Bolthole Index

Hudson County, New Jersey

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in West New York, New Jersey

The Town of West New York, in Hudson County, New Jersey, issues its own construction permits under the state Uniform Construction Code, and its Building Department also covers zoning12. Septic permits are a separate town process, and new septic systems are barred on streets with a public sewer34. We could not confirm the town's rules on RVs or tiny homes.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the town's construction code official15
Zoning
Town zoning, handled through the Building Department and the planning and zoning boards26
Septic
Town permit required; new septic barred on sewered streets34
Certificate of occupancy
Required after final inspections, and an ownership certificate is required on sale78
Inspections
Scheduled and performed within 3 business days of the requested date9
RV or tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask the Building Department2
Property tax
Hudson County effective rate of 1.9%10

Who to call

Building permits

West New York Building Department (Construction Code Official)

Construction permits, inspections, certificates of occupancy, zoning and code enforcement inside West New York

201-295-5170

Zoning

Office of the Planning Board & Zoning Board of Adjustment

Subdivisions, site plans and zoning board of adjustment applications in West New York

Health department

West New York Health Department

Town health office; ask here who reviews septic and well questions before you buy

201-295-5070

healthdept@westnewyorknj.org

428-60th St., Room #30, West New York, NJ 07093

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 Town of West New York means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in West New York, New Jersey?

Yes. Construction work inside the Town of West New York needs a construction permit under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, and the town's construction code official issues it only after all the appropriate subcode officials approve1. The town enforces the state code itself rather than leaving it to Hudson County5. Statewide, ordinary maintenance needs no permit and minor work uses a lighter permit process11. We did not find the town's fee schedule, so ask the Building Department what your project will cost2.

Who issues building permits in West New York, and how do you reach them?

The town's own Building Department issues them. Its page describes a department that covers building, zoning, code enforcement and housing2. Call the department at 201-295-51702. Inspections are scheduled and performed within 3 business days of the date you request9. A certificate of occupancy comes only after every final inspection is complete7. For land outside the town, see the Hudson County page.

Does West New York have zoning, and what about RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

West New York zones through the town, not the county: New Jersey counties have no zoning power, so only municipalities set it12. The town has a Planning Board and a Zoning Board of Adjustment, and the Planning Board reviews subdivisions and site plans6. The town also regulates the division of land under its subdivision chapter13. We could not confirm district lot sizes, setbacks, height limits, minimum home sizes, or any rule on RVs, tiny homes, camping or accessory dwellings. Ask the Building Department before you rely on any of them2. State law lets each district differ, so a neighbor's answer may not be yours14.

How do septic permits work inside West New York?

Septic is a different permit from the building permit. The town's ordinance says no one may locate, construct or alter an individual sewage disposal system until the Board of Commissioners issues a permit3. A new system also needs a certificate of compliance before it operates or a building that relies on it is sold or occupied15. On land fronting a street with a public sewer, no cesspool or septic tank may be built or maintained, and owners must connect to the sewer4. For a typical West New York lot, expect a sewer connection rather than a septic field16. The town's health office is the place to confirm who reviews your plans17.

Building a home in West New York: the steps, in order

  1. Call the Building Department and confirm your lot's zoning district and any redevelopment plan2.
  2. If the project is a subdivision or needs site plan review, go to the Planning Board office first6.
  3. Apply for a construction permit through the town; no permit issues until all required State, county and local approvals are in place18.
  4. If you are the owner building your own home, expect to file an affidavit with the construction official before a certificate of occupancy issues19.
  5. Book inspections as work reaches each stage9.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy after final inspections7.

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

Wells and septic standards come from the state: the board of health having jurisdiction must certify water and sewerage facilities before a building permit issues20. A well needs a state drilling permit plus a municipal or county health permit21. A driveway onto a state highway needs a state access permit22. Selling or buying a home in town triggers an ownership certificate inspection under the town's certificates of occupancy chapter8. Hudson County's typical home value is about $647,06423, and its effective property tax rate is 1.9%10.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm West New York's rules on RVs, tiny homes, accessory dwellings or short-term rentals; ask the Building Department before you buy or plan around any of them2.
  • The septic filing fee we found in the town ordinance is $10 and dates from a 1977 amendment, so it may be outdated24.
  • Selling or transferring a residential property in West New York requires an ownership certificate after an inspection25.

Sources

  1. Chapter 21: Construction Code Official, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  2. West New York Building Department (Construction Code Official) (westnewyorknj.org)
  3. Chapter 328: Sewage Disposal, Individual, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 331, Article XI: Connection to and Extension of Public Sewers, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 21: Construction Code Official, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  6. Office of the Planning Board & Zoning Board of Adjustment (westnewyorknj.org)
  7. Chapter 21: Construction Code Official, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 148: Certificates of Occupancy, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 21: Construction Code Official, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  10. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  11. Construction Permit Application Packet & Related Forms, quoted and re-checked
  12. P.L. 2013, c.106 — Municipal Land Use Law amendments (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  13. Town of West New York, NJ eCode360 table of contents (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  14. P.L. 2013, c.106 (Municipal Land Use Law amendments) (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  15. Chapter 328: Sewage Disposal, Individual, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  16. Chapter 331, Article XI: Connection to and Extension of Public Sewers, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  17. West New York Health Department (westnewyorknj.org)
  18. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  20. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  24. Chapter 328: Sewage Disposal, Individual, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked
  25. Chapter 148: Certificates of Occupancy, West New York eCode360 (Town of West New York), quoted and re-checked

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 Town of West New York

Town of West New York’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction work inside West New York town that requires a construction permit under the NJ UCC as enforced by the town

    • Permit issues only after approval of all appropriate subcode officials.
    • Permit fees and exemptions were not located in this pass.
    “g. issue the construction permit upon receiving the approval of all appropriate subcode officials.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Building construction inside West New York town, under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code as enforced by the town

    • The construction code official enforces the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (state code) for the town.
    • Chapter 135 (building construction standards) and Chapter 161 (uniform construction codes) are cross-referenced but were not opened.
    “who will be charged with the duty and responsibility of enforcement of the new jersey uniform construction code.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Permitted construction work inside West New York town

    • Inspections are performed by the construction code official's subcode officials under the NJ UCC.

    inspection scheduling window: 3 business days

    “i. ensure that all required inspections are scheduled and performed within three business days of the time for which inspection has been requested.”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Sale or transfer of residential, commercial, mixed-use or vacant property inside West New York town (ownership certificate)
      “after inspection and approval by an inspector designated by the director of the department of public affairs or construction code official.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New construction and completed work inside West New York town, under the construction code official's duties

    • Certificate issues only after all final inspections are complete.
    • The certificate of continued occupancy and other CO forms were referenced but not read.
    “l. ensure that all final inspections have been completed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Required — Sale, conveyance or transfer of possession of a residential building or premises inside West New York town (ownership certificate under Chapter 148)
      “it shall henceforth be unlawful for any owner or prospective purchaser of real property to sell, convey, deliver or transfer, and for any purchaser to purchase, or take title or possession of, any residential building or premises until an ownership certificate”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    Individual sewage disposal systems (septic) located inside West New York town

    • Chapter 328 adopts the Individual Sewage Disposal System Code of New Jersey (1963) by reference and the town Board of Commissioners issues permits and certificates.
    • Chapter 331-51 refers to the health department issuing permits for cesspools; the health department role was not verified and should be confirmed.
    “no person shall locate, construct or alter any individual sewage disposal system until a permit for the location, construction or alteration of said sewage disposal system shall have been issued by the board of commissioners.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Locating, constructing or altering an individual sewage disposal system inside West New York town

    • Board of Commissioners may issue the permit when an application is accompanied by a certificate from a New Jersey-licensed professional engineer stating the design complies with the code (§328-4b).
    • Chapter 331-51 bars new cesspools and septic tanks on land fronting a street where a public sewer is or will be built.
    “no person shall locate, construct or alter any individual sewage disposal system until a permit for the location, construction or alteration of said sewage disposal system shall have been issued by the board of commissioners.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New individual sewage disposal systems and new buildings relying on them inside West New York town

    • Certificate of compliance from the Board of Commissioners is required before the system is placed in operation or new buildings are sold or occupied.
    • Certificate not required for alterations to an existing system (§328-5a).
    “new individual disposal systems shall not be placed in operation, nor shall new dwellings or buildings or additions thereto be sold or occupied, which must rely on such a system for sewage disposal, until the board of commissioners shall have issued a certificate”
  • Off-grid sanitationProhibited

    Land fronting on a street through which a public sewer is or shall be built inside West New York town

    • Applies only where a public sewer serves the frontage; chapter 328 still governs septic systems elsewhere.
    • Existing facilities are not addressed in the excerpt read.
    “no cesspool privy, privy vault, septic tank, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater shall be built or maintained on said land”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Land fronting a street through which a public sewer is or shall be built inside West New York town

    • Owners must connect within 60 days of public notification of the construction completion of the sewer system (§331-51c).
    • Owner makes, pays for, installs and maintains the house service connection and sewer lateral (§331-52); a permit from the sewer authority is required (§331-49).
    • Plans must conform to the town building code and Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission rules and be approved by the authority (§331-53).

    connection deadline after public notice of sewer completion: 60 days

    “all persons who own or occupy any land fronting on a street through which a sewer is or shall be built shall connect all their sinks, drains, water closets and privies on said land with such sewer”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land inside West New York town

    • Chapter 358 'Subdivision of Land' exists; its substantive standards were not opened.
    “chapter 358 subdivision of land (§ 358-1 – § 358-50)”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Septic (individual sewage disposal system) permit application fee inside West New York town

    • Fee text is from the 1977 amendment (Ord. No. 1261) of Chapter 328 and may be outdated.
    • Building construction fees (Chapter 186) not opened.

    filing fee for application and plans for permit to locate and construct individual sewage disposal system: 10 USD (Chapter 328 §328-9 fee; other septic and building fees listed in §328-9 b-f)

    “a. for the filing of an application and plans for a permit to locate and construct an individual sewage disposal system: $10.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of West New York or Hudson County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for owner-occupied work inside West New York town
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size in the R-M Medium-Density Residential district of West New York town
  • Minimum lot size — Minimum lot area in the R-M Medium-Density Residential district of West New York town
  • Setbacks — Yard setbacks in the R-M Medium-Density Residential district of West New York town
  • Lot coverage — Maximum lot coverage in the R-M Medium-Density Residential district of West New York town
10 more unanswered
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • 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 Town of West New York publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Hudson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Hudson County: county rules, score and offices