Lakewood, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Lakewood's Division of Construction Code Enforcement, created within the Department of Code Enforcement and Zoning under Township of Lakewood Code § 12-1.1, administers every subcode of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and issues all local construction permits. Applicants deal with the agency at its single public office, Township of Lakewood, Department of Code Enforcement and Zoning, 212 Fourth Street, Lakewood, New Jersey, under § 12-1.2, except in emergencies. Under § 12-2.1, the construction permit fee is the sum of the subcode fees (building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, fire protection, etc.) that apply to the job, and that combined fee must be paid before the permit is issued, with an overall $60 minimum regardless of the calculation.

Building Subcode fees run $0.030 per cubic foot of volume for new residential construction ($0.016 for industrial, $85 minimum), $24.00 per $1,000 of estimated cost for renovations and repairs ($85 minimum, or $12.00 per $1,000 with a $75 minimum for work the Building Subcode Official deems minor and plan-exempt), $0.030 per cubic foot for additions, an $85 minimum for utility sheds, and $85 to $150 for pools depending on type. A separate Plan Review Fee under § 12-2.2 is the greater of $40 or 20% of the construction permit fee for new construction, and a Demolition Permit Fee under § 12-2.3 is $85 for a principal building and $45 for accessory structures.

Any lapsed permit can be reinstated for 50% of the original fee under § 12-2.1. Applications for a code variation under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.10 carry a flat $100 fee.