Old Bridge, NJ Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)

Old Bridge administers building permits through the Division of Code Enforcement in the Department of Community Development, established under § 108-1A of the Township Code as the Township's State Uniform Construction Code enforcing agency. The Division includes a Construction Official as chief administrator plus a Building Subcode Official, Plumbing Subcode Official, Fire Protection Subcode Official and Electrical Subcode Official, each qualified under N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 5:23. Section 108-2 requires the Township to let the public do business with the agency at one consolidated office location except during emergencies.

Section 108-4, last amended by Ordinance No. 2026-10 on April 28, 2026, sets the permit cost: the fee for a construction permit is the sum of the subcode fees below and must be paid before the permit is issued. For new construction and additions, the building subcode fee is calculated per cubic foot based on use group, ranging from $0.06 to $0.07 per cubic foot depending on occupancy, with large single-story agricultural or storage buildings capped at a 20-foot height for volume purposes. Regardless of the calculated volume fee, § 108-4B(1)(e) sets a minimum fee of $350 for new construction permits and for additions.

Renovations, alterations and repairs are billed differently, at $30 per $1,000 of estimated construction cost, with a $250 minimum for residential work and $350 for commercial work. Every application also carries a 20% plan review fee and, for larger projects, an electronic-permitting surcharge of $1 per $1,000 of construction value. A certificate of occupancy costs $250 and a temporary certificate of occupancy costs up to $30.