Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Borough of Ringwood, New Jersey
Borough of Ringwood is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey. Borough of Ringwood adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Borough of Ringwood’s rules apply, not the county’s. 5 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 23, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Passaic County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Borough of Ringwood
Borough of Ringwood’s own rules
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
All land inside Ringwood borough limits, NJ; the borough adopts and administers its own Chapter 40 Zoning Regulations.
Under § 40-1.3 b, a use not listed as a permitted, accessory or conditional use in Chapter 40 is prohibited in the borough.
Use tables (Attachment 2, Schedule 1), bulk table (Attachment 3, Schedule 2) and the zoning map (§ 40-3.2) were not opened in this research pass.
“this chapter shall be known and cited as the "zoning regulations" of the borough of ringwood.”
Zoning districtsPublished
Zoning districts inside Ringwood borough, NJ, as listed in Chapter 40.
Chapter 40 lists the zoning map (§ 40-3.2) and Schedule 1 (district use regulations) and Schedule 2 (area, bulk and yard requirements) as attachments; the district list itself was only seen as table-of-contents headings.
“attachment 2 - schedule 1 district use regulations attachment 3 - schedule 2 area, bulk and yard requirements”
Minimum lot sizeSpecified
Lots in the R-20 zone district inside Ringwood borough (main single-family district per the borough bulk sheet).
Figure is from the borough bulk summary sheet, not from Chapter 40 § 40-4.6 / Schedule 2, which controls and was not read.
Column order is read from the sheet header (r-20 is the first zone column); the PDF extraction is garbled, so verify against Schedule 2.
minimum lot area, R-20 district: >= 20000 sq ft
“lot area (sq. ft.) lot width (ft.) lot depth (ft.) 20,000 40,000 40,000 80,000”
One more reviewed finding on this topic
Specified — Lots in the R-40 zone district inside Ringwood borough (second single-family district per the borough bulk sheet).
“lot area (sq. ft.) lot width (ft.) lot depth (ft.) 20,000 40,000 40,000 80,000”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Land divisions inside Ringwood borough limits.
Chapter 36 (Land Subdivision, §§ 36-1 to 36-16.2) governs; its approval standards were not opened.
“chapter 36 land subdivision (§ 36-1 – § 36-16.2)”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Borough of Ringwood or Passaic County directly.
Building permit — Building permits for construction inside Ringwood borough
Building code adopted — Building code adoption inside Ringwood borough
Inspections — Building inspections inside Ringwood borough
Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Ringwood borough
21 more unanswered
Minimum dwelling size
Setbacks
Lot coverage
Building height
Living in an RV
Camping on your land
Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
Accessory dwellings
Who permits septic
Septic permit
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
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 Ringwood publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Passaic County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Borough of Ringwood means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
