Clifton, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- Clifton Enforcing Agency
- Appeals body
- Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals
- Minimum permit fee
- $60 per subcode
- Residential new-construction rate
- $0.035 per cubic foot
- Small-shed exemption
- 200 sq ft or less, 10 ft or less high
Summary
Clifton enforces the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code through its own Clifton Enforcing Agency, which issues construction permits covering building, plumbing, electrical and fire-protection subcodes. Fees run from a $60 minimum per subcode up to per-cubic-foot rates for new construction, and appeals go to the Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals.
There is hereby established in the City of Clifton a State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency to be known as the "Clifton Enforcing Agency," consisting of a construction official, building subcode official, plumbing subcode official, electrical subcode official, fire protection subcode official... Appeals from decisions by the enforcing agency can be made to the Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals. ... The fees for a construction permit shall be the sum of all subcode fees... A minimum construction permit fee for any one subcode shall be $60.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4963532; v64 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
C. § 197-3 sets the fee structure: a construction permit fee equals the sum of all applicable subcode fees plus a certificate fee and the state training surcharge, with a $60 minimum for any single subcode. 030 per cubic foot for assembly, factory and storage groups, while a demolition permit for a typical one- or two-family home under 5,000 square feet and 30 feet high costs $250. C. 14(b)(8), garden-type utility sheds of 200 square feet or less, 10 feet or less in height, accessory to residential buildings and without water, gas, oil or sewer connections skip the building-work permit, though an electrical permit is still required if wired and a zoning permit under § 461-70I(1) is still required in every case.
Religious, charitable, benevolent, fraternal and nonprofit organizations are exempt from construction permit fees (though not the state training fee), as are flagpole installations and accessibility-improvement work.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 197 does not print its own violations-and-penalties section; enforcement of the Uniform Construction Code follows the penalty structure set by the State Uniform Construction Code Act and N.J.A.C. 5:23, not a locally quoted fine schedule, so no dollar figure is stated in this chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues building permits in Clifton?
How much does a Clifton construction permit cost?
Do I need a permit for a small backyard shed in Clifton?
Where do I appeal a denied Clifton construction permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Clifton
Compare Clifton to another location·View the New Jersey building safety overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Building Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Passaic County handle building permits.