Pop. 34,927 · Bergen County
Fair Lawn limits fences to four feet in front yards and six feet in side and rear yards within residential zoning districts under the Borough Code.
Fair Lawn prohibits barbed wire, electrified, and razor wire fences in residential zones and requires safe, durable materials installed with the finished face outward toward neighbors.
Fair Lawn requires all private swimming pools to be enclosed by a barrier at least four feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates per the Uniform Construction Code and Borough rules.
Fair Lawn's noise ordinance restricts loud, unreasonable, or disturbing sounds at all hours and imposes stricter nighttime limits that apply equally to short-term rental guests and hosts.
Fair Lawn imposes annual rental registration fees and inspection fees on dwelling units offered for rent, which apply in addition to New Jersey state sales and occupancy taxes on transient stays.
Fair Lawn Borough Code does not impose a short-term rental-specific insurance requirement, because Chapter 125 (Land Development) does not list short-term rentals as a permitted use in residential zones, and Fair Lawn operates a permissive zoning scheme in which any use not expressly permitted is prohibited. Operators that rent under any framework remain responsible for standard New Jersey insurance obligations: homeowner's or landlord (dwelling) policies, and any state or platform-imposed liability coverage. New Jersey's transient accommodations tax framework under N.J.S.A. 54:32D and the Sales and Use Tax Act presupposes a lawful local use and does not itself create insurance minimums.
Fair Lawn requires all rental dwelling units, including short-term rentals, to register annually with the borough and undergo a Certificate of Occupancy inspection before tenancy.
Fair Lawn requires off-street parking for residential dwelling units and prohibits overnight on-street parking, which directly affects how short-term rental hosts must accommodate guest vehicles.
Fair Lawn enforces occupancy limits based on bedroom size and habitable space under its property maintenance code, capping how many guests a short-term rental may legally host.
Fair Lawn permits home occupations as accessory uses in residential zones, subject to strict limits on space, employees, and external impact.
Fair Lawn restricts signage for home-based businesses, generally prohibiting commercial signs in residential zones to preserve neighborhood character.
Fair Lawn limits customer visits and deliveries at home occupations to prevent disruption of residential character and on-street parking impact.
Fair Lawn permits family day care homes as a permitted residential use consistent with New Jersey law, requiring state registration and zoning compliance.
Bergen County follows New Jersey's statewide Cottage Food Operator Permit program administered by the NJ Department of Health. Permits allow up to $50,000 annual sales of approved baked goods from home kitchens.
Fair Lawn requires a Council-approved permit before removing any designated landmark tree, and entirely prohibits removal of trees on public property without Borough authorization.
Fair Lawn prohibits residents from trimming, topping, or pruning trees in the public right-of-way without authorization from the Shade Tree Division and Borough Arborist.
Fair Lawn requires owners to remove brush, weeds, and noxious vegetation that pose health, fire, or vermin-harborage hazards under the Borough's Property Maintenance Code.
Fair Lawn empowers the Borough Manager to declare water emergencies and restrict lawn watering, car washing, and other non-essential water uses to specified days and hours.
Fair Lawn's Property Maintenance Code requires owners to keep lawns mowed and free of overgrown vegetation that creates health or fire hazards on residential and commercial parcels.
Fair Lawn allows residents to compost source-separated leaves and yard waste on their property and operates a Borough composting site for drop-off of organic landscape debris.
Bergen County does not regulate artificial turf on private residential property. Synthetic turf installations are governed by municipal zoning, impervious-coverage limits, and stormwater rules. Bergen County athletic fields require county park approval.
Rainwater harvesting is legal throughout Bergen County and New Jersey. There is no state or county prohibition on residential rain barrels. NJDEP encourages capture as a stormwater best management practice under NJAC 7:8.
Bergen County does not require native plantings on private lots but actively promotes them through the Open Space Trust Fund, county parks restoration projects, and the Bergen County Audubon Society partnership for pollinator habitats and invasive species removal.
Fair Lawn regulates the storage and use of liquefied petroleum gas through its fire prevention chapter, adopting Uniform Fire Code limits on cylinder size, location, and quantity for residential and commercial premises within the borough.
Fair Lawn prohibits the sale, possession, and discharge of fireworks beyond the limited ground-based and handheld sparkling devices permitted under New Jersey state law. Aerial and explosive consumer fireworks remain illegal within borough limits.
Fair Lawn prohibits open burning of leaves, brush, refuse, and construction debris within the borough. Limited exceptions exist for small recreational and cooking fires, and any approved burning requires authorization from the fire official.
Fair Lawn restricts open recreational fires under the borough fire prevention chapter. Residents may use small recreational fire pits only when contained, attended, and burning clean wood, with adequate distance from structures and combustibles to prevent fire spread.
Bergen County property owners must maintain vegetation to prevent fire and pest hazards. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and local municipalities enforce brush clearance, particularly near structures and along roadways.
Bergen County has limited high-risk wildfire zones compared to southern New Jersey, but wooded areas in the northwest border the Ramapo Mountains and follow NJ Forest Fire Service wildland-urban interface guidelines.
Fair Lawn Borough prohibits keeping livestock and most poultry within residential zones, treating chickens, roosters, goats, pigs, and similar farm animals as nuisances under the local animals chapter of the borough code.
Fair Lawn prohibits residents from keeping wild, exotic, or dangerous animals within the borough, including venomous reptiles, large constrictors, primates, and predatory mammals not commonly considered domesticated household pets.
Fair Lawn requires all dogs off the owner's property to be leashed and under the control of a responsible person, and prohibits dogs from running at large anywhere within the borough's public spaces and streets.
Bergen County does not have a countywide wildlife feeding ordinance, but New Jersey prohibits feeding black bears under N.J.S.A. 23:2A-14. Many Bergen County municipalities ban feeding deer, geese, and other wildlife.
Bergen County does not impose breed-specific dog restrictions. New Jersey state law (N.J.S.A. 4:19-36) preempts municipalities and counties from enacting breed-discriminatory ordinances against pit bulls or other specific breeds.
Bergen County enforces animal hoarding cases under New Jersey's animal cruelty statutes (N.J.S.A. 4:22). Local police, county prosecutors, and the Bergen County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals investigate hoarding complaints.
Bergen County does not regulate beekeeping countywide. New Jersey's Beekeeping Industry Act (N.J.S.A. 4:7-41 et seq.) governs hive registration with the state, while individual municipalities may impose lot-size and setback rules.
Fair Lawn's Land Development Ordinance (Chapter 125, codified on eCode360) does not contain a stand-alone accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance. The R-1-1, R-1-2 and R-1-3 Zones permit only one one-family dwelling per lot with no other principal use; two-family dwellings are permitted only in R-2 (and zones above), and accessory uses must be customarily incidental to the principal use. Authority is delegated to Fair Lawn by the NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., P.L. 1975 c. 291).
Fair Lawn's Land Development Ordinance (Chapter 125) does not permit converting a garage into a separate dwelling in single-family zones (R-1-1, R-1-2, R-1-3), which allow only one one-family dwelling per lot with no second principal use. Converting interior garage space into habitable living area for the existing household is treated as a change of use that requires a Borough zoning permit ($45 fee for garage conversions per the Borough fee schedule) and a New Jersey Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) permit issued by the Fair Lawn Construction Code Official.
Fair Lawn requires a zoning permit for new or replacement sheds, with accessory structures restricted to rear yards and subject to specific setback requirements under the Borough's zoning regulations.
Carports in Bergen County are regulated by municipal zoning ordinances. The county does not set carport standards, but the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code applies to structural and footing requirements.
Tiny homes in Bergen County must comply with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code and local minimum dwelling size requirements. Most Bergen municipalities effectively prohibit traditional tiny homes through minimum square footage standards.
Fair Lawn requires every swimming pool, hot tub and spa to be enclosed by a permanent fence or barrier under Borough Code Section 125-38 and the New Jersey adopted Building Code, which incorporates the New Jersey Residential Swimming Pool Subcode (N.J.A.C. 5:23 and the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code as adopted by NJ). Construction is permitted by the Fair Lawn Construction Code Official under the NJ Uniform Construction Code: in-ground pool permits are $275 (including the required fence) and aboveground pool permits are $125 (including the required fence) under the Borough's fee schedule.
Fair Lawn requires every private swimming pool to be enclosed by a self-closing, self-latching barrier at least four feet high to prevent unsupervised access by children.
Fair Lawn requires a borough zoning and construction permit before installing any private swimming pool, including in-ground and above-ground pools holding 24 inches or more of water.
Fair Lawn regulates hot tubs and spas as swimming pools when they hold 24 inches or more of water, requiring permits, electrical inspection, and an approved safety cover or barrier.
Fair Lawn permits above-ground pools subject to permits, setback rules, electrical bonding, and barrier requirements identical to in-ground installations under Chapter 425.
Fair Lawn prohibits parking commercial vehicles exceeding three-quarter-ton capacity in residential zones, and limits engine idling to 10 minutes for parked commercial vehicles.
Fair Lawn limits each residence to two vehicles parked on the street nearby, with overflow vehicles requiring monthly permits from the Police Records Bureau or contact with non-emergency police.
Fair Lawn prohibits parking, leaving, keeping, maintaining, or storing any abandoned motor vehicle within the Borough except where specifically authorized by zoning or a granted variance.
Fair Lawn bans on-street parking from 2 AM to 5 AM daily, with online overnight permits allowing up to two consecutive nights and 14 requests per calendar year.
Fair Lawn requires front yards to be landscaped except for necessary driveways, and prohibits parking in front of buildings outside of designated driveway areas.
Fair Lawn permits one boat, boat trailer, recreation vehicle, or snowmobile under 18 feet to be stored outside in residential zones, but only in a garage or rear yard with screening from neighbors.
Fair Lawn's Land Development Code Article XI requires designated EV-only spaces, green pavement and signage, and protective bollards for publicly accessible EVSE installations.
Fair Lawn applies decibel-based noise limits to industrial and commercial properties, particularly where they border residential zones, with stricter nighttime thresholds.
Fair Lawn restricts amplified music, loudspeakers, and sound systems that are plainly audible across property lines, particularly during nighttime hours.
Fair Lawn restricts loud and unreasonable noise during overnight hours, particularly between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., to protect residential neighborhoods from disturbance.
Fair Lawn limits construction activity to daytime hours and prohibits noisy work on Sundays and holidays to protect residential neighborhoods from disruption.
Fair Lawn prohibits habitual barking, howling, or other animal noise that disturbs neighbors, with enforcement through the local animal control and police.
Fair Lawn limits leaf blower operation to specified daytime hours and may restrict gas-powered units during certain seasons or hours.
Aircraft noise in Bergen County, including operations at Teterboro Airport (TEB), is regulated exclusively by the Federal Aviation Administration. Neither the county nor its municipalities may set flight path, altitude, or in-flight noise rules. Local complaints are routed through the Port Authority noise office.
Fair Lawn requires owners of residential rental properties to register units with the borough and obtain a certificate of occupancy or habitability before each new tenancy. Inspections verify compliance with property maintenance and life safety standards.
Fair Lawn maintains a rent leveling ordinance that limits annual rent increases on covered residential rental units. A Rent Leveling Board administers the ordinance, processes hardship applications, and resolves landlord-tenant disputes over allowable increases.
All Bergen County rentals are governed by the New Jersey Anti-Eviction Act, which requires landlords to demonstrate one of 18 statutory good causes before evicting a tenant. The county has no separate eviction ordinance.
Fair Lawn restricts where mobile food vendors and peddlers may stop and operate. The peddling chapter prohibits vending in certain residential and high-traffic areas and limits stop duration on public streets to prevent congestion and nuisance.
Fair Lawn licenses mobile food vendors and peddlers under its peddling and soliciting chapter. Operators must obtain a borough license, submit health and background documentation, and comply with location, time, and operational restrictions.
Fair Lawn requires all commercial solicitors and peddlers to obtain a Borough license before going door-to-door, with background checks, identification badges, and posted hour restrictions.
Fair Lawn maintains a no-knock registry that bars licensed solicitors from approaching listed homes, and posted No Soliciting signs carry the same legal effect under the Borough ordinance.
Fair Lawn caps building and impervious surface coverage by zoning district, generally limiting principal building footprint and total impervious area to protect drainage and neighborhood character.
Fair Lawn establishes minimum front, side, and rear yard setbacks for principal structures that vary by zoning district under Chapter 425 of the Borough Code.
Fair Lawn limits residential buildings to 35 feet and 2.5 stories in most single-family zones, with separate higher caps applying to multi-family and commercial districts.
Fair Lawn requires all property owners, lessees, and occupants to separate designated recyclable materials from regular trash and bundle or containerize them for curbside pickup under Chapter 204, Article II.
Fair Lawn allows trash and recycling containers to be placed at the curb after 6:00 PM the night before scheduled collection, and bins must be set out by 6:00 AM on the morning of pickup.
Fair Lawn residents may set out one piece of furniture per regular garbage collection day with no appointment required, while larger volumes must be hauled privately or scheduled for the next collection cycle.
Fair Lawn divides the Borough into five collection sections with specific weekly garbage pickup days, requiring residents to package waste in 50-pound limits and follow Cali Carting's collection schedule under Chapter 204.
Fair Lawn requires property owners and tenants to clear snow and ice from abutting sidewalks within 24 hours after the end of a storm.
Fair Lawn requires residents to store trash and recycling containers out of front-yard view and to place them at the curb only within designated collection windows.
Fair Lawn enforces property maintenance standards prohibiting blighted conditions, including overgrown vegetation, accumulated debris, and exterior structural deterioration on residential and commercial properties.
Fair Lawn requires residents to obtain a garage sale permit from the borough clerk and limits the number, duration, and signage of sales each year.
Fair Lawn requires owners of vacant lots to control weeds, brush, debris, and standing water and to register vacant or abandoned properties with the borough.
Fair Lawn's sign ordinance permits temporary political signs on private residential property without a permit, subject to size, placement, and timing limits to protect public safety and aesthetics.
Fair Lawn requires a garage sale permit and limits the number, size, and placement of garage sale signs, prohibiting signs on public property and utility poles within the borough.
Bergen County does not regulate residential holiday displays or decorations on private property. Municipalities may apply nuisance, lighting glare, and noise ordinances, and seasonal displays generally fall outside permanent sign regulation.
Fair Lawn's zoning and property maintenance provisions regulate outdoor lighting to prevent glare and light trespass onto neighboring properties and public streets, requiring shielded fixtures and reasonable directionality for exterior installations.
Bergen County has no countywide dark-sky ordinance. Outdoor lighting is regulated through municipal zoning codes, with most Bergen County towns requiring shielded fixtures and limiting glare in residential and commercial site plans.
Fair Lawn Borough has adopted a local cannabis ordinance addressing the siting of cannabis establishments, restricting most license classes from operating in the borough while regulating any permitted classes through zoning and buffer requirements.
Home cannabis cultivation is illegal throughout Bergen County and all of New Jersey. The Cannabis Regulatory, Enforcement Assistance, and Marketplace Modernization Act (CREAMMA) prohibits personal grow operations, even for adults 21 and over.
Fair Lawn parks close one half-hour after sunset, while designated parks with lighting facilities remain open until 10:30 PM, with violations enforced by Borough Police and Recreation Department staff.
Bergen County does not have a countywide juvenile curfew. Several Bergen municipalities have adopted local curfew ordinances under N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.52, typically restricting minors under 18 from public places overnight.
Fair Lawn requires grading and drainage plans for site work to prevent runoff onto adjoining properties and maintain proper drainage flow.
Fair Lawn regulates construction in special flood hazard areas, requiring elevation, anchoring, and permits to comply with NFIP and state flood standards.
Fair Lawn enforces a stormwater control ordinance regulating runoff, illicit connections, and post-construction stormwater management for development projects.
The Bergen County Soil Conservation District enforces New Jersey's Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act for projects disturbing 5,000 square feet or more. A certified plan is required before any earthwork.
Bergen County is not regulated under New Jersey's Coastal Area Facility Review Act, but Hudson River and Hackensack River waterfront projects may require Waterfront Development Permits and tidal wetlands approvals from NJDEP.
Fair Lawn requires a zoning permit and construction permits administered by the Department of Buildings and Inspections before installing rooftop or ground-mounted solar arrays.
New Jersey's Solar Easement Act (NJSA 46:3-24) and Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act (NJSA 45:22A-48.2) limit homeowner association power to bar rooftop solar in Bergen County. Reasonable aesthetic conditions are allowed but outright bans are not.
Fair Lawn requires replacement plantings or contributions to a tree fund when permitted trees are removed, with ratios based on size.
Fair Lawn requires permits to remove trees of regulated size on private property, with replacement obligations and fees set by ordinance.
Bergen County does not maintain a formal heritage tree registry, but historic and specimen trees on county park land are protected under the Parks System Rules. Many municipalities, including Bergenfield and Woodcliff Lake, designate landmark trees with stricter removal rules and replacement formulas.
Bergen County does not issue garage sale permits. Each of the 70 municipalities sets its own permit rule through the local clerk. Most boroughs require a free or low-cost permit before holding a sale.
Bergen County does not limit garage sale frequency directly. Each municipality sets its own cap, typically two to four sales per household per year, with some requiring at least 90 to 180 days between sales.
Garage sale hours in Bergen County are set by each municipality. Typical limits run 8:00 a.m. or 9:00 a.m. to dusk, often capped at one to three consecutive days, with no overnight setup or signage.
Bergen County prohibits recreational drone takeoff and landing in county parks without permission. Federal FAA Part 107 and recreational rules apply countywide, including registration of drones over 0.55 pounds and altitude limits of 400 feet AGL.
Commercial drone operators in Bergen County must hold FAA Part 107 certification and comply with N.J.S.A. 2C:40-27. The county Parks Department requires special permits for commercial operations on county property, and Teterboro Class D airspace requires LAANC authorization.
New Jersey sets a uniform statewide minimum wage under NJSA 34:11-56a, scheduled to reach $15 per hour, with limited authority for municipalities to enact higher local wage floors.
The New Jersey Earned Sick Leave Law at NJSA 34:11D provides up to 40 hours of paid sick time and preempts local sick leave ordinances, creating a single statewide standard.
New Jersey has not enacted statewide predictive scheduling, but NJSA 34:11 wage and hour rules govern overtime and reporting time, leaving narrow scope for municipal scheduling ordinances.
New Jersey issues concealed carry permits under NJSA 2C:58-4 with strict justifiable need replaced by shall-issue standards post-Bruen, while sensitive-place restrictions limit where permitted carry is lawful.
New Jersey reserves firearm regulation to the state under NJSA 2C:39, broadly preempting local ordinances on possession, registration, transport, and most aspects of gun control across all municipalities.
New Jersey effectively prohibits open carry of handguns without a Permit to Carry under NJSA 2C:39-5, and long-gun open carry is restricted in most public contexts.
New Jersey strictly regulates firearm transport in vehicles under NJSA 2C:39-5 and 2C:39-6, requiring unloaded firearms in locked containers absent a valid Permit to Carry, with serious penalties for noncompliance.
New Jersey does not mandate E-Verify for private employers, leaving participation voluntary statewide while federal contractors must comply with federal Executive Order 12989 requirements.
Attorney General Directive 2018-6, the Immigrant Trust Directive, limits state, county, and municipal law enforcement cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement across all New Jersey jurisdictions.
NJSA 4:1C-26 limits municipal zoning power over commercial farms, preempting unreasonably restrictive agricultural zoning when farms follow recommended practices and meet eligibility criteria.
The New Jersey Right to Farm Act at NJSA 4:1C-26 protects commercial farms from nuisance lawsuits and preempts inconsistent municipal ordinances when farms follow agricultural management practices.
Under NJSA 13:1E-99.126, New Jersey banned single-use plastic carryout bags and single-use paper bags at large grocery stores effective May 2022, the strongest such law nationally.
New Jersey prohibits polystyrene foam food service products under NJSA 13:1E-99.126, banning foam clamshells, cups, trays, and similar items statewide effective May 2022.
Under NJSA 13:1E-99.126, New Jersey food service businesses may provide single-use plastic straws only upon customer request, effective November 2021 statewide.
Under NJSA 26:3D-55, New Jersey prohibits the sale, gift, or distribution of tobacco and electronic smoking products to anyone under 21, with retailer civil penalties for violations.
New Jersey prohibits retail sale of flavored electronic smoking devices and liquid nicotine under P.L. 2019, c.487, restricting most non-tobacco flavors statewide with limited vapor lounge exceptions.
New Jersey regulates vape retailers under NJSA 54:40B and NJSA 26:3D, requiring licensing, prohibiting flavored vape sales, and applying age-21 minimum purchase rules statewide.