Toms River, NJ Environmental Rules: Boat Dock Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Issuing office
- Building Inspector or Superintendent
- Fee
- $20 first 50 ft, $10 per 50 ft after
- Max penalty
- $400 fine or 30 days jail
- Adopted
- Ord. No. 4168-08 (Dec. 9, 2008)
Summary
Toms River Township requires a building permit before digging, constructing, or bulkheading any boat basin, dock, lagoon, or marina, issued by the Building Inspector under Chapter 201.
No person, firm or corporation shall: Dig, pump out or construct a boat basin, boat docking facility, stream, lagoon, channel, marina or other area, where natural earth is moved and water substituted therefor, in whole or in part, unless and until a building permit is obtained for such digging, pumping or construction and for the proper bulkheading thereof, from this municipality, through its Building Inspector or Building Superintendent, and which building permit shall include the construction of bulkheading as hereinafter provided.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4954830; v33 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Before digging a boat basin, boat docking facility, lagoon, channel, or marina, or bulkheading one, property owners must obtain a building permit from the Building Inspector or Building Superintendent under Chapter 201, adopted after the 2008 repeal of the original 1973 ordinance. The permit covers earth removal and mandates approved bulkhead construction, inspected by the Department of Public Works and Township Engineer or certified by a licensed engineer. Fees run $20 for the first 50 linear feet of bulkheading and $10 for each additional 50 feet. Projects must also comply with the zoning ordinance's use requirements.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 201 carries a fine up to $400, up to 30 days in the Ocean County Jail, or both, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to build a bulkhead in Toms River?
What happens if I build a dock without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Toms River
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Boat Dock Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle boat dock permits.