What Irvington Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

Irvington, 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 26 tracked ordinances across 10 categories, there is more here than you might expect.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing Requirements: Irvington Township Code Ch. 571 (Swimming Pools) requires every outdoor permanent family swimming pool to be enclosed by a fence of durable construction not less than 4 feet nor more than 5 feet in height, with substantial gates kept securely locked when the pool is not in use.

Parking Rules

Abandoned Vehicles: Abandoned and inoperable vehicles are addressed under Irvington property maintenance code (Ch. 460) and NJ state law (N.J.S.A.

Also covered: Commercial Vehicle Restrictions (moderate), Street Parking Limits (moderate), RV & Boat Parking (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Irvington for details.

Animal Ordinances

Dog Leash Laws: Irvington Township Code Ch. 167 (Animals), Article II (Dogs and Cats) prohibits dogs from running at large.

Also covered: Beekeeping (moderate), Exotic Pets (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Irvington for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Noise Rules: Irvington Township Code Chapter 510 (Short-Term Rentals, adopted 5-22-2023) prohibits any rental under 30 days outside licensed hotels and motels. Because legal STRs do not exist, no STR-specific noise rule exists.

Also covered: Parking Rules (strict), Occupancy Limits (strict), Taxes & Fees (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Irvington for details.

Fire Regulations

Fire Pit Rules: Wood-burning fire pits prohibited in Irvington — open burning banned under N.J.A.C. 7:27.

Also covered: Outdoor Burning (strict), Fireworks (strict). See the full fire regulations guide for Irvington for details.

Noise Ordinances

Construction Hours: Construction noise must comply with Irvington Ch. 397.

Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Quiet Hours (moderate), Aircraft Noise (permissive). See the full noise ordinances guide for Irvington for details.

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Street trees in Irvington are municipal property — contact Public Works before trimming or removing. Private property tree removal should be verified with Zoning/Building Dept..

Accessory Structures

Shed Rules: Sheds and accessory structures in Irvington require building permits under NJ UCC (N.J.A.C. 5:23).

Also covered: ADU Rules (moderate), Garage Conversions (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Irvington for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Zones: Irvington participates in FEMA's NFIP. The Irvington area near the Second River and Elizabeth River tributaries has FEMA-mapped flood zones.

Fence Regulations

Height Limits: Fence height limits set by Irvington zoning code. Standard NJ pattern: 4 ft front yard, 6 ft side/rear yard.

What to Do With This Information

Think of this as a map of the regulatory landscape in Irvington. For any rule that directly affects a decision you are making, click through to the full ordinance page for penalty details and exceptions, and confirm with the city if the stakes are high.