Howell, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Howell Township Code § 188-163 puts the development permit first in line. It must be secured from the administrative officer before a property use permit and building permit issue for the construction, erection or alteration of any structure, building or land, and every applicant seeking subdivision or site plan approval needs one. The application goes to the administrative officer on forms that officer devises, and a fee under Chapter 139, Fees, accompanies each application or reapplication.

Before issuing the permit, the officer decides whether the proposal complies with all provisions of the Howell Township Municipal Land Use Law, in which case the permit issues, or whether the applicant must go to one or more municipal agencies first. A refusal is written and states the reasons. If the officer later finds the permit was issued in error because of false or misleading statements, the development permit can be revoked, which revokes every other permit and certificate that depended on it. Where a public sanitary sewer connection is required, the building permit applicant must produce a receipt from the Manasquan River Regional Sewerage Authority showing the connection fee was paid.

Other sections stack more conditions. Under § 188-166C, no permit for construction of a structure issues until the emergency access improvements are installed and inspected. Under § 188-193A(2)(b), a tree removal permit must be issued before clearing for a new dwelling, and no building permit issues until it is granted.

Section 108-1 creates the Construction Office, with the Construction Official as chief administrator and building, plumbing, electrical and fire protection subcode officials, at the Municipal Building on Preventorium Road. Fees sit in Chapter 139 (§ 108-3), and appeals go to the Monmouth County Construction Board of Appeals (§ 108-2). Before anyone uses the finished work, § 188-164 requires a certificate of occupancy from the Construction Official, endorsed by the Zoning Officer, granted or denied within 10 days of the written application.