Heathcote, NJ

Middlesex County does not have a county-wide leash ordinance for residential areas. Statewide rules under N.J.S.A. 4:19-15.1 et seq. require all dogs over 7 months to be licensed at the municipal level and limit at-large running. Each Middlesex municipality adopts its own leash law. Edison Township Code Chapter 9 (Animals) requires every dog off the owner's premises to be on an adequate leash no longer than 6 feet, held by a person capable of controlling the dog. New Brunswick imposes a similar leash-on-owner-premises rule under its City Code. Middlesex County parks (administered by the County Department of Parks & Recreation) require dogs to be leashed at all times under park regulations.

Middlesex County imposes no county-level STR tax or fee. New Jersey applies a 6.625% Sales Tax (NJSA 54:32B-3) and a 5% State Occupancy Fee (NJSA 54:32D-1) on transient accommodations booked through a marketplace or professionally managed. Municipalities may add a local hotel/occupancy tax up to 3% (NJSA 40:48E).

Middlesex County has no STR parking ordinance. NJ does not preempt local STR parking rules, so each Middlesex municipality (New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge, Piscataway, Perth Amboy) sets parking minimums under its zoning code per the Municipal Land Use Law (NJSA 40:55D-1). On-street parking on county roads is governed by Title 39 motor vehicle law and county park rules.

Middlesex County sets no STR occupancy limit. New Jersey has no statewide STR cap; municipalities set occupancy. The NJ Uniform Construction Code (NJAC 5:23) adopts the IRC/IPMC, which generally requires 70 sq ft for the first occupant and 50 sq ft for each additional in a sleeping room. New Brunswick, Edison, and Woodbridge set their own caps.

Middlesex County, NJ does not license short-term rentals. New Jersey requires hosts using a marketplace (Airbnb, Vrbo) or professionally managed units to collect 6.625% State Sales Tax and the State Occupancy Fee under P.L. 2018 c. 49 (effective Oct. 1, 2018, amended by P.L. 2019 c. 235). Each Middlesex municipality (New Brunswick, Edison, Perth Amboy, Woodbridge, etc.) sets its own STR permit and rental-license rules.

Middlesex County does not regulate accessory dwelling units (ADUs) at the county level — under New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.), zoning authority rests with each of Middlesex County's 25 municipalities including Edison, Woodbridge, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Old Bridge, Piscataway, and East Brunswick. New Jersey has no statewide ADU mandate; S2347 (2024-2025) died and S1786 (2026-2027) is pending in committee.

Middlesex County, NJ has no county-level pool fence rules. Pool barriers are governed by the NJ Uniform Construction Code (N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.14) which adopts the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) as the NJ Swimming Pool and Spa Subcode. Required: 48-inch barrier, self-closing/self-latching gate, and the 4-inch sphere rule. Permits are issued by each municipality's Construction Official.

Middlesex County, NJ does not regulate fireworks separately — state law preempts. Aerial and explosive consumer fireworks (firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, mortars) remain illegal under N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 et seq. The 2017 amendment (P.L. 2017 c. 92) legalized only ground-based, non-explosive items: hand-held sparklers, snakes, glow worms, smoke devices, and party poppers, for buyers age 16 and over. Public displays require a permit under N.J.S.A. 21:3-3.

Middlesex County, NJ does not run a county floodplain program. Floodplain development is jointly regulated by FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (44 CFR Part 60) and the NJ Flood Hazard Area Control Act (N.J.S.A. 58:16A-50 et seq.) with rules at N.J.A.C. 7:13. The Raritan River, Lawrence Brook, and Raritan Bay coastline place much of New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Sayreville, South Amboy, and Old Bridge in regulated flood hazard areas. After Hurricane Sandy (2012), NJDEP tightened design standards.