Bolthole Index

Middlesex County, New Jersey

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Highland Park, New Jersey

The Borough of Highland Park, New Jersey requires a construction permit for building work, issued by the borough's own construction office under the state Uniform Construction Code12. Highland Park writes its own zoning in Chapter 230 of the borough code3. Septic permits are a separate track: Middlesex County's Environmental Health Division says all septic work needs its approval4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the borough construction office12
Zoning
Yes; the borough sets its own zoning districts35
Septic
Middlesex County Environmental Health Division approves septic work4
Public sewer
Connection required when a sewer is within 200 feet of the property line6
Minimum lot (RA zone)
5,000 square feet for a single-family home7
Minimum home size (RA zone)
1,500 square feet of gross floor area8
Owner-builder
Owner may pull their own permit; permit and inspections still apply9
Certificate of occupancy
Required before a new or altered building is used10

Who to call

Building permits

Highland Park Building & Construction Division (Construction Office)

Construction permits for building, electrical, plumbing and fire work, inspections, and certificates of occupancy inside the borough

732-777-6013

221 S. Fifth Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904

Septic permits

Middlesex County Environmental Health Division

Septic (individual subsurface sewage disposal) applications, repairs and inspections

732-745-8480

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 Highland 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 Highland Park, NJ?

Yes. Highland Park requires a construction permit for building, enlarging, altering or changing the use of a structure, under New Jersey's statewide Uniform Construction Code11. Ordinary maintenance is the exception, and minor work needs a permit but may start after notice to the enforcing agency11.

The borough's construction office lists finishing basements, decks, raised patios, swimming pools, kitchen and bathroom renovations, water heaters, sheds, gazebos, new electrical wiring and new plumbing among the work that needs a permit2. A shed or deck in Highland Park is therefore not a permit-free project.

A property owner appears to be allowed to act as their own agent and apply for permits on their own building, but the permit and inspections are still required9.

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

Highland Park's Building & Construction Division administers the Uniform Construction Code and the borough code for all new and existing construction inside the borough2. The same division issues construction permits for building, electrical, plumbing and fire work, performs the inspections, and issues the occupancy certificate2.

Call the construction office at 732-777-6013 or visit the Borough of Highland Park at 221 S. Fifth Ave, Highland Park, NJ 089042. Inspection requests need a minimum of 24 hours' notice and your permit number2.

The county does not issue building permits here. In New Jersey the municipal construction official enforces the code1.

Does Highland Park have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size, setbacks and home size?

Yes. Highland Park adopts and enforces its own zoning under Chapter 230 of the borough code, with residential, commercial, industrial, conservation and overlay districts3. Middlesex County does not administer municipal zoning ordinances12.

In the RA Single-Family Residential Zone, a single-family detached home needs a lot of at least 5,000 square feet7 and at least 1,500 square feet of gross floor area8. Required yards are 20 feet front, 20 feet rear, and side yards of 10 feet on one side and 20 feet combined13. Lot coverage is capped at 30%14 and height at 2.5 stories or 35 feet15.

Other districts, including the RB two-family and RA-E ecological preservation zones, have their own numbers5. Look up your parcel's district before relying on the RA figures.

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Highland Park?

Most Highland Park lots are expected to use the public sewer. The borough requires a building drain to connect to a public sewer when one is available, and a sewer counts as available when a property line is within 200 feet6. Connections need a written borough permit and, where applicable, a street-opening permit6.

Where septic work does come up, Middlesex County's Environmental Health Division says all septic work requires its approval4. State law also bars a building permit until the board of health having jurisdiction certifies the sewerage facilities16. We could not confirm whether Highland Park's own health office handles any part of that process, so call the county at 732-745-8480 before you plan a septic system4.

A new private well needs a state drilling permit, and municipal or county health officials issue the construction permit17.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Highland Park?

We could not confirm any Highland Park rule that allows living in an RV or a tiny home on a residential lot, and we could not confirm a rule on accessory dwelling units. Do not assume either is allowed because the zoning code is silent in the pages we read.

One statewide rule is confirmed: manufactured HUD homes used as dwellings in New Jersey are limited to single-family use18. Whether a given Highland Park district permits one is a zoning question.

Ask the borough zoning officer, through the Borough of Highland Park at 221 S. Fifth Ave, Highland Park, NJ 08904, before you buy a lot for this purpose2.

Building a home in Highland Park: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and its lot, yard and height limits in Chapter 2305. A residential zoning permit fee is $7519.
  2. If you are splitting a lot, a reviewing-board resolution is required before a subdivision plat is filed with the County Recording Officer20.
  3. Settle sewer or septic: public sewer connection if a sewer is within 200 feet6, otherwise county septic approval4.
  4. Apply to the construction office. No construction permit issues until all required state, county and local approvals are in place21.
  5. Book inspections with 24 hours' notice2.
  6. Get the certificate of occupancy before anyone uses the building10. An owner who built or did the trade work on a new home must file an affidavit with the construction official first22.

A driveway that connects to a State highway needs a state access permit23.

What stays with Middlesex County, and what should you check before you buy?

Septic approvals stay with the Middlesex County Environmental Health Division4, and county planning board review applies to subdivision and site-plan applications that affect county roads or drainage facilities24. For land outside the borough, use the county page.

The following figures are county-level, not Highland Park alone. Middlesex County's effective property tax rate is 2.2%25, with a median property tax bill of $9,684 a year26. The typical home value is $592,22927.

The county's septic-soil rating is 0%, meaning conventional drain fields rate poorly and a site evaluation or engineered system is likely28. Another reason the public sewer matters here.

Watch-outs

  • The construction office says credit card and online payments are currently unavailable, and cash payments need exact change2.
  • Zoning numbers differ by district, so the RA figures above do not apply to a lot in another zone5.
  • Highland Park rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes and accessory dwellings are unconfirmed, so ask the borough zoning officer before you buy; manufactured HUD homes are limited to single-family use statewide18.
  • Zoning approval must be in place before plan review proceeds on an owner-occupied one- or two-family addition or alteration21.

Sources

  1. NJ Dept of Community Affairs — The NJ State Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  2. Highland Park Building & Construction Division (Construction Office) (hpboro.com)
  3. Table of Contents - Borough of Highland Park, NJ (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  4. Middlesex County Environmental Health Division (middlesexcountynj.gov)
  5. Article XV: Zoning Regulations (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  6. Part 2: Sanitary Sewers (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  7. Zoning Bulk Schedule Requirements (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  8. Zoning Bulk Schedule Requirements (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  9. NJ Dept of Community Affairs — UCC General Information (2026 county census)
  10. Article VII: Permits and Approvals (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  11. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Office of Planning, quoted and re-checked
  13. Zoning Bulk Schedule Requirements (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  14. ecode360.com (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  15. Zoning Bulk Schedule Requirements (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  16. New Jersey Statutes, R.S. 58:11-23 through 58:11-43 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. Bulletin 88-10: Private On-Site Water Supply Systems (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. Manufactured/Modular Buildings Program (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Article VII: Permits and Approvals (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  20. Article VII: Permits and Approvals (Borough of Highland Park), quoted and re-checked
  21. New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23 (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. N.J.A.C. 5:23, Uniform Construction Code (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Major Access Permits (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  24. Middlesex County Planning Board Resolution 2025-13 and Land Development Standards Chapter 400, quoted and re-checked
  25. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  26. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  28. 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

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 Highland Park

Borough of Highland Park’s own rules

  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Buildings or portions of buildings created, changed, converted, altered, or enlarged in Highland Park borough.

    • The land, building, and use must comply with Chapter 230.
    • Approved subdivision or site-plan matters must be completed and certified by the Municipal Engineer.
    • Building and Health Codes must be complied with.
    “It shall be unlawful to use or permit the use of any building or part thereof hereafter created, changed, converted, altered or enlarged, wholly or in part, until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued by the Building Inspector”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Highland Park borough land under Chapter 230, Land Development, including zoning regulations.

    • The zoning code contains multiple residential, commercial, industrial, conservation/recreation, and overlay districts.
    “The following regulations shall apply in the RA Residential Zone. Permitted principal uses. (1) Single-family detached dwellings.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Highland Park borough.

    • The code publishes district-specific regulations and a zoning bulk schedule.
    “§ 230-132 RA Single-Family Residential Zone. § 230-133 RB Two-Family Residential Zone. § 230-134 RA-E Single-Family Residential — Ecological Preservation Zone.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Premises with plumbing fixtures inside Highland Park borough.

    • Public sewer connection is required when available.
    • A public sewer is deemed available when a property line is within 200 feet.
    • All connections must be watertight.
    • A written borough permit and, where applicable, a street-opening permit are required.

    public sewer availability distance: <= 200 feet (A public sewer is deemed available if a property line is within 200 feet.)

    “The building drain of any premises in which plumbing fixtures are installed shall be connected to a public sewer system if available. A public sewer system shall be deemed available to a premises if a property line of such premises is within 200 feet. All connections must be watertight.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision and resubdivision of land inside Highland Park borough.

    • Reviewing-board approval is required before filing subdivision plats with the County Recording Officer.
    • Detached one- or two-dwelling-unit subdivision or individual-lot applications are exempt from site-plan review and approval.
    “Prior to the subdivision or resubdivision of land within the municipality and as a condition of the filing of subdivision plats with the County Recording Officer, a resolution of approval of the reviewing board is required”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Highland Park development applications, zoning permits, subdivisions, site plans, variances, and related approvals.

    • Fees are nonrefundable application fees plus preliminary escrow deposits.
    • Additional escrow may be required before an application is deemed complete.
    • The fee schedule may be amended by Borough Council resolution.

    minor subdivision application fee: 250 USD (plus $500 per lot escrow, $1,000 minimum) · residential zoning permit fee: 75 USD

    “Every application for development shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee and a separate preliminary escrow account deposit, each payable to the Borough of Highland Park in accordance with the Schedule of Application Fees and Preliminary Escrow Account Deposits set forth in Schedule A attached hereto.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Development applications inside Highland Park borough.

    • Applications must include required fees and escrow deposits.
    • An application is not complete until required fees and deposits are paid in full.
    • Professional-review costs must be paid before permits or certificates are issued.
    “No application for development shall be deemed complete unless and until all required application fees, preliminary escrow account deposits and further initial escrow account deposits are paid in full.”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Highland Park

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

  • Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the RA Residential Zone.

    • The bulk schedule applies district-specific dimensional standards.

    minimum gross floor area per dwelling unit: >= 1500 square feet

    “Minimum GFA/DU (square feet) 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,000 ___1 ___1 1,000”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the RA Residential Zone.

    minimum lot area: >= 5000 square feet

    “Minimum lot area (square feet) 5,000 12,000 5,000 7,500 2 acres 3 acres 3 acres”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the RA Residential Zone.

    minimum front yard: >= 20 feet · minimum one side yard: >= 10 feet · minimum two side yards: >= 20 feet · minimum rear yard: >= 20 feet

    “Minimum front yard (feet) 20 20 20 20 ___1 ___1 50 Minimum 1 side yard (feet) 10 20 5 10 ___1 ___1 50 Minimum 2 side yards (feet) 20 30 5 20 ___1 ___1 100 Minimum rear yard (feet) 20 30 20 30 ___1 ___1 50”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the RA Residential Zone.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 30 percent

    “Maximum lot coverage 30% 25% 35% 35% 30% 35% 25%”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Single-family detached dwellings in the RA Residential Zone.

    maximum height: 2.5 stories / 35 feet

    “Maximum height (stories/feet) 2.5/35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2.5/35 2/35 2.5/35 4/48”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions from construction permits inside Highland Park borough.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption and administration inside Highland Park borough.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Highland Park borough.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Highland Park borough.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Highland Park borough.
10 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Highland Park publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Middlesex County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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