North Bergen, NJ Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Under North Bergen's land use framework, a carport - whether prefabricated metal, attached to the side of the home, or freestanding in a side or rear yard - is a structure requiring a zoning permit before installation, because it occupies yard area, contributes to lot coverage, and must comply with required side and rear yard setbacks. The dimensional rules (minimum side yard, minimum rear yard, maximum accessory-structure height, maximum lot coverage including impervious coverage) are set by the North Bergen Zoning Ordinance and depend on the property's zoning district; the Building, Code Enforcement and Zoning Department applies the controlling district standards at the time the application is filed and the Zoning Map and Zoning Ordinance can be obtained directly from the Department or via the Township's Application Forms / Zoning Map page. Independent of zoning, the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) requires a construction permit for the structural work; under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7, certain very minor accessory work is exempt, but a carport (especially one with a roof structure, posts, and footings) generally requires a building subcode permit and may also require electrical (if lighting is added) and other subcode permits. The Construction Official issues construction permits only after zoning approval is in hand. A carport that is structurally connected to the principal dwelling is, by long-standing zoning practice in New Jersey, treated as part of the principal building rather than as an accessory structure and must satisfy the principal-building front, side, and rear yard requirements for the zone, not the looser accessory-building standards. Practical considerations in North Bergen's high-density urban context include narrow lots and small side yards: a property may not have the side or rear setback distance to install a freestanding carport without a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment under the Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70(c)). Driveway-only canopies and unpermitted metal carports placed in front yards are commonly cited under the Zoning Ordinance and the Property Maintenance Code.