Lakewood, NJ Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual limit
- 3 days per year, June 1-May 31
- License fee
- $5 per § 4-2.6 item 21
- Permitted items
- Unwanted household items only
- Exceeding the limit
- Deemed a commercial operation
- Sign limit
- 4 sq ft, up 7 days, down in 48 hrs
- General penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 90 days
Summary
Lakewood Township's business license fee schedule, Code § 4-2.6, limits garage sales and yard sales to no more than three days per year, running from June 1 through May 31, and confines them to disposing of unwanted household items like bicycles, furniture and bedding. A $5 license fee applies, and repeat sales beyond the limit are treated as an unlicensed commercial operation.
21. Garage Sales, Yard Sales. Garage sales and yard sales shall not be permitted more than three days per year from June 1 through May 31 of any year to dispose of unwanted or excess household items, which may include but not necessarily be limited to: bicycles, beach chairs, bedding, furniture, accessories. Repetitive sales of these or other items at garage sales or yard sales shall be deemed a commercial operation, and shall not be permitted except as authorized by other appropriate regulations of the Township of Lakewood.
Full Breakdown
Garage sales and yard sales in Lakewood Township are licensed activities under Chapter 4, General Licensing. 6 lists "Garage Sales, Yard Sales" as item 21, carrying a $5 fee. The same item caps the activity: garage sales and yard sales cannot be held more than three days per year from June 1 through May 31 to dispose of unwanted or excess household items, which may include bicycles, beach chairs, bedding, furniture, and accessories. The three-day cap is measured over the full year running June 1 to the following May 31, not per calendar month or per address visit.
The same section addresses repeat sellers directly: repetitive sales of these or other items are deemed a commercial operation and are not permitted except as authorized by other appropriate Township regulations. 5, including registration, a business license fee set by classification, and Township Clerk issuance. Temporary yard-sale directional signs are separately capped at four square feet, may not go up more than seven days before the sale, must come down within 48 hours after, and may not be posted more than twice per calendar year at the same premises.
Violations & Fines
Operating a garage or yard sale without the required license, or exceeding the three-day annual limit and continuing to sell without qualifying as a licensed commercial business, falls under the Township's General Penalty, Chapter 1 § 1-5.1: a fine of up to $1,000, up to 90 days in the Ocean County jail, or up to 90 days of community service, with each day a violation continues charged as a separate offense under § 1-5.5.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many garage sale days does Lakewood Township allow per year?
Do I need a license for a one-day yard sale in Lakewood?
What happens if I hold garage sales more than 3 days a year in Lakewood?
Are there rules for garage sale signs in Lakewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
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