Irvington, NJ Animal Ordinances: Pet Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Irvington Township Code § 167-6
- Household limit
- 4 dogs or cats combined
- Kennel exception
- Requires separate license under § 167-16
- Kennel cap
- 25 dogs on premises at one time
- First offense fine
- $50
- Fourth offense fine
- $250, court appearance required
Summary
Irvington Township Code Section 167-6 caps every household at four dogs or cats combined. Anyone keeping more than four is subject to the penalties in Chapter 1, Article III, Penalties, of the Township Code, and the cap applies regardless of whether the animals are licensed.
No household of any kind shall possess any more than four dogs or cats. Any number present in a household greater than the above shall subject the owner or occupier to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1, Article III, Penalties.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4996945; v39 updated 2026-07-13; through 07-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
The cap was added November 9, 2006, under Ordinance No. MC 3329, and amended August 9, 2016, under Ordinance No. MC 3579, and it sits in Article II, Dogs and Cats, alongside the licensing requirement in Section 167-4 and the cat-specific rules in Section 167-5. The four-animal ceiling counts dogs and cats together rather than four of each, so a household with three dogs and two cats already exceeds it. A. 9. Without a kennel license, the household limit in Section 167-6 controls, and the Division of Licensing and Department of Health can both act on a complaint that a household exceeds it.
The Division of Licensing tracks the count through the annual license renewal cycle each January, so a household that registers a fifth animal at renewal time is already positioned for enforcement before any neighbor complaint is filed.
Violations & Fines
Under the fine schedule in Section 167-19, exceeding the four-animal limit carries a $50 fine for a first offense, $100 for a second, $150 for a third and $250 for a fourth offense, with a court appearance required once a household reaches the fourth violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many dogs or cats can I have in Irvington?
Can I get a permit to keep more than four pets?
What happens if my household exceeds the four-pet limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Irvington
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