Irvington, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Section 240-6 of the Township Code, added in 2005 and last amended in 2023, spells out when a building construction permit is required and what happens without one. Under Subsection B, interior or exterior building construction performed without a valid construction permit issued by the Township is prohibited outright; a contractor or property owner caught doing it faces a fine of at least $500 and up to $10,000 overall, or up to $2,000 for each discipline involved, such as building, electrical, mechanical, fire or plumbing work performed without its own permit.

Obtaining a permit does not itself authorize starting work: under Subsection C, work may not begin until the Construction Official gives written approval, and the physical permit must be posted on the property before anyone starts. Emergency construction is the one exception, and even then the contractor or owner must apply for the permit on the first business day after the emergency work begins. Once issued, a permit is good for 12 months; if the authorized work has not started in that window, or if it starts but then sits suspended or abandoned for six months, the permit becomes invalid and any fee already paid is nonrefundable under Subsection A.

If a stop-work order is issued at a site, every person still working there, not just the contractor and owner, is individually liable under Subsection D.