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

Trenton Code Chapter 226, Article I, Yard and Garage Sales, treats the two sale types differently. Section 226-1 defines a yard sale as the sale of small personal household items from the front yard of a residence and limits any one household to no more than four yard sales per calendar year. Section 226-2 defines a garage sale as the sale of furniture from an individual's home, requires it be conducted from the back yard area only, with no furniture displayed or sold from the front of the residence, and caps a household at no more than six garage sales per calendar year.

Either sale requires registration with the City Clerk's office before the sale under § 226-3, and § 226-5 sets a $10 permit fee for both a yard sale and a garage sale, payable in advance by cash, money order, certified check or bank check at the City Clerk's office; personal checks are not accepted. These household limits sit alongside the separate block sale/flea market category in § 226-4, which covers sales by more than four individuals collectively on front yards, capped at four such events per year citywide, requiring written Police Department approval and City Clerk registration of every included property address 10 days before the event, with a $25 fee.