Freehold Township, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Freehold Township elected by Township Committee resolution on October 18, 1976, to enforce the State Uniform Construction Code, effective February 4, 1976, locally rather than leaving enforcement to the state. Section 115-1 records that election and keeps a copy of the code on file with the Township Clerk and Construction Official for public inspection. Section 115-2 creates the local enforcing agency, the Construction Division of the Code Enforcement Department, staffed by a Construction Official as chief administrator plus a Building Subcode Official, Plumbing Subcode Official, Electrical Subcode Official and Fire Protection Subcode Official, each appointed for a four-year term.

Section 115-5 ties the permit itself to payment: the fee for a construction permit shall be the sum of the fees listed in Chapter 150, and shall be paid prior to the issuance of any permit. 038 per cubic foot of building volume with a $75 minimum, renovations and alterations run $38 per $1,000 of estimated work cost, additions use the same per-cubic-foot formula, and a plan review fee equal to 25% of the construction permit fee is added on top. The chapter also waives the surcharge and enforcing-agency fee entirely for accessibility improvements for disabled residents and for construction by government agencies, the Freehold First Aid Squad, the East Freehold and Freehold Independent Fire Companies, and religious nonprofits. C. 5:23, Chapter 115 itself governs only who administers permits locally and what they cost, not the building specifications a permit must meet.