What Cherry Hill Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

Cherry Hill, New Jersey may not be the biggest city in the state, but it has its own set of local rules that residents need to follow. With 93 tracked ordinances across 32 categories, there is more here than you might expect.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Township Code prohibits barbed wire, fences topped with metal spikes, broken bottles or glass, and any fence material or construction dangerous to persons or animals on residential property..

Also covered: Height Limits (moderate), Retaining Walls (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Animal Ordinances

Pet Store Rules: Cherry Hill Township Code § 8-3.4 bars pet shops from selling dogs or cats except those obtained from or displayed in cooperation with an animal care facility or an animal rescue organization, and bans the sale of any dog or cat younger than eight weeks old..

Also covered: Dog Leash Laws (moderate), Cat Rules (moderate), Breed Restrictions (restrictive). See the full animal ordinances guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Elevation Requirements: Cherry Hill Township sets a Local Design Flood Elevation (LDFE) above the mapped or state flood elevation for new construction and substantial improvements, adding at least one foot of freeboard, with two feet required for Class IV critical facilities under § 12-102.3..

Also covered: Flood Zones (moderate), Stormwater Management (moderate), Erosion Control (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: Cherry Hill Township bans parking any truck, tractor, trailer, semi-trailer or omnibus with a registered gross weight over five tons on any county or municipal street between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Also covered: Loading Zones (moderate), RV & Boat Parking (restrictive), Abandoned Vehicles (restrictive). See the full parking rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Noise Ordinances

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound: Cherry Hill Township bans outdoor loudspeakers and PA systems whose sound is plainly audible at the property line or on a public way unless the operator holds a permit. Section 5-1.6.c gives the Planning Board and Zoning Board authority to restrict and grant those permits under the Township's Noise Control ordinance..

Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Quiet Hours (moderate), Vehicle Noise (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Cherry Hill Township lets the Property Maintenance Inspector condemn and placard any structure found unsafe, unfit for human occupancy or unlawful, and can order it repaired, closed or demolished at the owner's expense with the cost liened against the property..

Also covered: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (moderate), Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Building Safety

Plumbing Permits: Cherry Hill Township requires a construction permit before any plumbing work begins, issued through the state-adopted Uniform Construction Code enforcement program. The Township's Department of Construction Code Enforcement and Inspections charges its own local plumbing subcode fee schedule on top of that state framework..

Also covered: Lead Paint (moderate), Electrical Permits (moderate), Elevator Maintenance (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Mobility & Curb Rules

Red-Light Cameras: Cherry Hill Township Code § 10-21.2 authorized a traffic control signal monitoring system, the Township's red-light camera program, at the intersection of Route 70 and Springdale Road under New Jersey's 2007 pilot law, P.L. 2007, c.348.

Also covered: Bike Lane Rules (moderate). See the full mobility & curb rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Rental Property Rules

Repairs & Habitability: Cherry Hill Township bars renting out any dwelling unit, including apartments, houses, duplexes and condos, without a Rental Housing Certificate of Occupancy showing the unit meets the Property Maintenance Code, the state Housing Code and the Uniform Construction Code..

Also covered: Rental Registration (moderate), Rent Increase Notice (moderate), Rent Control (restrictive). See the full rental property rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Delivery Truck Noise: Cherry Hill Township confines loading, unloading and container-handling noise, the kind delivery trucks generate, to 8:00 a.m. through dusk or 8:00 p.m.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Cherry Hill Township requires every structure and exterior property to stay free of rat infestation, with prompt extermination when rats appear, and sets specific storage rules for firewood and outdoor garbage that are known rat-harborage hazards..

Also covered: Food Handler Certification (moderate), Syringe Disposal (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Cherry Hill Township taxes hotel and motel room rentals at a flat 3% rate under Section 3-3 of its Revised General Ordinances, on top of the state's hotel occupancy fee and sales tax. The rate stepped up from 1% to 3% on July 1, 2004, under Ordinance No.

Code Violation Reporting

How to Report: Cherry Hill Township residents report unsafe or unfit buildings by petition to the Public Officer, who is the Township Construction Official, and any violation of another ordinance found during a property maintenance inspection is referred to the agency that enforces it..

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food Truck Permits: Cherry Hill Township requires every mobile food unit, including lunch trucks, ice cream trucks and hot dog carts, to hold a license from the Division of Food Licensing before setting up anywhere in the township. The mobile unit fee is $100 per truck, and the Department of Vital Statistics can suspend or revoke that license after a hearing for code violations..

Also covered: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Dispensary Zoning: Cherry Hill Township prohibits every class of cannabis business defined by New Jersey's cannabis legalization law, including cultivators, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and dispensaries, under Township Code § 5-17. The only activity the ordinance leaves untouched is delivery of cannabis items into Cherry Hill by a licensed New Jersey delivery service..

Business Licensing & Operations

Massage Establishments: Operating a massage business in Cherry Hill Township requires a $2,000 annual license from the Township Clerk, and every massage and bodywork therapist must separately hold a New Jersey state license. Township Code § 6-8, amended in 2025, lets the Township Clerk deny or refuse renewal based on unpaid taxes, open code violations, or a Police-recommended finding of bad character..

Also covered: Tattoo & Body Modification (moderate), Secondhand Dealers (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Public Conduct

Public Alcohol Use: Cherry Hill Township, in Camden County, New Jersey, makes it a disorderly persons offense to drink alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, parking lot, park, or public conveyance, or in a parked or moving vehicle on a public way. The same ban covers drinking on someone else's private property without permission and discarding alcohol containers in public, all under Township Code § 5-3.1..

Also covered: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (restrictive), Public Urination (moderate), Loitering Rules (limited). See the full public conduct guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Cherry Hill Township requires every rental dwelling unit, from single-family rentals to apartments and condominiums, to pass an inspection and hold a Certificate of Occupancy before it can be leased, with a $65.00 fee and repeat inspections for compliance..

Also covered: Tenant Complaint Process (moderate). See the full rental inspections guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Every swimming pool in Cherry Hill Township, existing or newly built, must be completely enclosed by a fence at least six feet high with no opening wider than two inches unless it has a locking device; small portable pools are exempt..

Also covered: Pool Permits (moderate). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Fire Regulations

Fireworks: Cherry Hill Township bans possessing, exploding or discharging firecrackers, torpedoes, rockets or other fireworks in any township park, though the Recreation Department can issue a permit for a properly supervised public fireworks display in a designated park area..

Also covered: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (moderate), Smoke Detectors (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Special Events & Permits

Block Party Permits: Cherry Hill Township has no separate block party application in its code. A resident event that needs a street closed still runs through Section 10-2, which lets the Chief of Police, or the Mayor if the Chief cannot act, authorize closing any street to traffic for specified hours whenever the closure protects public safety, health or welfare..

Also covered: Park Event Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Anyone who wants to canvass, solicit, distribute materials, or peddle merchandise door-to-door in Cherry Hill Township must first get a written permit from the Chief of Police, submit to fingerprinting and a background check, and pay a $90 application fee. Township Code § 6-2 also limits house-to-house activity to 10 a.m.

Outdoor Cooking

BBQ & Propane Rules: Cherry Hill Township bans liquefied petroleum gas containers over one pound, the size that fuels a standard propane grill, on apartment and multi-family balconies, porches, patios and building entrances. The rule targets the tank, not the grill itself, and by its terms reaches only multi-family dwelling units, not detached single-family houses..

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Cherry Hill Township bans depositing dirt, garbage, rubbish or debris on any street or land Township-wide, requires same-day removal by 6 p.m. if it happens anyway, and enforces the ban through Chapter 1's general penalty, under Section 20-3..

Also covered: Bulk Item Disposal (moderate), Yard Waste Collection (moderate), Pickup Rules & Schedules (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Curfew Laws

Park Curfew: Cherry Hill Township parks, playgrounds and recreation areas open at dawn and close at dusk, except lighted facilities, which must close by 10:30 p.m. Anyone in a park after closing is subject to municipal court penalties under the Township's general parks ordinance..

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Any work that disturbs Cherry Hill Township streets, curbs, sidewalks or driveway aprons within the public right-of-way needs a Street Opening Permit from the Engineering Department under Township Code § 20-1. Applicants post a bond, pay administration and inspection fees, and restore all disturbed paving to Township specifications..

Also covered: Sidewalk Repair (moderate), Obstruction Rules (restrictive). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Structure Height Limits: Cherry Hill Township zoning caps building height by district in Chapter 40's bulk requirements tables. Single-family zones RA and R1 hold structures to 35 feet, while the R20 High-Rise Multi-Residential zone reaches 16 stories.

Also covered: Lot Coverage Limits (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Removing, cutting or trimming more than 30% of any tree five inches or greater in diameter anywhere in Cherry Hill Township needs a Tree Removal Permit from the Department of Public Works under § 21-5. Homeowners get three free removals a year; commercial applicants pay $100 and both must replace or fund replacement trees..

Also covered: Weed Ordinances (moderate), Tree Trimming (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Cherry Hill for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Cherry Hill Township permits residential and commercial solar installations through the Electrical Subcode, with photovoltaic system fees tiered by system size under § 13-1.4a3(f): $65 for systems up to 50 kilowatts, $129 up to 100 kilowatts, and $640 above that. The Zoning Ordinance separately exempts solar panels from height limits..

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: Planting a tree in a Cherry Hill Township right-of-way or on public property needs a Street Opening Permit from the Engineering Department under § 21-4.1, and the species must be non-invasive and native to New Jersey under § 21-4.2 so it won't block sight lines or interfere with buried and overhead utilities..

Accessory Structures

ADU Rules: Cherry Hill Township's zoning ordinance flatly bans accessory dwelling units. Section 40-401J lists "Accessory dwelling units, 'mother-in-law' suites, and the like" among nine uses "specifically prohibited" townshipwide, alongside junkyards, mobile homes, and drive-in restaurants, so there is no permit path to add a second dwelling unit to a single-family lot..

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: Cherry Hill Township maintains a dedicated Residential Agriculture (RA) zoning district under § 40-402, intended for low-intensity agricultural operations and large-lot single-family homes. Agriculture is listed first among the zone's permitted principal uses, and farm stands and crop-picking operations are allowed as an accessory use alongside it..

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to Cherry Hill, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with Cherry Hill's city hall or code enforcement office.