Bolthole Index

Morris County, New Jersey

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Morris Plains, New Jersey

Building in the Borough of Morris Plains, Morris County, New Jersey requires a construction permit from the borough's Construction Code Official1. The borough adopts and enforces its own zoning2. Septic systems need a written permit under the borough code, and the Morris County Division of Public Health is the health department listed for Morris Plains34.

At a glance

Building permit
Required; issued by the borough's Construction Code Official1
Zoning
Yes, adopted and enforced by the borough2
Septic
Written permit required where no sewer is available; county health division is the listed health department34
RV living
Parking is prohibited in every zone except two narrow exceptions; living in one is not among them5
Short-term rental
Single- and two-family leases must run at least six months6
Owner-builder
State permit form lets an owner-occupant doing the work check "exempt applicant"7

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Morris Plains Construction Department

Construction permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy inside the borough

973-538-0325

531 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, NJ 07950

Zoning

Borough of Morris Plains Zoning Officer

Zoning approvals and zoning questions for lots inside the borough, through the Construction Department office

973-538-0325

531 Speedwell Avenue, Morris Plains, NJ 07950

Septic permits

Morris County Division of Public Health

Local health department listed for Morris Plains, the office that certifies septic system plans for buildings using septic

973-631-5484

PO Box 900, Morristown, NJ 07963

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 Morris Plains means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Morris Plains, NJ have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and lot size?

Morris Plains has its own zoning: the borough divides itself into zone districts and enforces the rules through its Zoning Officer2. Morris County does not administer municipal zoning; each municipality sets its own8. The districts include residence districts R-1 through R-8, AF-1 and AF-2, plus business, office, industrial and planned-development districts shown on the borough's Zoning Map9.

Rules differ by district, so the district of the lot decides the answer. In the R-5 apartment and townhouse district, the minimum lot area is 217,800 square feet10. We could not confirm the numeric setbacks, lot coverage or minimum lot size for the single-family R-1 district, so ask the Zoning Officer for the figures for a specific lot11.

RVs: Morris Plains prohibits parking motor homes and travel trailers in any zone, except for one unoccupied unit up to 30 feet long owned by the property owner, or one unit occupied by nonpaying guests for no more than two weeks in a calendar year, parked within the yard setbacks5. Neither exception covers an owner living in an RV on the lot while building. We could not confirm borough rules on tiny homes or manufactured homes; ask the Zoning Officer before you buy.

Do you need a building permit in Morris Plains, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside the Borough of Morris Plains, no building or part of one may be erected, moved, enlarged, altered or demolished until the Construction Code Official grants a permit1. The borough applies the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, which regulates all construction work in the state12. Morris County does not issue building permits for Morris Plains; the borough's Construction Department does13.

Applications for building permits or certificates of occupancy go to the Construction Code Official in triplicate, with plans and an affidavit acknowledging the applicable regulations14. Fees come from the borough's fee schedule in Chapter 2, § 2-46, and are paid before the permit is issued15. The borough also points applicants to its chart of zoning and permit requirements to see whether a project needs zoning approval, a construction permit, or both13.

On the state permit form, an owner doing the work on an owner-occupied property can sign and check "exempt applicant"7. We could not find a Morris Plains page that adds anything further on owner-builders, so confirm with the Construction Department.

How do septic permits work inside Morris Plains?

Septic systems in Morris Plains are not handled by the building department alone. Where no public or private sewer is available, the borough code requires the owner to get a written permit signed by the Plumbing Inspector, or the person the Mayor designates, before starting an individual sewage disposal facility3. Where a public sanitary sewer lies within 100 feet of the property line, owners of occupied buildings must connect within 90 days after official notice, at their own expense16.

For a building that uses septic, the construction official must receive the health department's certification or approval of the septic plan before issuing a construction permit, and a Certificate of Compliance before the certificate of occupancy17. The Morris County Division of Public Health is the health department listed for Morris Plains418.

The borough's Plumbing Inspector must be notified when the work is ready for final inspection, before any underground portions are covered, and inspection is due within 48 hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays19. Across Morris County, about 12% of soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system20.

Building a home in Morris Plains: the steps, in order

  1. Ask the Zoning Officer which district the lot is in and whether the use needs zoning approval11.
  2. Settle sewer or septic first: confirm whether a public sewer is within 100 feet, and if not, get the septic plan certified by the Morris County Division of Public Health1617.
  3. Submit the construction permit application, plans and affidavit to the Construction Code Official in triplicate14.
  4. Pay the permit fees before issuance15.
  5. Schedule each inspection through the Construction Office with at least 24 hours' notice and the permit number21; call the Construction Office Secretary at 973-538-032513.
  6. Obtain the certificate of occupancy before moving in; applications are granted or denied within 10 days after written application22.

What stays with Morris County, and what to check before you buy in Morris Plains

Septic plan certification stays with the Morris County Division of Public Health rather than the borough4. Driveways, roadways or utilities in a county right-of-way need a permit from the County Engineering Division, applied for 10 days before construction and after Planning Board approval23. Subdivision of a parcel follows the borough's Article 4 procedures24, and county planning review applies to applications that front County roads25. For land outside the borough, see the Morris County page.

Before buying, ask about wells and floodplain: we could not confirm a borough rule on private wells or floodplain development, so ask the Construction Official. Morris County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%26, and the typical home value there is about $717,00027.

Watch-outs

  • Short-term rentals: leases of single-family and two-family dwellings in Morris Plains must be at least six months long6.
  • A certificate of occupancy is required before any land or building is occupied, and none can issue before required Planning Board site plan approval22.
  • We could not confirm Morris Plains rules on tiny homes, manufactured homes, temporary camping, agricultural exemptions, wells or floodplain development; call the Construction Department at 973-538-0325 before you commit13.

Sources

  1. Construction Department (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  2. Article 5: Zoning Regulations - Borough of Morris Plains, NJ (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  3. Article 4: Individual Sewage Disposal Facility (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  4. Health Departments – Morris County, NJ, quoted and re-checked
  5. Article 5: Zoning Regulations - Motor Homes and Travel Trailers (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 31: Occupancy of Dwelling (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  7. nj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  8. July 2020 Zoning Report, quoted and re-checked
  9. Article 5: Zoning Regulations - Borough of Morris Plains, NJ (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  10. Article 5: Zoning Regulations - R-5 District (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  11. Borough of Morris Plains Zoning Officer (morrisplainsboro.org)
  12. Construction Code FAQs for New Home Buyers, quoted and re-checked
  13. Borough of Morris Plains Construction Department (morrisplainsboro.org)
  14. Construction Department (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  15. Article 3: Fees (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  16. Article 3: General Requirements for Disposal of Community Wastes (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  17. DCA Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  18. Morris County Division of Public Health (morriscountynj.gov)
  19. Article 4: Individual Sewage Disposal Facility (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  20. 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
  21. Construction Department (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  22. Article 5: Zoning Regulations - Certificate of Occupancy (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  23. Morris County Land Development Standards, quoted and re-checked
  24. Article 5: Zoning Regulations - Subdivision of Lot (Borough of Morris Plains), quoted and re-checked
  25. Land Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  26. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Typical home value (Zillow): 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 Morris Plains

Borough of Morris Plains’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction projects inside Morris Plains borough requiring a construction permit.

    • The Borough directs applicants to review zoning and permit requirements for the specific project; permit fees are due before issuance.
    “No building or part thereof shall be emplaced, erected, razed, moved, extended, enlarged, altered or demolished until a permit has been granted by the Construction Code Official.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Construction inside Morris Plains borough subject to the Uniform Construction Code.

    • Inspection requests require at least 24-hour notice and the permit number; building, electrical, plumbing/mechanical, and fire inspection hours are separately listed by the Borough.
    • The state page describes periodic inspections rather than continuous site presence.

    notice: >= 24 hours

    “The code requires construction work to stop so that certain inspections can be performed at particular points in construction, namely inspection of the bottom of footing trenches before placement of footings and inspection of the rough plumbing and electrical wiring before the framing inspection of framing system before they are covered with finishes.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Occupancy or use of land and buildings inside Morris Plains borough.

    • No certificate may issue before required Planning Board site plan approval.
    • A new certificate is required for a change in occupancy or tenancy of a nonresidential building or part thereof, even without a change in use.
    • Applications are to be granted or denied within 10 days after written application.

    decision period: 10 days (after written application is received)

    “No land shall be occupied or used and no buildings hereafter placed, erected or altered shall be occupied or used in whole or in part for any purpose whatsoever until a certificate of occupancy shall have been issued by the Construction Code Official stating that the use and building therein specified, or either of them as the case may be, complies with all the provisions of this article.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Morris Plains borough; the borough adopts and enforces its own zoning regulations.

    • The zoning article identifies the Borough's zone districts and states that the Zoning Officer enforces the article.
    “Zone districts. For the purpose of this chapter, the Borough is hereby subdivided into zone districts as follows:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Morris Plains borough.

    • The zoning map is declared part of the zoning article; the article also incorporates Schedule C permitted uses and Schedule D zoning requirements.
    • The listed districts include R-1 through R-8, AF-1, AF-2, business, commercial, office, laboratory, industrial, planned-development, and overlay districts.
    “Zoning Map. The Zoning Map of the Borough of Morris Plains, as heretofore amended, delineating the above zone districts is hereby declared to be a part hereof.”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Parking or occupancy of motor homes and travel trailers inside Morris Plains borough.

    • One unoccupied motor home or travel trailer not exceeding 30 feet may be kept if owned by the property owner and parked within the applicable yard setbacks.
    • Alternatively, one such vehicle may be occupied by nonpaying guests for no longer than two weeks in a calendar year, within the yard setbacks.
    • The underlying rule states parking is prohibited except for these exceptions.

    maximum length: <= 30 feet · guest occupancy: <= 2 weeks per calendar year (nonpaying guests; one vehicle)

    “Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the parking of motor homes and travel trailers in any zone is prohibited, except that the prohibition should not extend to one unoccupied motor home or travel trailer, not exceeding 30 feet in length, owned by the property owner or one such vehicle occupied by nonpaying quests of the property owner for a period not longer than two weeks in any calendar year, if parked within the yard setback requirements of the zone in which it is parked.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction of an individual sewage disposal facility inside Morris Plains borough when public or private sewer is unavailable.

    • Written permit must be signed by the Plumbing Inspector or designee before construction begins.
    • Permit, inspection, and other charges are due when the application is filed or as otherwise required.
    • The permit is subject to Borough Board of Health and state Department of Health requirements.
    “Before commencement of construction of an individual sewage disposal facility, the owner shall first obtain a written permit signed by the Plumbing Inspector or such other person designated by the Borough Mayor.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    Individual sewage disposal facilities inside Morris Plains borough.

    • The Plumbing Inspector may inspect at any construction stage.
    • The applicant must notify the inspector for final inspection before underground portions are covered.
    • Inspection is due within 48 hours excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays after notice.

    inspection deadline: 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays)

    “A permit for an individual sewage disposal facility shall not become effective until the installation is completed to the satisfaction of the Plumbing Inspector. He shall be allowed to inspect the work at any stage of construction, and, in any event, the applicant for the permit shall notify the Plumbing Inspector when the work is ready for final inspection and before any underground portions are covered.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Sanitation for occupied properties inside Morris Plains borough.

    • Public sewer connection is required when a qualifying sewer is within 100 feet.
    • When sewer is unavailable, a permitted individual sewage disposal facility complying with Borough Board of Health and state Department of Health requirements is required.
    “Where a public or private sanitary sewer system is not available under the provisions of Section 18A-4, Paragraph 3, the house service connection shall be connected to a septic tank or other individual sewage disposal facility complying with the provisions of this Article and the Borough Board of Health Ordinance No. 3-69 (Appendix A, Section 4.1 et seq.).”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Properties inside Morris Plains borough used for human occupancy, employment, recreation, or another purpose, when a public sanitary sewer is within 100 feet of the property line or right of access.

    • Connection is at the owner's expense.
    • Connection must occur within 90 days after official notice.
    • If a public or private sewer is unavailable, an individual sewage disposal facility is required instead.
    • When a sewer later becomes available, direct connection is required and the individual facility must be disconnected and filled or safely maintained.

    sewer distance: <= 100 feet (from any property line or right of access) · connection deadline: 90 days (after official notice)

    “The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purpose, situated within the Borough and abutting on, or having a permanent right of access to, any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is now located, or may in the future be located, a public sanitary sewer is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this chapter within ninety (90) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within one hundred (100) feet of any property line or right of access.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of parcels inside Morris Plains borough.

    • When new lots are formed from part of a parcel, separation must not impair Article 4 provisions and must comply with Article 4 subdivision procedures.
    “When a new lot or lots are formed from part of a parcel of land, the separation must be effected in such a manner as not to impair any of the provisions of Article 4. Subdivision shall be effected in accordance with Article 4.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Leases and rental arrangements for dwelling units in single-family and two-family residences inside Morris Plains borough.

    • Leases, subleases, or other rental arrangements must be at least six months in duration.

    minimum lease duration: >= 6 months

    “All leases, subleases, or other rental arrangements of dwelling units in single-family and two-family residences in the Borough must be for at least six months in duration.”
  • Permit feesPublished (with conditions)

    Construction, plan-review, demolition, removal, sign, certificate-of-occupancy, elevator, residence-inspection, and related fees inside Morris Plains borough.

    • Construction and plan-review fees are set in Chapter 2, § 2-46.
    • Plan-review fees are paid before review and credited toward the construction permit.
    • A surcharge of $0.006 per cubic foot applies to new construction.
    • Fee waivers apply to specified governmental entities and VFW nonprofit improvements.

    new-construction surcharge: 0.006 USD per cubic foot

    “The fee for a construction permit shall be the sum of the subcode fees set forth in the Fee Schedule of the Borough of Morris Plains, Chapter 2, Section 2-46, of the Revised Ordinances, and the same shall be paid prior to the issuance of the permit.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Construction-permit and certificate-of-occupancy applications inside Morris Plains borough.

    • Applicants should review the Borough's zoning and permit chart and process documentation.
    • Applications for building permits or certificates of occupancy/approval are submitted to the Construction Code Official in triplicate.
    • Plans and an affidavit acknowledging applicable regulations are also submitted in triplicate.

    application copies: 3 copies

    “Regardless of your project, the first steps in the process are:”

Rules another office applies inside Borough of Morris Plains

Borough of Morris Plains 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

    Multifamily dwelling units in the R-5 District inside Morris Plains borough.

    • The R-5 rule is for apartment buildings and townhouse dwelling units, with not more than 5% of total dwelling units being townhouses.

    efficiency/one-bedroom unit: >= 675 square feet · two-bedroom unit: >= 1000 square feet

    “Efficiency/one-bedroom unit: 675 square feet Two-bedroom unit: 1,000 square feet”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Multifamily development in the R-5 District inside Morris Plains borough.

    • R-5 is intended for apartment buildings and townhouse dwelling units, and not more than 5% of total dwelling units may be townhouses.

    minimum lot area: >= 217800 square feet

    “Minimum lot area. There shall be a minimum lot area of 217,800 square feet.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Principal buildings in the R-5 District inside Morris Plains borough.

    • A principal building within 100 feet of another residential zone, except where the residential boundary is within a street right-of-way exceeding 60 feet, is limited to 2.5 stories and 35 feet.
    • A loft is not a story if it has no windows.

    maximum height: 3 stories and 42 feet (within 100 feet of another residential zone: 2.5 stories and 35 feet, subject to stated street-right-of-way exception)

    “No principal building shall exceed a height of three stories and 42 feet; provided, however, that no principal building located within 100 feet of another residential zone, with the exception of a residential zone boundary that is located within a street right-of-way exceeding 60 feet in width, shall exceed a height of 2 1/2 stories and 35 feet.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from construction permitting inside Morris Plains borough.
  • Setbacks — Main single-family R-1 Residence District inside Morris Plains borough.
  • Lot coverage — Main single-family R-1 Residence District inside Morris Plains borough.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping inside Morris Plains borough.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Morris Plains borough.
4 more unanswered
  • Manufactured homes
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Building in a floodplain

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

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