Bolthole Index

Morris County, New Jersey

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Riverdale, New Jersey

Riverdale, New Jersey adopts and administers its own zoning chapter1. Building permits are issued under the statewide Uniform Construction Code2 by the borough's construction department, which is staffed through an agreement with Pompton Lakes3. Septic permits come from Riverdale's own Health Department, not Morris County4.

At a glance

Zoning
Yes, a borough zoning chapter with published districts and bulk schedules15
Building permit
Required under the statewide Uniform Construction Code2
Who issues building permits
Riverdale construction department, serviced by Pompton Lakes3
Septic permit
Required; $150 application fee, 20 business days to review6
Septic authority
Riverdale Board of Health Department4
Public sewer
Connection required on sale or system failure where sewer is within 100 feet7
Owner-builder
Available in Morris County for owner-occupied homes8

Who to call

Building permits

Borough of Riverdale Construction Department

Building permits and inspections for Riverdale, provided by shared service with the Borough of Pompton Lakes

973-835-0143

91 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale, NJ, 07457

Zoning

Borough of Riverdale Zoning Department

Zoning questions and zoning permits for properties in Riverdale

973-835-4060

91 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale, NJ, 07457

Septic permits

Riverdale Board of Health (served by Pequannock Township Health Department)

Septic and well permits for new or altered systems in Riverdale

91 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Riverdale, NJ, 07457

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

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Does Riverdale, NJ have zoning, and what does it mean for your lot?

Riverdale adopts and administers its own zoning chapter, so the borough, not Morris County, decides what can be built on a lot1. The chapter publishes permitted uses, accessory and conditional uses, prohibited uses and bulk requirements by district, so look up your parcel's district before you plan a house, shed or second dwelling5. Uses that don't fit the zoning go to the joint Planning and Zoning Board for a variance1. Subdividing land or a site plan goes through the borough's subdivision and site plan chapter9. We could not confirm Riverdale's rules on RVs, tiny homes or accessory dwellings; ask the Zoning Department10.

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

Yes. New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code makes it unlawful to build, enlarge, alter or demolish without a permit, with narrow exceptions such as ordinary maintenance2. Morris County does not issue these permits; the municipality does11. In Riverdale the construction department handles them through a shared services agreement with Pompton Lakes3. Zoning approval comes first, and Riverdale's zoning questions go to its own Zoning Department10. A single-family homeowner who lives in the home may sign as the owner-applicant for their own work8.

How do septic permits work inside Riverdale?

Riverdale's own Health Department approves any new or altered individual sewage disposal system under borough Chapter 1774. The application fee is $150, the Health Department has 20 business days to approve or deny, and you must give 24 hours' notice before starting work6. Riverdale's Board of Health receives health services from the Pequannock Township Health Department12. Morris County's Division of Public Health serves only six other municipalities, and Riverdale is not among them13. Where a public sewer lies within 100 feet of a one- or two-family property line, connection is required on transfer of ownership or system failure7.

Building a home in Riverdale: the steps, in order

  1. Check your lot's district and bulk schedule in Riverdale's zoning chapter5.
  2. Ask the Zoning Department whether your plan needs zoning approval or a variance10.
  3. Get septic approval from the Health Department before a construction permit issues, unless public sewer serves the lot14.
  4. Apply for a building permit with the construction department3.
  5. Pass inspections; a certificate of occupancy follows final inspection, and utilities must be in service first1516.

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

Morris County does not issue building permits or zone in Riverdale11. Subdivision applications may also need county review unless a minor subdivision does not front a county road17. For land outside Riverdale, see the Morris County page. Morris County's effective property tax rate is 1.8%18. Typical soils matter too: about 12% of Morris County soils rate as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation19.

Watch-outs

  • Building permits and septic approvals are separate: the Health Department's septic approval must come before a construction permit for a building on a septic system14.
  • We could not confirm Riverdale's rules on RVs, tiny homes, driveways, flood hazard areas or permit fees; ask the Zoning Department and the construction department103.
  • Riverdale's building and health services are shared with Pompton Lakes and Pequannock Township, so call the numbers on the borough's own pages312.

Sources

  1. Chapter 168 Zoning, Borough of Riverdale (Borough of Riverdale), quoted and re-checked
  2. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, Construction permits—when required (New Jersey statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  3. Borough of Riverdale Construction Department (riverdalenj.gov)
  4. Chapter 177 Sewage Disposal (Borough of Riverdale), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 168 Zoning, Borough of Riverdale (Borough of Riverdale), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 177 Sewage Disposal (Borough of Riverdale), quoted and re-checked
  7. Article IV Sewer Use (Borough of Riverdale), quoted and re-checked
  8. nj.gov, quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 149 Subdivision of Land and Site Plan Review (Borough of Riverdale), quoted and re-checked
  10. Borough of Riverdale Zoning Department (riverdalenj.gov)
  11. Town of Morristown - Division of Building and Uniform Construction Code (2026 county census)
  12. Riverdale Board of Health (served by Pequannock Township Health Department) (riverdalenj.gov)
  13. Health Departments – Morris County, NJ, quoted and re-checked
  14. DCA Bulletin 79-7: Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  15. Construction Code FAQs for New Home Buyers, quoted and re-checked
  16. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.23 Certificate requirements, quoted and re-checked
  17. Land Development Review, quoted and re-checked
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. 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 Riverdale

Borough of Riverdale’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Riverdale borough; Riverdale adopts and administers a municipal zoning chapter.

    • The code states that Chapter 168 was adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Riverdale and amended in its entirety in 2014.
    “The Zoning Board reviews applications that propose to utilize property in a manner not consistent with municipal zoning laws.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts and dimensional schedules inside Riverdale borough.

    • The zoning chapter publishes permitted uses, accessory or conditional uses, prohibited uses, and bulk requirements.
    • Schedule D was amended on May 11, 2016 and November 25, 2024.
    “Attachment 1 - Schedule A: Permitted Uses Attachment 2 - Schedule B: Accessory, Conditional Uses (Section 168-9) Attachment 3 - Schedule C: Probihited Uses (Section 168-10) Attachment 4 - Schedule D: Bulk Requirements (Section 168-11)”
  • Who permits septicLocal

    Individual sewage disposal systems inside Riverdale borough; the Borough Health Department administers approval.

    • Chapter 177 is identified as adopted by the Borough Board of Health.
    • The chapter adopts New Jersey Administrative Code standards in addition to local administration.
    “No person shall locate, construct, or alter any individual sewage disposal system, nor shall a completed or altered system be backfilled without the approval of the Health Department.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Locating, constructing, altering, or backfilling an individual sewage disposal system inside Riverdale borough.

    • Health Department approval is required.
    • Applications are examined and approved or denied within 20 business days, subject to the stated extension rule.
    • At least 24 hours' notice of start of work is required.
    • Permit conditions include payment of fees, conformity with approved plans, compliance with regulations, and assistance with inspections.

    application review period: 20 business days (The period may be extended with the applicant's consent.) · notice of start: >= 24 hours · permit fee for filing application and plans: 150 USD (Individual sewage disposal system locate, construct, alter, or repair application.) · permit fee for baffle, connecting pipe, or distribution box repair: 25 USD

    “The Health Department shall examine all applications for permits, and approve or deny in whole or in part the application, within 20 business days.”
  • Off-grid sanitationLimited

    Sanitation and sewage disposal inside Riverdale borough.

    • Discharge to a natural outlet is unlawful except where suitable treatment has been provided under the article or the Riverdale Board of Health Sanitary Code.
    • Individual sewage systems require Health Department approval, permits, and a certificate before operation or occupancy.
    “It shall be unlawful to discharge to any natural outlet within the Borough of Riverdale or in any area under the jurisdiction of said Borough any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with subsequent provisions of this article or in accordance with the Sanitary Code of the Riverdale Board of Health.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Residential properties inside Riverdale borough where a public sewer is available within 100 feet of the property line.

    • Commercial, industrial, and residential properties with three or more dwelling units must connect within two years after notice of availability.
    • Single- and two-family properties must connect after notice if the individual system fails.
    • Single- and two-family properties with public sewer availability within 100 feet must submit a connection application and pay the applicable connection fee in full before transfer of ownership.
    • Connection permits require written Borough approval and, where applicable, approval from PRBRSA and TBA.

    public sewer availability threshold: <= 100 feet from property line · connection deadline for commercial, industrial, or 3+ dwelling-unit properties: 2 years after notice

    “All single or two family residential properties shall be required to connect to the sanitary sewer system, after being notified by the Health Officer of the availability of a public sewer within 100 feet of the property line, upon transfer of ownership of the property or upon failure of an individual sanitary sewerage system serving the property.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land and site-plan review inside Riverdale borough.

    • The chapter was adopted December 15, 1986; the source states that amendments are noted where applicable.
    “Chapter 149 Subdivision of Land and Site Plan Review [HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Riverdale 12-15-1986 by Ord. No. 14-86. Amendments noted where applicable.]”

Still unanswered

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

  • Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Riverdale borough.
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemptions inside Riverdale borough.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Riverdale borough.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Riverdale borough.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Riverdale borough.
12 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Agricultural exemption
  • 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 Borough of Riverdale publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Morris County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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