Garfield, NJ

Garfield's Property Maintenance Code requires that all premises and exterior property be kept free of grass or plant growth exceeding eight inches in height.

Garfield requires a permit before removing street trees of 2.5-inch DBH or larger, or non-street trees of six-inch DBH or larger, with replacement obligations.

Garfield's recycling code allows residential grass composting only in an approved location and limits the storage area to ten by ten feet.

Garfield prohibits noxious weeds and requires premises to remain free of weed growth taller than eight inches under its Property Maintenance Code.

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.

Bergen County's Department of Public Works manages tree trimming within county road rights-of-way. Property owners need a county permit before pruning, planting, or removing trees that overhang or sit within the county right-of-way.

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 operate a county water utility, so outdoor watering rules come from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection drought declarations and from local water purveyors such as Suez/Veolia, United Water, and municipal systems serving Bergen residents.

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.

Garfield prohibits parking any vehicle, including RVs, exceeding 22 feet in length or 8 feet in width on city streets between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Garfield Chapter 322 sets local procedures for handling abandoned vehicles, including holding periods, notification, custodian fees, and public auction disposal.

Garfield requires that vehicles on residential lots be parked on designated paved surfaces, prohibits yard parking, and sets a 5-foot setback from the street right-of-way.

Garfield prohibits parking on public or municipally owned property and city streets between 3:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. without a valid resident or visitor permit.

Garfield requires a resident or visitor parking permit to park on city streets overnight, with size and registration limits set by the Resident Parking Program.

Garfield Ordinance No. 2937 amends Chapter 341 zoning to require safe installation of electric vehicle supply equipment and Make-Ready parking spaces.

Garfield limits each household to one registered commercial vehicle under its resident parking program, and bars heavy oversized commercial vehicles on streets overnight.

Garfield permits one small nameplate identifying a professional office within a residential dwelling, with strict size, illumination, and projection limits under Chapter 341 Article X sign regulations.

Garfield's Chapter 341 Zoning controls home-based business activities through district use regulations, requiring residential character to be preserved with limited professional offices permitted within dwellings.

Family daycare homes in Bergen County are regulated by New Jersey under the Family Day Care Provider Registration Act. Providers caring for 3-5 children must register with NJ DCF; municipal zoning may also apply.

Bergen County does not regulate customer traffic at home businesses directly. Municipalities set limits on visits and parking through zoning. The county reviews traffic impacts only for county road access.

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.

Garfield requires swimming pools to be at least six feet from any side or rear lot line, and pool enclosure fences must comply with the city's accessory structure and fence regulations under Zoning Chapter 341.

Garfield treats above-ground pools the same as in-ground pools for placement: any permanently attached pool must sit at least six feet from rear and side lot lines under the city's accessory structure provisions.

Swimming pool construction in Bergen County requires permits issued by the local municipal building department under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. The county defers to municipalities for pool permitting, with state code setting baseline requirements.

Swimming pool safety in Bergen County is governed by New Jersey's adoption of the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code, requiring barriers, anti-entrapment drains, ground-fault circuit interrupters, and additional safeguards for both residential and public pools.

Hot tubs and spas in Bergen County require electrical permits, safety covers meeting ASTM F1346 standards, and compliance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code including GFCI protection and anti-entrapment drain covers.

Garfield's noise ordinance defines barking-dog violations using a measurable vocalization-rate test that crosses property lines and disturbs residents.

Leaf blowers and other yard maintenance equipment fall under Garfield's residential power tool restrictions, limiting use to daytime hours.

Garfield restricts amplified music and portable sound devices using time-of-day plainly-audible distances and conditions amplified sound at special events.

Garfield restricts portable sound devices and amplified noise based on time of day, using a plainly-audible distance test enforced by the noise control officer.

Garfield enforces decibel-based sound level tables for industrial and commercial sources crossing into residential zones, in line with NJDEP model rules.

Construction and demolition activity in Garfield is exempt from sound level tables only during permitted daytime hours, with residential power tools restricted overnight.

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.

Garfield enforces specific propane safety standards for food trucks and mobile vendors, requiring secured cylinders, leak-free hoses, and posted no-smoking signage near tanks.

All consumer fireworks that explode or leave the ground are illegal in Garfield under N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 et seq., the NJ Explosives and Fireworks Act. Only non-aerial, non-explosive sparkling devices and novelties (handheld/ground sparkling devices, snakes, glow worms, smoke devices, trick noisemakers) are legal for sale and use to persons aged 16 and older, per P.L. 2017 c. 92 (signed June 28, 2017). Public displays require a state permit. Garfield enforces these rules through its Police and Fire Departments, with public reminders issued via the city's annual Fireworks Advisory.

Open burning of leaves, yard waste, and refuse is broadly prohibited in Bergen County under New Jersey air pollution rules. Limited exceptions exist for recreational fires and agricultural or prescribed burns with permits.

Recreational fires in Bergen County are regulated under the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. Small recreational fires using clean wood are permitted with restrictions; municipalities within Bergen County may impose stricter local rules.

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.

Garfield requires permanent swimming pools to sit at least six feet from any rear or side lot line, supplementing New Jersey's state pool barrier code.

Garfield requires that the finished or face side of any fence point toward the adjacent neighboring property, ensuring neighbors are not left looking at framing.

Garfield regulates fence materials by openness percentage in residential districts, requiring partial transparency for fences within 50 feet of the front property line.

In residential zones, Garfield limits fences to six feet in rear and side yards, with reduced heights and open construction required closer to the front property line.

Bergen County does not issue fence permits directly. Property owners must apply through their local municipal building department. Permit requirements, fees, and inspections vary by town across the county's 70 municipalities.

Bergen County does not directly regulate retaining walls. Municipal building departments enforce New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code, requiring permits for retaining walls typically over 4 feet tall and engineered drawings for taller structures.

Garfield's Zoning Code (Chapter 320, codified on eCode360) regulates accessory buildings under Article IX, but does not contain a dedicated accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance. Two-family conversions and accessory apartments are governed by Chapter 131 (Dwelling and Rooming Units, originally adopted Sept. 1, 1970) and the underlying district use regulations. Authority is delegated to Garfield by the NJ Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., P.L. 1975 c. 291).

Garfield regulates detached accessory buildings such as sheds in residential zones, limiting rear-yard coverage to 30%, requiring three-foot setbacks from side and rear lot lines, and prohibiting placement within 50 feet of the front lot line.

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.

Garage conversions in Bergen County require municipal zoning approval and a building permit under the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. The county itself does not regulate residential garage conversions.

Garfield does not impose its own city-level short-term rental occupancy tax. STR stays of fewer than 90 consecutive days that are booked through a marketplace (Airbnb, Vrbo) or operated as a professionally managed unit are subject to NJ State Sales Tax (6.625%, N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3) and the State Occupancy Fee (5%, N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 et seq.) under P.L. 2018 c. 49. P.L. 2019 c. 235 narrowed the rule so direct owner rentals of fewer than three units that do not use a marketplace are exempt. New Jersey municipalities are separately authorized to impose a Municipal Occupancy Tax of up to 3% under N.J.S.A. 40:48F-1, but Garfield has not enacted one as of 2026. Hosts must also comply with Garfield's Chapter 131 permit requirement and pay the Certificate of Continued Occupancy fee under Chapter 75 at every change of occupancy.

Garfield does not have a short-term rental-specific noise ordinance. STR guests must comply with Garfield's general municipal noise rules and the New Jersey DEP Noise Control regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:29). Local NJ municipal noise ordinances must be approved by NJ DEP under the NJ Noise Control Act (N.J.S.A. 13:1G-1 et seq.). Operators of any rental licensed under Garfield Code Chapter 131 are required to designate a custodian or caretaker responsible for ensuring guest compliance with all applicable Garfield ordinances, which includes the noise ordinance. Repeated noise complaints can support license revocation under Chapter 131 and ordinance penalties under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5.

Garfield does not impose a short-term rental-specific parking minimum. Off-street parking for any STR is determined by the underlying residential use of the dwelling unit under Garfield Zoning Code Chapter 320, which generally requires off-street spaces tied to each dwelling unit, plus the dimensional rules in Article IX (Accessory Buildings and Fences) for any garage or driveway-related accessory structure. STR guests parking on Garfield streets must comply with Garfield's general traffic ordinances and posted signs; New Jersey state law (Title 39) governs commercial vehicle, RV, and overnight street-parking restrictions. Bergen County does not issue residential permit-parking permits for STR guests.

Garfield does not have a stand-alone short-term rental ordinance. Operators of any boarding house, rooming house, or place rented for sleeping purposes must hold a permit and license under Chapter 131 (Dwelling and Rooming Units, originally adopted Sept. 1, 1970). Statewide, P.L. 2018 c. 49 (effective Oct. 1, 2018, amended by P.L. 2019 c. 235) imposes 6.625% NJ Sales Tax and the 5% State Occupancy Fee on transient accommodations booked through marketplaces such as Airbnb and Vrbo. Municipal Occupancy Tax up to 3% is authorized by N.J.S.A. 40:48F-1.

Bergen County does not mandate short-term rental insurance at the county level. Some municipalities require liability coverage of $300,000 to $1,000,000 as a condition of rental certificate issuance, and standard homeowners policies typically exclude transient rental activity.

Bergen County follows New Jersey's Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law occupancy standards. Short-term rentals must limit occupancy to two persons per bedroom plus two additional, with minimum 70 square feet for one occupant and 50 square feet per additional occupant.

Garfield requires a permit from the Health Officer to keep small animals such as chickens, rabbits, or poultry on any premises within the city.

Garfield prohibits owners from letting any animal run at large; dogs must be on a leash and under physical control of a capable handler.

Garfield bans feeding waterfowl, songbirds, pigeons, and backyard birds on public property and limits private feeding to small, nuisance-free amounts.

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 follows New Jersey's strict statewide exotic pet regulations under N.J.A.C. 7:25-4. Most non-native species, including primates, large reptiles, and big cats, require state Division of Fish and Wildlife permits or are prohibited entirely.

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.

Garfield limits garage sales to four per calendar year per person and four per calendar year at any single address, regardless of who is hosting the sale.

Garfield requires a $10 permit for any garage, attic, or rummage sale, picked up from the Police Department on the day of the sale and displayed on site.

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.

Garfield requires landlords to register rental units with a Dwelling Certificate and obtain Certificates of Continued Occupancy upon any change of tenant, ownership, or use.

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.

Bergen County does not impose countywide rent control. Several individual municipalities, including Fort Lee, Hackensack, Edgewater, and Cliffside Park, enforce local rent stabilization ordinances limiting annual increases on covered rental units.

Garfield prohibits weeds or plant growth taller than eight inches and bans noxious weeds, with city contractors authorized to cut overgrowth and bill the owner if a notice of violation is ignored.

Garfield requires a $10 permit for every garage sale, limits residents to four sales per calendar year, requires the permit to be displayed on the premises, and has the police department issue permits on the day of the sale.

Garfield requires owners and tenants of property abutting public sidewalks to remove snow and ice within 24 hours after a storm ends, with a first-offense fine of $150 and a ban on shoveling snow back into cleared streets.

Garfield requires owners of vacant buildings to register the property, secure the structure within 30 days, and keep the surrounding grounds free of debris, overgrowth, and unauthorized entry points.

Garfield requires garbage and recyclables to be kept in covered upright containers, screened from public view between collections, and placed at the curb no earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before scheduled pickup.

Garfield requires peddlers, canvassers, and door-to-door solicitors to obtain a city-issued permit before selling, soliciting orders, or canvassing residences within city limits.

Garfield's peddling and soliciting chapter regulates the hours during which door-to-door solicitation may occur and requires conduct standards for permitted solicitors in the city.

Garfield's Chapter 119 curfew, adopted by Ordinance 3015 in 2023, prohibits minors from being in public places between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between midnight and 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Garfield's park regulations prohibit loitering in any city park more than one-half hour after sunset and bar new games or events from starting after 9:30 p.m., with no inning or period beginning after 10:30 p.m.

Garfield Chapter 164 governs garbage and refuse collection, requiring all waste to be deposited in covered, upright containers, kept disinfected, and presented for curbside pickup according to the city's published collection map.

Garfield collects white goods such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, and air conditioners by appointment only on Thursdays, requiring residents to schedule with DPW by Wednesday and remove all hazardous materials before placement.

Garfield Chapter 249 makes recycling mandatory, requiring residents to separate recyclables from other solid waste and place commingled glass, metal, and #1 or #2 plastics in recycling barrels or clear plastic bags only.

Garfield prohibits placing garbage, refuse, solid waste, or recyclables at the curb earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection, with first-offense fines of $500 escalating to $2,000 for repeat violators.

Garfield permits fixed-location food trucks only in the B-1 Central Business District, with one truck per lot, a 40-foot length limit, and an annual licensing process.

Garfield issues mobile food vendor licenses through the Health Department, capping active licenses at five per twelve-month period and giving preference to Garfield residents.

Garfield's tree code designates trees of significance and removes the standard fine cap when one is unlawfully removed.

Garfield requires a building department permit before removing street trees or sufficiently large non-street trees on private property.

Garfield requires replacement plantings after qualifying tree removals, using a city-approved species list and excluding invasive species.

Garfield caps how much of a residential rear yard may be covered by detached accessory buildings, in addition to district-specific lot coverage percentages set by zone.

Garfield requires every building to comply with district-specific yard, lot width, and area regulations, with extra setbacks for properties along railroad rights-of-way.

Garfield prohibits any building from being erected or structurally altered to exceed the height limit set for its zoning district under Article VIII of the zoning code.

Garfield Chapter 146 Flood Damage Prevention regulates construction in special flood hazard areas, requiring anchoring, Uniform Construction Code compliance, and variance review with penalties up to $2,000 per violation.

Garfield Chapter 284 Stormwater Control, adopted by Ordinance 3050 in 2024, requires green infrastructure best management practices and nonstructural strategies to manage runoff, recharge groundwater, and reduce pollution.

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.

Bergen County reviews grading and drainage for projects affecting county roads or facilities. Most grading rules are enforced through municipal ordinances and the Bergen County Soil Conservation District for projects over 5,000 square feet.

Garfield permits cannabis establishments only as conditional uses with site plan review, and bars Class 5 retailers within 750 feet of schools or parks.

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.

Garfield Chapter 161 requires a permit before holding any garage sale, limits each address to four sales per calendar year, and requires the issued permit to be visibly displayed on the premises during the sale.

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.

Bergen County does not regulate political signs on private property. New Jersey law and the First Amendment protect political speech, and municipalities may impose only content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions on size, setback, and removal after elections.

Solar panel installations in Bergen County are permitted through municipal building departments using New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code. The state's solar-friendly law (NJSA 40:55D-66.11) bars municipalities from prohibiting rooftop solar on owner-occupied homes.

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.

Bergen County addresses light trespass through municipal zoning codes rather than county ordinance. Most Bergen County municipalities cap illumination at property lines, typically 0.1 to 0.5 foot-candles for residential boundaries.

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.

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.