250 square feet of gross floor area on a lot up to 11,000 square feet, and 1,450 square feet above that14.

We could not confirm setbacks, lot coverage, RV occupancy, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the Zoning Division before you buy15.

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

New Jersey requires a construction permit for new construction and for structural, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work on existing buildings16. Inside Pemberton Township, the township's Division of Construction Code Enforcement enforces the State Uniform Construction Code, with building, plumbing, electrical and fire protection subcode officials2. The Burlington County government does not issue these permits; the local enforcing agency does16.

Contact the township construction office at 609.894.3340; inspection requests go to permits@pemberton-twp.com17. We did not confirm the township's construction permit fee schedule; ask the construction office.

What is the zoning permit process in Pemberton Township?

A zoning permit is separate from a construction permit. The township says that before any construction, installation, alteration or change of use, a zoning permit may be required15. The residential zoning permit application fee is $50.0015. If the property has a septic system, a county septic form must be submitted with the application15. Approval of a zoning permit does not eliminate the need for other permits15. Call the Zoning Division at (609) 894-3376 to find out whether your project needs one15.

How do septic permits work in Pemberton Township?

New Jersey law bars a building permit until the board of health having jurisdiction certifies the water supply and sewerage facilities for the project18. In Pemberton Township, the Board of Health adopts the state individual sewage disposal code by local ordinance (Chapter 214) and issues septic permits on an application and plans319. The township ordinance charges $5 per application, including the required inspection19.

Burlington County's Environmental Health Division also publishes the application to construct or alter an individual subsurface sewage disposal system20. The two sources point to different offices, so call the county at 609-265-5548 to confirm where your application is filed21.

Where a public sewer runs along the property, the occupied building must connect within 120 days after notice7. Conventional drain-field soils are rare in Burlington County: USDA rates only about 0.2% of soils as not limited, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system22.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Pemberton Township?

We could not confirm whether Pemberton Township allows living in an RV, camper or tiny home on private land, or what its temporary-camping and accessory-dwelling rules say. Ask the Zoning Division at (609) 894-3376 before moving anything onto a lot15. For manufactured homes, New Jersey limits HUD homes to use group R-5, single-family dwellings, and the township's own manufactured-home rule is unconfirmed23.

Building a home in Pemberton Township: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Zoning Division which district your lot is in and whether the zoning permit applies15.
  2. Get septic approval, or confirm sewer connection, before the construction permit: state law bars a building permit until the board of health certifies the sewerage facilities18.
  3. Apply for the zoning permit with a survey or site plan15.
  4. Apply for the construction permit through the township construction office17.
  5. Schedule the required inspections; for one- and two-family homes, construction stops for footing, foundation, utility including septic, midpoint and final inspections24.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before using the building25. If you built it yourself, the owner must file an affidavit with the construction official10.

What to check before you buy land in Pemberton Township

A driveway connecting to a State highway needs a New Jersey access permit; we could not confirm the township's own driveway rules26. A private well needs a state drilling permit and a municipal or county health permit11. We did not confirm the township's flood hazard rules, so ask the construction office.

Burlington County's effective property tax rate is 2.4%, with a median bill of $7,902 a year2728. Land here is mostly wooded: about 75% of Burlington County is forest29. For land outside the township, see the Burlington County page.

Watch-outs

  • Septic authority is unclear: township Chapter 214 puts septic permits with the Board of Health, while Burlington County publishes the septic application34.
  • A zoning permit does not replace a construction permit, and a construction permit does not replace zoning approval15.
  • We could not confirm setbacks, lot coverage, RV, tiny-home, well and driveway rules in the township code; ask the Zoning Division before buying15.

Sources

  1. Article IV: District Regulations - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Chapter 190 Zoning) (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chapter 86: Construction Codes, Uniform - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chapter 214: Sewage Disposal Systems, Individual - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  4. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  5. P.L. 2013, c.106 — Municipal Land Use Law amendments (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article II: Sewer Connections (Chapter 150 Sewers) - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  8. Article IV: District Regulations - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Chapter 190 Zoning) (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  9. Article IV: District Regulations - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Chapter 190 Zoning) (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  10. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Article IV: District Regulations - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Chapter 190 Zoning) (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  13. Article IV: District Regulations - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Chapter 190 Zoning) (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  14. Article IV: District Regulations - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Chapter 190 Zoning) (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  15. Pemberton Township Zoning Division (pemberton-twp.com)
  16. Uniform Construction Code General Information, quoted and re-checked
  17. Pemberton Township Department of UCC, Construction Code Enforcement (pemberton-twp.com)
  18. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Chapter 214: Sewage Disposal Systems, Individual - Township of Pemberton, NJ (Pemberton Township), quoted and re-checked
  20. Environmental Health, quoted and re-checked
  21. Burlington County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (burlingtoncountynj.gov)
  22. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  23. Manufactured/Modular Buildings Program (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. New Jersey Department of Community Affairs consumer construction information, quoted and re-checked
  25. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  26. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  27. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  28. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  29. Wooded share of land: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 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 Pemberton Township

Pemberton Township’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Building construction inside Pemberton township, enforced by the township's Division of Construction Code Enforcement under the State Uniform Construction Code

    • Section heading reads: amended 4-5-2023 by ord. no. 10-2023 (the section text is quoted from the amended § 86-1).
    • Subcode officials (building, plumbing, electrical, fire protection) are staffed under § 86-1; § 86-2 and the § 86-5 permit fee schedule were not opened.
    “there is hereby established in the township of pemberton a state uniform construction code enforcing agency to be known as the "division of construction code enforcement"”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Pemberton township limits (Burlington County, NJ), under the township's own zoning ordinance, Chapter 190 Zoning, with its district regulations

    • The township adopts and administers its own zoning chapter (Chapter 190 Zoning on eCode360).
    • Zoning-only topics are answered from the township chapter, not from county zoning.
    “editor's note: a schedule of area and yard requirements for the r-1 and r-3 single-family residential districts is included at the end of this chapter.”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts of Pemberton township under Chapter 190 Zoning; the districts confirmed from opened pages are R-1, R-3, AR agricultural residential, and AP agricultural production

    • Other districts (including R-80 and R-96 and a preservation area district) are referenced but not fully listed in the pages read.
    • The zoning map is a separate Chapter 190 item and was not opened.
    “editor's note: a schedule of area and yard requirements for the ar agricultural residential district is included as an attachment to this chapter.”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Detached dwellings in the AR agricultural residential district of Pemberton township

    • Table columns: lot size, gross floor area and first-floor area for dwellings without garages, and gross floor area and overall floor area including garage for dwellings with garages.
    • Values for the AP district (1,300 gross floor area with garage for lots over 11,000 sq ft) differ and are a separate district.
    • Minimum dwelling size for the R-1 and R-3 districts was not read; those are in the end-of-chapter schedule.

    minimum gross floor area, detached dwelling without garage, lot up to 11,000 sq ft: >= 1250 square feet (first-floor area 750 sq ft; with garage 1,100 sq ft gross and 1,400 sq ft overall including garage) · minimum gross floor area, detached dwelling without garage, lot over 11,000 sq ft: >= 1450 square feet (first-floor area 850 sq ft; with garage 1,000 sq ft gross and 1,600 sq ft overall including garage)

    “up to 11,000 square feet 1,250 750 1,100 1,400 over 11,000 square feet 1,450 850 1,000 1,600”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Cluster single-family lots in the AR agricultural residential district of Pemberton township

    • Mandatory clustering applies when two or more lots are proposed during any three-year period.
    • Noncluster AR lot area is in the schedule of area and yard requirements at the end of Chapter 190; that schedule was not opened.
    • Existing AR residential lots of 1.0 to 2.99 acres conform to R-1 standards under the same section.

    cluster residential lot area: 1 acre (based on overall density of six acres per unit in AR cluster development)

    “g. cluster single-family developments. in the ar district, when two or more lots are proposed during any three-year period, mandatory clustering is required. based on the overall density of six acres per unit, residential lots shall be reduced to one acre and should be located to avoid areas of prime farmland, to the greatest extent practicable.”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Principal buildings in the R-3 single-family residential district of Pemberton township

    • Churches and schools may reach 55 feet; further exceptions per § 190-54.
    • Accessory building limits in R-3 were not read.

    maximum building height: <= 30 feet (churches and schools 55 feet; further as allowed in § 190-54) · maximum stories: <= 2.5 stories (churches and schools 55 feet; further as allowed in § 190-54)

    “d. maximum building height. no building shall exceed 30 feet in height and 2.5 stories, except that churches and schools shall not exceed 55 feet, and except further as allowed in § 190-54.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Principal buildings in the AR agricultural residential district of Pemberton township
      “d. maximum building height. no building shall exceed 30 feet in height and 2.5 stories, except that churches, schools and barns shall not exceed 55 feet, and except further as allowed in § 190-54.”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Individual sewage disposal (septic) systems inside Pemberton township; the township Board of Health adopts the state individual sewage disposal code by local ordinance

    • The code adopted is the Individual Sewage Disposal System Code of New Jersey (1963), adopted under P.L. 1950, c. 188.
    • Septic regulation in Pemberton township runs through the township Board of Health (Chapter 214), not the county.
    “the board of health may order all further work in and about any individual sewage disposal system which is being erected or installed in violation of the code to be stopped forthwith”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Locating, constructing, or altering an individual sewage disposal system inside Pemberton township

    • Permit is issued through the Board of Health on filing an application and plans; construction proceeds after the permit.
    • Chapter 150 § 150-6 requires connection to a public sewer where one runs along the property; the septic permit applies to individual systems that are built instead.

    application processing fee (septic permit): 5 USD (one charge per application, including the required inspection; paid on filing application and plans)

    “for the filing of an application and plans for a permit to locate and construct an individual sewage disposal system or to alter an existing individual sewage disposal system and issuing the permit therefor, or for any of said purposes which may not be completed, a total of $5”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Individual sewage disposal systems located or altered inside Pemberton township

    • The inspection is part of the single application processing charge under § 214-8.
    • Inspection scheduling, timing, and who inspects were not stated in the passage read; the Board of Health stop-work power is in § 214-6.
    “it being the intention to make one charge of $5 for the processing of each application, including the required inspection.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Houses, buildings, or structures inside Pemberton township occupied or used by people that are located along the line of a public sewer, both existing and newly constructed or acquired

    • Connection is required within 120 days after the date notice is given to connect and hook up (§ 150-6, amended 9-3-1975 by ord. no. 12-1975).
    • The text read does not state a fixed distance from the sewer line; availability is determined by the township sewage division.
    • Private systems must be disconnected and abandoned when sewer service exists (§ 150-10 and § 210 Article II), not opened in full.

    connection deadline after notice: <= 120 days (measured from the date notice is given to connect)

    “shall, within 120 days after the date on which notice has been given to connect and hook up, connect and hook up the sewerage facilities emanating from such house, building or structure to such sewerage system.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Pemberton Township or Burlington County directly.

  • Building permit — Whether new residential construction in Pemberton township requires a building permit
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from contractor or permit requirements in Pemberton township
  • Inspections — Whether building inspections are required for construction in Pemberton township
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes in Pemberton township
  • Setbacks — Front, side, and rear yard setbacks for principal buildings in the R-1 and R-3 single-family districts of Pemberton township
15 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees
  • Permit process

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

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