A Resident's Guide to Paterson's Local Ordinances

Paterson is a mid-sized city in Passaic County, New Jersey, with about 160000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 118 ordinances across 35 categories that affect daily life in Paterson.

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Removing a Paterson street tree of 2.5 inches DBH or larger, or a private tree above the threshold, triggers a sliding-scale replacement duty or a $500-per-tree fee to the city's tree fund..

Also covered: Composting (permissive), Artificial Turf (limited), Rainwater Harvesting (permissive). See the full landscaping rules guide for Paterson for details.

Building Safety

Plumbing Permits: Paterson requires a plumbing subcode permit for fixture and equipment work, issued by the Construction Code Enforcing Agency, with fees set per item under City Code §183-6, $20 per water closet, $75 for gas piping, $40 for a water heater..

Also covered: Building Permits (moderate), Electrical Permits (moderate), Carbon Monoxide Detectors (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Paterson for details.

Environmental Rules

Flood Elevation Requirements: New residential construction in Paterson's flood-hazard zones must elevate the lowest floor at least one foot above base flood elevation..

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

Filming & Production

Street Closures: Before a Paterson filming permit issues, the affected ward's Councilperson and the at-large Council Members must be emailed notice of every proposed street closure and filming date, with 48 hours to object..

Also covered: Production Noise (moderate), Student Filming (limited), Location Permits (restrictive). See the full filming & production guide for Paterson for details.

Noise Ordinances

Barking Dogs: Paterson bans animal noise that unreasonably disturbs neighbors, with a concrete evidentiary standard: five minutes of steady barking or 20 minutes of intermittent barking counts as a violation under the city's noise ordinance..

Also covered: Decibel Limits (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate), Aircraft Noise (permissive). See the full noise ordinances guide for Paterson for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Tattoo & Body Modification: Paterson requires a Health Division license to operate any tattoo or body piercing establishment, with a $500 initial fee and a $700 annual renewal..

Also covered: Secondhand Dealers (restrictive), Adult Entertainment (restrictive), Tobacco Retail License (moderate). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Paterson for details.

Tobacco & Vaping

Flavored Tobacco Bans: Paterson bans the sale of flavored and menthol smoking products, including flavored e-cigarette devices, citywide as of December 2025..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Anyone canvassing or soliciting door-to-door in Paterson must register with the Director of Public Safety first, pay a $25 fee, and wear the certificate; nonprofits get a lighter filing exemption..

Property Maintenance

Vacant Lot Maintenance: Paterson can order owners of vacant lots deemed a danger to clear debris and install a fence within 10 days of the order, or the city does the work and liens the property..

Also covered: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (moderate), Property Blight (restrictive). See the full property maintenance guide for Paterson for details.

Trash & Recycling

Dumpster Rules: Paterson allows debris boxes and roll-off dumpsters on the public sidewalk or street only in the B-3A commercial zone, only from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m., and only if labeled and reflectorized..

Also covered: Recycling Rules (moderate), Illegal Dumping (moderate), Recycling Requirements (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Paterson for details.

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Setback Rules: Paterson's zoning ordinance sets citywide floor setbacks: side yards never below 3 feet (5 feet standard), rear yards never below 10 feet, and front yards can average down but never below 10 feet, under the certified 2016 Article V zoning text..

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Obstruction Rules: Paterson bars stands, boxes, merchandise displays and other obstructions on sidewalks and streets, with narrow carve-outs for perishable-food displays..

Also covered: Sidewalk Repair (moderate), Encroachment Permits (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Paterson for details.

Sign Regulations

Freeway-Facing Signs: Paterson prohibits signs in every district that obstruct views of natural geographic features, particularly views seen by drivers on an interstate or inter-county highway: part of the city's citywide list of prohibited sign types..

Also covered: Holiday Displays (permissive), Political Signs (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Paterson for details.

Home Business

Customer Traffic Restrictions: Paterson zoning limits home-based businesses to no more than two client, patient, or visitor stops per hour, keeping home occupations subordinate to the residential use under the 2016-codified zoning ordinance..

Also covered: Home Daycare (permissive), Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate), Signage Rules (limited). See the full home business guide for Paterson for details.

Fence Regulations

Height Limits: Paterson caps residential fences at 4 feet in the front yard and 6 feet in side and rear yards, with a 30-inch limit inside the corner-lot sight triangle..

Also covered: Fence Permit Requirements (moderate), Material Restrictions (moderate), Retaining Walls (moderate). See the full fence regulations guide for Paterson for details.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Paterson makes property owners responsible for exterminating insects, rodents and other pests in exterior areas, shifting that duty to occupants only at single-family homes, under the city's housing code..

Also covered: Food Handler Certification (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Paterson for details.

Special Events & Permits

Street Fair Rules: Paterson requires a $175-per-day Council license before any bazaar, carnival, circus, festival, or picnic that charges admission or sells goods can operate..

Also covered: Outdoor Heater Rules (restrictive), Block Party Permits (moderate), Park Event Permits (restrictive). See the full special events & permits guide for Paterson for details.

Parking Rules

Towing & Impound Rights: Paterson prices every police rotation tow in a city fee schedule rather than leaving it to the operator. A light-duty hookup is $150, daily storage on a car is $45 outdoors and double that indoors, an after-hours release is $75, and a driver whose own tow truck reaches the scene before the city tower pulls away may take the vehicle at no charge..

Also covered: RV & Boat Parking (restrictive), Abandoned Vehicles (moderate), Commercial & Oversized Vehicles (restrictive). See the full parking rules guide for Paterson for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

Car Alarm Limits: Paterson requires every burglar alarm on a building or vehicle to shut off within 5 minutes of continuous sound or 15 minutes of intermittent sound, backed by fines up to $2,000 per offense..

Also covered: Generator Noise (permissive), HVAC & Mechanical Noise (moderate), Low-Frequency Bass Limits (moderate). See the full noise from specific sources guide for Paterson for details.

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: Every Paterson landlord must obtain a certificate of re-rental approval from the Division of Community Improvements after a physical inspection, before any new tenant may take possession of a unit..

Also covered: Tenant Complaint Process (limited). See the full rental inspections guide for Paterson for details.

Public Conduct

Public Alcohol Use: Paterson bans consuming alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, park, parking lot or other public property citywide, at any hour, with only a limited special-permit exception..

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

Animal Ordinances

Chickens & Livestock: Paterson prohibits keeping horses, cows, goats, sheep, pigs, donkeys and other bovine or equine animals citywide, except ponies and horses already kept before May 1984..

Also covered: Wildlife Feeding (moderate), Bird Protection (limited), Dog Leash Laws (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Paterson for details.

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Paterson's fire code prohibits open burning of refuse, plant life, or salvage material anywhere in the city, with only a narrow exemption for trade waste that state regulators approve..

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

Cannabis Regulations

Dispensary Zoning: Paterson has not opted out of cannabis businesses, it licenses six classes citywide, but overrides the state's default zoning so every class, including retailers, is permitted only in the I-1, I-2 and M-U zones..

Also covered: Buffer Zones (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Paterson for details.

Accessory Structures

ADU Rules: Paterson's zoning ordinance flatly bars any accessory building, garages, sheds, converted outbuildings, from being used for human habitation in residential zones, closing off garage apartments and backyard ADUs..

Also covered: Shed & Carport Rules (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Paterson for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Installing rooftop solar panels in Paterson requires an electrical subcode permit, with the fee scaled to system size under City Code §183-7, $70 for 1-50 kW, $150 for 51-100 kW, $612 above 100 kW..

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Sidewalk & Mobile Vending: Peddlers, hawkers, and street vendors need a Licensing Division license backed by a police background check before selling in Paterson; fees run $250 to $2,200, and downtown sales are banned outright..

Also covered: Food Truck Permits (moderate), Vending Zones (restrictive). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Paterson for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Light Trespass & Shielding: Paterson's Land Development Ordinance requires outdoor lighting to be shielded and aimed so it doesn't spill onto adjacent properties, with cutoff fixtures and house-side shields to cut glare toward neighbors..

Swimming Pools & Spas

Fencing & Safety Requirements: Paterson bans electrical equipment within 3 feet of a pool's edge unless GFCI-protected, and restricts where pool water can be discharged near wells and neighboring property..

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

Rental Property Rules

Rent Control: Paterson runs a real rent control program: rents on covered multi-family buildings are frozen at their December 23, 1999 base level, with landlord increases capped at 5% a year absent Board approval..

Also covered: Rent Increase Notice (moderate), Repairs & Habitability (moderate), Rental Registration (moderate). See the full rental property rules guide for Paterson for details.

Short-Term Rentals

Host Presence Rule: Within a specific zone bounded by 11th and 20th Avenues and by McLean Boulevard and Vreeland Avenue, unattended short-term rentals are banned unless the owner is present for a substantial part of each day, per a 2024 ordinance..

Also covered: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (restrictive). See the full short-term rentals guide for Paterson for details.

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: Paterson's Land Development Ordinance spaces new street trees 25 to 40 feet apart, sets a minimum trunk size, and dictates planter versus planting-strip placement depending on the district..

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Paterson requires a City Clerk-issued license for any garage or flea market sale, caps sales at two consecutive days and twice a year per address, and limits hours to 9 a.m.-6 p.m..

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Paterson defines any monument, object, building, structure, site, park, or district as a potential 'Historic Site,' eligible for landmark designation once the Historic Preservation Commission and Municipal Council apply the ordinance's 50-year-age and significance criteria..

Curfew Laws

Park Curfew: Paterson closes every public park from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.

What to Do With This Information

Whether you are renting, buying, or renovating in Paterson, knowing the local rules upfront saves headaches later. Dig into the individual ordinance pages linked above for the complete picture, including fines and exemptions.