East Orange, NJ Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

Section 188-1 defines "garage, porch and yard sale" as an outdoor activity restricted to the sale of used merchandise and bric-a-brac of a household nature, placing it inside Chapter 188's general outdoor activity licensing scheme rather than a stand-alone sale ordinance. Section 188-4 sets the default frequency rule for every license issued under this chapter: "unless otherwise indicated on the accompanying chart, all outdoor activity licenses are limited to one per year per sponsor," a cap that applies to a household's garage sale license the same as it applies to a carnival or festival license.

Because a garage sale run on the sponsor's own property is treated more lightly than commercial outdoor activities, Section 188-3B(6) exempts it from Police Director site plan review, and Section 188-3B(10)(b) exempts it from the final site plan requirement that other activities must submit 17 days before opening. The security deposit table in Section 188-3B(4)(a) leaves the garage sale deposit line blank rather than listing a dollar figure, unlike the $1,500 to $2,500 deposits required for fairs, festivals and carnivals. A sponsor who wants to hold a household sale still must file the general written application with the Subdivision of Licensing and pay the applicable license fee under Section 188-4.

A conviction for exceeding the one-per-year limit or otherwise violating Chapter 188 is punishable under Section 188-10 by a fine up to $2,000, up to 90 days of incarceration, or up to 90 days of community service.