Pop. 28,069 · Bergen County
Bergenfield defines retaining walls and requires a Construction Official permit, plus an NJDEP permit, for any retaining wall within 20 feet of a stream, brook, or watercourse…
Bergenfield Chapter 277 requires every swimming or bathing pool to be enclosed by a fence meeting Borough minimum standards, with permit applications describing materials, height, and…
Bergenfield restricts fence height across residential lots and limits hedges, fences, or walls in corner sight triangles to 2.5 feet above curb level for traffic safety.
Bergenfield prohibits barbed wire, spines, chipped glass, and similar devices on any fence or retaining wall, and bans canvas or cloth fence materials within the Borough.
Bergenfield requires a fence permit from the Construction Official, with Zoning Officer approval, for any fence taller than 2 feet 6 inches above grade, plus a property survey sketch.
Bergenfield requires all fences be erected within the owner's property lines, never encroach on public right-of-way, and remain in safe, sound, upright condition at all times.
Bergenfield Chapter 277 mandates pool barriers prevent unauthorized access using fencing, gates, and dwelling walls so children and bystanders cannot reach the water.
Bergenfield regulates public whirlpools and hot tubs through the Health Department, requiring formal licensing before any operation begins on the premises.
Bergenfield Chapter 277 covers above-ground pools 30 inches or deeper, requiring permits and four-foot enclosures with gates matching the fence height.
Bergenfield requires every pool 18 inches or deeper (or above-ground pools 30+ inches) to be surrounded by a fence at least four feet tall with no openings larger than two inches.
Bergenfield Chapter 277 requires a Borough permit before constructing any permanent or stationary swimming or bathing pool, with plans, plot plan, and specifications submitted in…
Bergenfield allows a single identification sign for a permitted home occupation in residential zones, but prohibits any other exterior advertising or display indicating commercial…
Bergenfield permits home occupations as accessory uses customarily conducted within a dwelling, secondary to residential use, and not changing the dwelling's residential character or…
Bergenfield restricts home-occupation activity to a single client at a time for instructional uses and caps professional offices at no more than two persons employed total.
Family daycare homes in Bergen County are regulated by New Jersey under the Family Day Care Provider Registration Act. Providers caring for 3-5 children must register with NJ DCF…
Bergen County follows New Jersey's statewide Cottage Food Operator Permit program administered by the NJ Department of Health. Permits allow up to $50,000 annual sales of approved…
Bergenfield Chapter 291 prohibits cutting, trimming, breaking, or otherwise injuring any living tree or shrub on public highways, parks, or public places without prior written permit…
Bergenfield Chapter 291 forbids removing or injuring any living tree on public property without a written Shade Tree Committee permit, and lets the Committee order removal of dangerous…
Bergenfield Chapter 116 lets the Borough order property owners to cut weeds, brush, and hedges within 10 days of written notice, and bill removal costs back if owners fail to comply.
Bergenfield Chapter 116 requires owners to keep brush, hedges, and plant life cut below 2.5 feet within 10 feet of any roadway and 25 feet of intersections when needed for public…
Bergenfield Chapter 306 authorizes the Borough Administrator to declare water emergencies imposing odd/even sprinkler schedules in Stage I and a complete irrigation ban in Stage II.
Bergenfield's mandatory recycling code requires leaves, grass clippings, and brush to be set out only on schedule, with loose yard waste limited to seven days before announced…
Bergen County does not regulate artificial turf on private residential property. Synthetic turf installations are governed by municipal zoning, impervious-coverage limits, and…
Rainwater harvesting is legal throughout Bergen County and New Jersey. There is no state or county prohibition on residential rain barrels. NJDEP encourages capture as a stormwater…
Bergen County does not require native plantings on private lots but actively promotes them through the Open Space Trust Fund, county parks restoration projects, and the Bergen County…
Bergenfield prohibits keeping native New Jersey wildlife and imposes special caging and fencing requirements on permitted exotic pets.
Bergenfield prohibits keeping chickens, roosters, hoofed animals, pigs, and other farm animals on any premises within the borough.
Bergenfield prohibits feeding any domestic or wild animal on any property when the feeding attracts rats, mice, flies, or other vermin.
Bergenfield requires dogs in public or on unfenced private property to be controlled by a person over 12 with a leash no longer than six feet.
Bergen County does not impose breed-specific dog restrictions. New Jersey state law (N.J.S.A. 4:19-36) preempts municipalities and counties from enacting breed-discriminatory…
Bergen County enforces animal hoarding cases under New Jersey's animal cruelty statutes (N.J.S.A. 4:22). Local police, county prosecutors, and the Bergen County Society for the…
Bergen County does not regulate beekeeping countywide. New Jersey's Beekeeping Industry Act (N.J.S.A. 4:7-41 et seq.) governs hive registration with the state, while individual…
Bergenfield Chapter 116 requires property owners to cut brush, hedges, and other plant life near roadways to maintain visibility, with enforcement by the Department of Public Works…
Consumer fireworks are illegal in Bergenfield under New Jersey state law (N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 et seq.). Only ground-based, non-aerial sparklers, snakes/glow worms, smoke devices, and party…
Propane storage in Bergen County is regulated by the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (NFPA 58). Residential cylinders, exchange cages, and bulk tanks must meet setback, capacity, and…
Open burning of leaves, yard waste, and refuse is broadly prohibited in Bergen County under New Jersey air pollution rules. Limited exceptions exist for recreational fires and…
Recreational fires in Bergen County are regulated under the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. Small recreational fires using clean wood are permitted with restrictions; municipalities…
Bergen County has limited high-risk wildfire zones compared to southern New Jersey, but wooded areas in the northwest border the Ramapo Mountains and follow NJ Forest Fire Service…
Bergenfield prohibits short-term rentals of 30 days or less for consideration under Borough Code Chapter 239, Article III (Ordinance 18-2533, adopted September 4, 2018), so the Borough…
Because Bergenfield bans short-term rentals of 30 days or less under Chapter 239, Article III (Ordinance 18-2533), there are no STR-specific noise standards or quiet hours. If a rental…
Bergenfield does not have STR-specific parking standards because Chapter 239, Article III (Ordinance 18-2533) bars short-term rentals of 30 days or less for consideration. Any vehicles…
Bergenfield prohibits short-term rentals of 30 days or less under Chapter 239, Article III. No permit pathway exists for Airbnb-style transient lodging in the Borough.
Bergenfield law forbids paid occupancy of any dwelling for 30 days or less. The Borough effectively sets a 31-day minimum tenancy through its STR prohibition.
Bergen County does not mandate short-term rental insurance at the county level. Some municipalities require liability coverage of $300,000 to $1,000,000 as a condition of rental…
Bergenfield permits residents to park recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers at their primary residence only after registering them with the Borough Code Enforcement Department.
Bergenfield bars oversize commercial vehicles from residential properties and requires registration with Code Enforcement for any commercial vehicle parked at a residence.
Bergenfield prohibits parking on any borough street between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM under Ordinance 16-2488 unless the vehicle is registered through the overnight permit system.
Bergenfield restricts driveway width, surface materials, and curb cuts on residential lots, and prohibits parking on lawns or any non-driveway areas.
Bergenfield Chapter 295 makes it unlawful to abandon motor vehicles on public or private property and gives police authority to tow unregistered or inoperable vehicles.
New Jersey's 2021 Electric Vehicle Charging law (P.L.2021 c.171) and N.J.A.C. 5:23-7 require EV-ready spaces in new development. Bergen County sites and most municipalities reserve EV…
Street parking in Bergen County is governed mainly by each municipality and by NJ Title 39 motor vehicle law. On county roads, Bergen County may post no-parking zones and bus stops…
Bergenfield requires zoning permits for sheds, with a minimum three-foot setback from rear and side property lines. A property survey must accompany the permit application.
Bergenfield defines accessory apartments as self-contained residential units with kitchen, bathroom, sleeping space, and private entrance, regulated under Chapter 186 Land Development…
Carports in Bergen County are regulated by municipal zoning ordinances. The county does not set carport standards, but the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code applies to structural…
Tiny homes in Bergen County must comply with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and local minimum dwelling size requirements. Most Bergen municipalities effectively prohibit…
Garage conversions in Bergen County require municipal zoning approval and a building permit under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. The county itself does not regulate…
Bergenfield prohibits operating radios, musical instruments, televisions, phonographs, drums, or other sound-reproduction devices at volumes creating a noise disturbance.
Bergenfield Chapter 215 prohibits excessive or unusually loud noise that creates a disturbance anywhere within the Borough at any hour of the day or night.
Aircraft noise in Bergen County, including operations at Teterboro Airport (TEB), is regulated exclusively by the Federal Aviation Administration. Neither the county nor its…
Construction hours are not set at the Bergen County level. Each of the county's 70 municipalities adopts its own permissible construction time window under New Jersey's Noise Control…
Bergen County does not regulate leaf blower use countywide. Each municipality independently restricts seasonal use, decibel limits, and gas-powered equipment under New Jersey's Noise…
Industrial and commercial noise in Bergen County is enforced under New Jersey's statewide Noise Control Code, N.J.A.C. 7:29, which sets dBA limits at receiving property lines…
Bergen County Animal Control investigates barking and nuisance dog reports referred by local police, but the underlying barking dog ordinance is set by each municipality. State law…
Bergenfield site plan rules forbid lighting that produces glare at lot lines and cap commercial light fixture height at 18 feet.
Bergen County has no countywide dark-sky ordinance. Outdoor lighting is regulated through municipal zoning codes, with most Bergen County towns requiring shielded fixtures and limiting…
Bergenfield measures building height from average finished grade to the highest roof point, with zone-specific maximums set in Schedule A and certified survey heights required for…
Bergenfield Schedule B caps total impervious coverage on any developed lot, requiring surveys to show lot coverage, improved coverage, and any pervious paver areas proposed.
Bergenfield Chapter 186 establishes minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks by zone in Schedule A, with sheds required at least 3 feet from rear and side property lines.
Bergenfield regulates construction in special flood hazard areas through Chapter 161, requiring elevation of new and substantially improved structures above the base flood elevation…
Bergenfield requires all premises to be graded and maintained to prevent soil erosion and the accumulation of stagnant water, under property maintenance code section 302.2 adopted by…
Bergenfield's Chapter 268 sets minimum stormwater management requirements for major development, requiring green infrastructure best management practices and nonstructural strategies…
The Bergen County Soil Conservation District enforces New Jersey's Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act for projects disturbing 5,000 square feet or more. A certified plan is required…
Bergen County is not regulated under New Jersey's Coastal Area Facility Review Act, but Hudson River and Hackensack River waterfront projects may require Waterfront Development Permits…
Bergenfield requires conveniently located refuse receptacles maintained to prevent health nuisances, with rules governing landlord versus tenant responsibility for two-unit dwellings.
Bergenfield requires owners of vacant property to file a registration statement within 30 days, and to keep grass, weeds, and growth under eight inches.
Bergenfield requires a $5 garage sale permit good for two consecutive days, with a maximum of two permits per year and strict sign placement rules.
Bergenfield adopted the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code, requiring exterior properties to be clean, safe, and sanitary with grass kept under eight inches.
Bergenfield requires owners and tenants of property abutting paved sidewalks to remove snow and ice within 24 hours after precipitation ceases.
Bergenfield Chapter 291 requires a written Shade Tree Committee permit before cutting, trimming, climbing, or removing any tree on a public right-of-way or public property.
Bergenfield Chapter 291 requires property owners and contractors to replace shade trees that fail to thrive within one year of completing construction or improvements.
Bergen County does not maintain a formal heritage tree registry, but historic and specimen trees on county park land are protected under the Parks System Rules. Many municipalities…
Bergenfield Chapter 239 requires annual registration and inspection of nonowner-occupied single-family and two-family rentals by February 15 with a $50 minimum fee.
Bergenfield Chapter 240 caps rent increases at no more than 4% per year and requires landlords to file proposed increases with the Rent Leveling Board for review.
All Bergen County rentals are governed by the New Jersey Anti-Eviction Act, which requires landlords to demonstrate one of 18 statutory good causes before evicting a tenant. The county…
Under New Jersey's Anti-Eviction Act, N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1, a landlord may evict a covered tenant only on a statutory good-cause ground. Non-payment under subsection a. needs no advance…
New Jersey recognizes an implied warranty of habitability in every residential lease under Marini v. Ireland, 56 N.J. 130 (1970), regardless of lease language. If a landlord fails to…
New Jersey has no statute setting a minimum notice a landlord must give before entering a rented home; there is no statutory requirement fixing 24 hours or any figure. Courts and the…
New Jersey sets no general statutory cap on residential late fees, leaving the amount to the lease subject to reasonableness. For senior citizens on government pensions and recipients…
To end a month-to-month residential tenancy in New Jersey, either party gives at least one month's written notice expiring at a rental period. Because the Anti-Eviction Act bars…
New Jersey sets no statewide rent cap, but a landlord cannot raise a month-to-month tenant's rent until the existing term is ended by a notice to quit and a notice of increase giving…
New Jersey caps a residential security deposit at 1.5 times one month's rent, and any later additional deposit may rise by no more than 10% per year. After a tenancy ends, the landlord…
A squatter cannot gain title quickly in New Jersey. Under N.J.S.A. 2A:14-30, thirty years of actual, continuous possession of real estate vests title in the possessor, and sixty years…
Bergenfield bans cannabis retailers, wholesalers, and distributors anywhere in the borough, allowing only delivery services to operate.
Home cannabis cultivation is illegal throughout Bergen County and all of New Jersey. The Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMMA)…
Bergenfield requires all mobile food vendors to obtain an annual Department of Health license at $150 plus comply with Fire Department permit requirements before selling food.
Bergen County does not designate countywide vending zones. Mobile food vendors must comply with each municipality's zoning, setback, and time restrictions, which vary widely from…
Bergenfield limits each residential property to two garage sale permits per calendar year, with each permit covering two consecutive sale days.
Bergenfield requires residents to obtain a Building Department permit costing five dollars before holding a garage or yard sale at their property.
Garage sale hours in Bergen County are set by each municipality. Typical limits run 8:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. to dusk, often capped at one to three consecutive days, with no overnight…
Bergenfield requires owners, lessees, and occupants to separate paper, glass, plastic, metals, e-waste, batteries, yard waste, and other recyclables from trash under its mandatory…
Bergenfield requires garbage, recycling, bulk, and vegetative waste be placed curbside after 6:00 p.m. the night before pickup or before 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day.
Bergenfield requires receptacles be conveniently located on premises and maintained to prevent health nuisances, with landlords or tenants responsible based on dwelling type and lease…
Bergenfield bulk pickup allows up to four pieces of household furniture, two appliances, and one carpet per scheduled bulk day. Contractor debris, electronics, and chemicals are…
Bergenfield Chapter 227 requires written permits and identification cards from the Chief of Police for door-to-door canvassing, with a $100 fee per 30-day period and charity exemptions.
Bergenfield maintains a No-Knock List letting residents opt out of unsolicited door-to-door sales, with registration through the Municipal Clerk's Department and enforcement against…
Bergenfield treats solar arrays as active solar systems under Chapter 136, charging an $80 construction permit fee and requiring a zoning permit for installation in addition to…
New Jersey's Solar Easement Act (NJSA 46:3-24) and Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act (NJSA 45:22A-48.2) limit homeowner association power to bar rooftop solar in…
Bergen County does not regulate residential holiday displays or decorations on private property. Municipalities may apply nuisance, lighting glare, and noise ordinances, and seasonal…
Bergen County does not regulate political signs on private property. New Jersey law and the First Amendment protect political speech, and municipalities may impose only content-neutral…
Bergen County does not regulate garage sale signs on private property. Individual municipalities limit sign size, posting duration, and location, generally prohibiting placement on…
Bergen County does not have a countywide juvenile curfew. Several Bergen municipalities have adopted local curfew ordinances under N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.52, typically restricting minors…
Bergen County parks are closed daily from dusk to dawn under the Bergen County Park Commission's rules. Entry into county parks after closing hours is prohibited unless specifically…
Bergen County prohibits recreational drone takeoff and landing in county parks without permission. Federal FAA Part 107 and recreational rules apply countywide, including registration…
Commercial drone operators in Bergen County must hold FAA Part 107 certification and comply with N.J.S.A. 2C:40-27. The county Parks Department requires special permits for commercial…
New Jersey sets a uniform statewide minimum wage under NJSA 34:11-56a, scheduled to reach $15 per hour, with limited authority for municipalities to enact higher local wage floors.
The New Jersey Earned Sick Leave Law at NJSA 34:11D provides up to 40 hours of paid sick time and preempts local sick leave ordinances, creating a single statewide standard.
New Jersey has not enacted statewide predictive scheduling, but NJSA 34:11 wage and hour rules govern overtime and reporting time, leaving narrow scope for municipal scheduling…
New Jersey issues concealed carry permits under NJSA 2C:58-4 with strict justifiable need replaced by shall-issue standards post-Bruen, while sensitive-place restrictions limit where…
New Jersey reserves firearm regulation to the state under NJSA 2C:39, broadly preempting local ordinances on possession, registration, transport, and most aspects of gun control across…
New Jersey effectively prohibits open carry of handguns without a Permit to Carry under NJSA 2C:39-5, and long-gun open carry is restricted in most public contexts.
New Jersey strictly regulates firearm transport in vehicles under NJSA 2C:39-5 and 2C:39-6, requiring unloaded firearms in locked containers absent a valid Permit to Carry, with…
New Jersey gives both condominium and planned-community associations a foreclosable assessment lien with a limited 6-month priority over a prior first mortgage. The Condominium Act…
The 2017 Radburn Law (P.L. 2017, c.106) amended PREDFDA (N.J.S.A. 45:22A-45.1 et seq.) and its regulations (N.J.A.C. 5:26-8) to mandate open board meetings, member-run elections with…
New Jersey associations enforce recorded covenants and architectural standards through their declaration, but PREDFDA's Radburn regulations require associations to make alternative…
New Jersey sets no statutory dollar cap on association fines. Fine authority comes from the recorded declaration and bylaws, but PREDFDA and the Condominium Act add fairness…
New Jersey overrides several common HOA restrictions. N.J.S.A. 45:22A-48.2 bars associations from prohibiting rooftop solar collectors on owner-controlled roofs, and N.J.S.A…
New Jersey does not mandate E-Verify for private employers, leaving participation voluntary statewide while federal contractors must comply with federal Executive Order 12989…
Attorney General Directive 2018-6, the Immigrant Trust Directive, limits state, county, and municipal law enforcement cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement across all…
N.J.S.A. 4:1C-9 limits municipal zoning power over commercial farms, preempting unreasonably restrictive agricultural zoning when farms follow recommended practices and meet…
The New Jersey Right to Farm Act (N.J.S.A. 4:1C-1 et seq.) shields eligible commercial farms from nuisance suits and preempts unreasonable municipal ordinances when farms follow…
Under NJSA 13:1E-99.126, New Jersey banned single-use plastic carryout bags and single-use paper bags at large grocery stores effective May 2022, the strongest such law nationally.
New Jersey prohibits polystyrene foam food service products under NJSA 13:1E-99.126, banning foam clamshells, cups, trays, and similar items statewide effective May 2022.
Under NJSA 13:1E-99.126, New Jersey food service businesses may provide single-use plastic straws only upon customer request, effective November 2021 statewide.
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:170-51.4, New Jersey prohibits the sale, gift, or distribution of tobacco and electronic smoking products to anyone under 21, with escalating civil penalties for…
New Jersey bars retail sale of flavored electronic smoking devices and liquid nicotine, every characterizing flavor except tobacco, under N.J.S.A. 2A:170-51.12, effective April 20…
New Jersey regulates vape retailers under NJSA 54:40B and NJSA 26:3D, requiring licensing, prohibiting flavored vape sales, and applying age-21 minimum purchase rules statewide.