Passaic County issues no fence permits for homes. Whether a fence permit is required, and its cost, is set by your municipality. Many NJ towns require a zoning permit before you build a fence; some also require a construction permit for tall or masonry fences. Ask your local building/zoning office.
Because New Jersey is a home-rule state, permitting for residential fences happens at the municipal level, not through Passaic County. Under N.J.S.A. 40:55D-65, your town's zoning ordinance governs whether a zoning permit is needed and what it costs. The NJ Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23) may separately require a construction permit for masonry walls or fences over a certain height. The Passaic County Planning Board only reviews subdivisions and commercial/industrial site plans affecting county roads or drainage (N.J.S.A. 40:27-6.2 / 6.6) — single-family development is expressly excluded from county site-plan review. Contact your municipality (e.g., Paterson, Clifton, Wayne, Passaic City) for the fence-permit application, fee and setback verification.
Building a fence without a required municipal permit can bring stop-work orders, fines and removal, all set and enforced by your town's construction/zoning office, not by Passaic County.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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