Ridgewood, NJ Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in Ridgewood, NJ, also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations, set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Key Facts
- Max shed height
- 15 ft (18 ft with conditions)
- Front-yard sheds
- prohibited
- Rear-yard setback
- 5 ft minimum
- Permit fee (shed >100 sf/10 ft)
- $75
- Enforced by
- Village Zoning Officer
Summary
In the Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey, a freestanding accessory building or shed in a residential zone cannot exceed 15 feet in height and is barred from every front yard. Rear-yard sheds must sit at least five feet off the side or rear property line, and a shed over 100 square feet or 10 feet tall triggers a $75 construction permit fee under the Village Code.
The fee for a garden/utility shed greater than 100 square feet in area or greater than 10 feet in height shall be $75. ... No accessory building or above-grade structure shall have a ground area greater than the ground area of the principal building or structure on the same lot. (b) No freestanding accessory building or structure shall exceed 15 feet in height, except as may be specifically provided otherwise by this chapter, such height shall be measured as set forth in § 190-119D. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the height of accessory buildings shall be permitted to be greater than 15 feet, but not more than 18 feet, when all of the following requirements are met: ... No accessory building shall be permitted in any front yard. Swimming pools, tennis courts, decks, patios, and similar play structures shall be prohibited in any front yard; provided, however, that basketball equipment which utilizes a permitted driveway on the lot as the play surface is exempt from this prohibition. ... Accessory buildings built in any rear yard shall not be closer than five feet from any side or rear property line of the lot
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Village of Ridgewood Code § 190-119C governs accessory buildings and structures in every residential zone, covering detached garages, garden sheds and similar structures. No accessory building or above-grade structure may cover more ground area than the principal building on the same lot, and no freestanding accessory structure may exceed 15 feet in height as measured under § 190-119D, unless the shed covers at least 400 square feet, meets the setbacks of § 190-119C(1)(f) and carries a roof pitch of at least 8:12, in which case the Zoning Officer may allow up to 18 feet.
Sheds, garages and other accessory buildings are prohibited outright in any front yard; the code separately bars swimming pools, tennis courts, decks, patios and similar play structures from the front yard, though a driveway-mounted basketball hoop is exempted. A shed built in a side yard must clear the side lot line by at least the principal building's required side-yard setback, and one built in the rear yard must sit at least five feet off any side or rear property line, unless it is attached to the house by a breezeway or similar connection, in which case the full principal-building setback applies instead.
Building Department fee schedule § 125-3 sets a flat $75 construction permit fee for any garden or utility shed larger than 100 square feet or taller than 10 feet, on top of the base UCC fees calculated per cubic foot or per $1,000 of value for other work.
Violations & Fines
The Zoning Officer enforces Article X, including § 190-119C, under § 190-134 and may inspect properties on a Municipal Court warrant when a violation is suspected. Under § 190-136, an owner who builds or maintains an oversized, misplaced or unpermitted shed is guilty of a separate misdemeanor and, per the general penalty in § 1-15, faces a fine of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in the county jail, up to 90 days of community service, or a combination, with every day the violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build a shed in my Ridgewood front yard?
How tall can a backyard shed be in Ridgewood?
Do I need a permit for a shed in Ridgewood, NJ?
How close to my property line can a shed sit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
How Ridgewood compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare Ridgewood to another location·View the New Jersey accessory structures overview
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