East Brunswick, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Section 132-56 governs when a building permit can be issued in East Brunswick Township. Under subsection A, the Construction Official issues no building permit until final approval has been granted to the application for development. Subsection D adds that the Chief Construction Official issues no building permit for any home in a subdivision until final subdivision approval has been granted by the Planning Board. Subsection C requires that the lot abut a street giving access to the building or structure: an existing state, county or municipal street, a street on a plat approved by the appropriate Board, or a street on a plat filed with the county recording officer before the governing ordinance. The street must be certified as suitably improved to the satisfaction of the Township Council, or the improvement must be assured by a performance guarantee.

At issuance, the building code official gives the permittee written instruction on disposal and recycling of construction and demolition waste and a Notification of Construction/Demolition Activity Form. The permittee fills it out and faxes it to the Middlesex County Division of Solid Waste Management within 48 hours (subsection B).

Conditional building permits are available under § 132-56(E) and § 132-57 after site plan or subdivision approval but before corrected plans are filed. A conditional permit is valid for three months from issuance and is not renewed; construction then ceases until a full building permit is obtained.

A zoning permit is a separate, earlier step. Section 132-56.1 requires one from the Zoning Officer before construction starts on fences six feet or less in height, private pools, new single-family dwellings, additions to a single-family dwelling over 150 square feet, signage unless exempt, shed installations, and new impervious surfaces greater than 50 square feet. The zoning permit fee is $50 and the permit is valid for one year.

Construction permit fees under § 75-3 are paid before the permit is issued. The building subcode fee is $0.05 per cubic foot for new construction with a $200 minimum, and $30 per $1,000 of estimated cost for renovations, alterations and repairs with a $75 minimum.