Clifton, NJ Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

Chapter 197 establishes the "Clifton Enforcing Agency," which includes a construction official, building subcode official, plumbing subcode official, electrical subcode official and fire protection subcode official, with the Construction Official as chief administrator (Clifton Code § 197-1A). L. 1975, c. C. 5:23 (§ 197-1B). Section 197-3 sets the fee structure for a construction permit, which is the sum of all applicable subcode fees plus a certificate fee and the state training surcharge, with a $60 minimum fee for any one subcode (§ 197-3A). The plumbing subcode fees are itemized separately at $20 per fixture (covering water closets, sinks, dishwashers, showers, floor drains and hose bibs), $50 per special device (grease traps, backflow devices, sewer ejectors, vent stacks), $55 per utility connection (water or sewer), and $100 for the initial annual test of a backflow preventer plus $75 for each additional device (§ 197-3A(2)).

Appeals from the enforcing agency's decisions go to the Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals (§ 197-2). Elsewhere, the private swimming pool article requires that plumbing installation, maintenance and repair comply with the administrative authority's ordinance or the Plumbing Code of New Jersey, whichever prescribes higher standards (§ 403-11E), and pool permits themselves require Plumbing Inspector approval before issuance for a permanent pool (§ 403-25B). Together these provisions show plumbing work in Clifton is permit-gated at both the fixture level and the project level, administered locally but tied to state code minimums.