Pop. 26,698 · Bergen County
Paramus requires every dog in public to be on a leash no longer than six feet and prohibits dogs entirely from Borough-owned parks, playgrounds, and play areas.
Paramus regulates the keeping of poultry and livestock through Board of Health rules requiring substantial setbacks from any building used by humans for dwelling or business.
Paramus prohibits placing food intended or suitable for wild or stray animals on any public or private property, with escalating civil penalties for repeat violations.
Paramus treats hot tubs and spas like private pools, requiring the same ten-foot lot line setback, equipment clearance, and barrier protections as backyard pools.
Paramus requires pool barriers at least four feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates that swing outward away from the pool to prevent unauthorized access.
Paramus regulates above-ground pools with the same setback, fencing, and permit requirements as in-ground pools, including ten-foot lot-line clearances.
Paramus pool owners must enclose pools, restrict access, and meet location standards designed to keep children and unauthorized persons away from the water.
Paramus requires zoning, building, electrical, and plumbing permits before installing any swimming pool, with sequenced inspections through the Borough Building Department.
Paramus regulates trimming of street trees and trees in public spaces under Chapter 453, requiring permission from the Shade Tree and Parks Commission before any pruning, planting, or care work occurs in the public right-of-way.
Paramus requires property owners to control weeds and overgrown vegetation under Chapter 339 Property Maintenance, treating uncontrolled weeds as a nuisance subject to inspection, notice, abatement, and Municipal Court enforcement.
Paramus requires Shade Tree and Parks Commission approval before removing any street tree or any tree on undeveloped land or in a required planted buffer, and homeowners must pay replacement value for approved removals of public trees.
Paramus enforces property maintenance standards under Chapter 339, requiring residents to keep lawns trimmed and yards free of overgrown vegetation that creates nuisance conditions affecting neighborhood appearance and public health.
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.
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 operates the Bergen County Utilities Authority composting program for yard waste collected by municipalities. Backyard composting is allowed countywide. Commercial-scale composting facilities need NJDEP approval under recycling rules at NJAC 7:26A.
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.
Paramus prohibits loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noises between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. under Chapter 309 of the Borough Code, with separate offenses charged each day a violation continues.
In Paramus, radios, televisions, instruments, and similar devices may not be plainly audible 50 feet away, and commercial loudspeakers may not be audible 250 feet away under Chapter 309.
Paramus Chapter 309 prohibits keeping any bird, dog, or other animal whose frequent, habitual, or long-continued noise disturbs the peace, comfort, or repose of neighbors or passersby on Borough streets.
Paramus restricts contractor work in residential zones to between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., while homeowners may perform yard or home improvement work until dusk under Chapter 309.
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.
Bergen County does not regulate leaf blower use countywide. Each municipality independently restricts seasonal use, decibel limits, and gas-powered equipment under New Jersey's Noise Control Act. Several Bergen County towns including Maywood, Glen Rock, and Englewood have adopted strict seasonal bans.
Industrial and commercial noise in Bergen County is enforced under New Jersey's statewide Noise Control Code, N.J.A.C. 7:29, which sets dBA limits at receiving property lines. Municipalities may adopt stricter rules; the county itself does not run an industrial noise enforcement program.
Paramus permits home occupations in residential zones only when limited to 15% of habitable floor space, with a maximum of two non-family employees on premises.
Paramus zoning recognizes registered family day-care homes as a permitted residential use under Chapter 429, consistent with New Jersey statutory protections for in-home child care.
Paramus restricts the character and intensity of home occupations so they do not generate retail traffic or visitor volume that disrupts residential neighborhoods.
Paramus regulates signs for home occupations and home professional offices under Chapter 367, restricting size, illumination, and placement on residential lots.
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.
Paramus does not authorize stand-alone accessory dwelling units in its residential zones. Chapter 429 (Zoning) of the Borough Code, governing the R-50, R-75, R-100, R-150 and R-2F residential districts, allows accessory buildings only as uses subordinate and customarily incidental to a permitted principal use, and expressly prohibits living quarters in any accessory building. State authority is the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
Paramus regulates shed placement based on size, with stricter setbacks for sheds exceeding 100 square feet of floor area in residential zones.
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.
Fireworks in Paramus are governed primarily by New Jersey state law: N.J.S.A. 21:3-1 et seq. (Explosives and Fireworks Act) and N.J.S.A. 21:2-1 et seq., as amended by P.L. 2017, c. 92. Since 2017, only non-explosive, non-aerial hand-held or ground-based sparkling devices, snakes, glow worms, smoke devices, and trick noisemakers are legal for consumer use. All aerial and explosive fireworks remain illegal without a state-issued permit, and public displays require a permit through the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety.
Propane storage in Bergen County is regulated by the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code (NFPA 58). Residential cylinders, exchange cages, and bulk tanks must meet setback, capacity, and permit requirements enforced by local fire officials.
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.
Paramus does not impose its own STR licensing fee or local occupancy tax because short-term rentals of 30 days or less are prohibited entirely under Chapter 322, Article II of the Borough Code (Ord. No. 2016-25). Any unlawful STR activity in Paramus is still subject to New Jersey state taxes administered under N.J.S.A. 54:32D-1 and N.J.S.A. 54:32B-3 when booked through a transient space marketplace: 6.625% State Sales Tax, 5% State Occupancy Fee, and the 3% Meadowlands Regional Hotel Use Assessment that applies in Bergen County.
Because short-term rentals are banned in Paramus under Chapter 322 Article II of the Borough Code, there are no STR-specific noise rules. Any guests who are nonetheless present at an unlawful STR must comply with the borough's general noise ordinance, Chapter 309 of the Paramus Code, which prohibits loud or disturbing noise between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. and uses a 50-foot plainly-audible standard for amplified sound. Recurring noise complaints can also be cited as evidence of an unlawful STR use under Chapter 322.
Paramus has no STR-specific parking rule because short-term rentals are prohibited entirely under Chapter 322 Article II of the Borough Code. Any guest vehicles at an unlawful STR are subject to the borough-wide overnight parking ban, which prohibits on-street parking between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on any Borough street. Off-street parking standards for residential properties are set by Chapter 429 (Zoning), not by an STR ordinance.
Paramus prohibits the rental, advertising, or use of any dwelling unit for periods of 30 days or less, effectively banning Airbnb-style short-term rentals throughout the borough under Chapter 322 of the Borough Code.
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.
Paramus regulates on-street parking through Chapter 419 schedules that prohibit parking at all times on listed streets and limit hours on others, including no stopping or standing zones near schools and businesses.
Paramus prohibits parking on any borough street between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., though the Chief of Police may grant temporary permission for extenuating circumstances upon request.
Paramus addresses abandoned vehicles through Chapter 415 and the Towers and Towing chapter, authorizing police to remove vehicles left on public ways or private property and recover costs from the owner.
Paramus adopts the New Jersey model EV ordinance, requiring make-ready spaces in new parking lots, EVSE bollard protection, 24-hour reporting contacts, and treating chargers as permitted accessory uses borough-wide.
Paramus requires commercial vehicles to be kept out of public view during non-business hours and stored at the rear of business structures, provided the rear does not face a residential zone.
Paramus restricts residential driveway dimensions and prohibits paving past the garage wall toward the front door, preserving residential character throughout R-50, R-75, R-100, R-150, and R-2F zones.
Bergen County itself does not impose a general RV or boat parking rule on streets. Each of the 70 municipalities sets its own ordinance, and county parks prohibit overnight RV or trailer storage under the Parks System Rules.
Paramus limits residential fences to 6 feet in rear and side yards, while front yard fences within the 35-foot setback may not exceed 3 feet whether solid or see-through.
Paramus requires in-ground pool barriers at least 4 feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates that swing outward away from the pool and prevent access beneath, through, or over the fence.
Paramus requires a zoning permit before installing or replacing a fence. Applications go through the Building Department at 1 Jockish Square and must show fence location, height, and materials on a property survey.
Paramus regulates retaining walls by exposed height: walls under 4 feet need a zoning permit, while 4-foot and taller walls require a construction permit with engineering. Setbacks scale with wall height.
Bergen County does not legislate neighbor fence disputes. New Jersey common law and municipal ordinances govern shared boundary fences, finished-side rules, and partition-fence cost-sharing between neighboring property owners.
Bergen County does not regulate fence materials. Municipalities individually restrict barbed wire, electrified fences, and chain-link in front yards. Most Bergen towns prohibit razor wire and limit barbed wire to specific commercial or agricultural zones.
Paramus issues no more than two garage sale licenses for the same premises within one calendar year, with limited exceptions for property transfers and separate residential units on the same lot.
Paramus requires a license from the Borough Clerk for every garage, yard, tag, porch, or rummage sale, with applications filed at least 10 days before the sale and a maximum three-day duration.
Paramus restricts all garage and yard sales to operate only between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., with signage permitted on the day of the sale during the same authorized hours.
Paramus public parks, playgrounds, and the band shell are closed from sunset until sunrise, with the Sports-Plex closing at 11:00 p.m. under Borough rules.
Bergen County does not have a countywide juvenile curfew. Several Bergen municipalities have adopted local curfew ordinances under N.J.S.A. 40:48-2.52, typically restricting minors under 18 from public places overnight.
Under Chapter 453, Paramus may require violators to pay a replacement assessment equal to the appraised value of any unlawfully removed tree, calculated up to $27 per square inch of trunk cross section.
Paramus Chapter 453 requires Shade Tree and Parks Commission approval before removing trees in parks, streets, or undeveloped property, with fines from $200 to $1,500 per violation.
Bergen County does not maintain a formal heritage tree registry, but historic and specimen trees on county park land are protected under the Parks System Rules. Many municipalities, including Bergenfield and Woodcliff Lake, designate landmark trees with stricter removal rules and replacement formulas.
Paramus regulates mobile vending and street solicitation through Chapter 327, requiring licenses for peddlers and hawkers and restricting noisy sales activity after 7:00 p.m.
Paramus requires every mobile food truck, cart, or trailer to obtain an annual Mobile Retail Food Establishment license from the Board of Health before selling food or beverages within the Borough.
Paramus Chapter 339 prohibits exterior conditions that constitute blighting factors and requires owners to repair properties within 45 days of Borough notice.
Paramus residents must obtain a Borough Clerk license to hold a garage sale, limited to two permits per household per year and three consecutive days each.
Paramus requires watertight, covered refuse containers under fifty pounds, placed conveniently for pickup and set out no earlier than the evening before collection.
Paramus requires owners and tenants of property along public streets to clear snow and ice from abutting sidewalks within 24 hours of snowfall ending.
Paramus requires registration of vacant and foreclosing properties, including a posted twenty-four-hour contact sign and ongoing maintenance to prevent neighborhood decline.
Paramus requires a license before any solicitor, canvasser, peddler, or hawker may do business in the borough. Applications are filed with the Borough Clerk and include identification and goods or services offered.
Paramus solicitor licenses are valid Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. only. After 7:00 p.m. no peddler may shout or use sound devices on private premises to attract attention.
Paramus Chapter 379 sets requirements for where residents must place garbage containers and how containers must be covered, drained, and accessible to DPW crews.
Paramus Chapter 379 Article III mandates source separation and recycling of newspapers, cardboard, aluminum, glass, tin, and plastic for residents and businesses.
Paramus DPW collects garbage twice weekly from residential properties under Chapter 379, with specific rules for container weight, bundling, and preparation.
Paramus Chapter 379 governs bulk pickup, including limits on items, appliance preparation, and a separate twice-monthly electronics collection program.
Paramus residential setbacks vary by zone. The R-75 zone requires a combined 20 feet of side yards (10 feet minimum on one side) and a 30-foot rear yard. R-100 also requires a 30-foot rear yard.
Paramus caps single-family building heights at 2 stories or 20 feet for flat roofs and 2 1/2 stories for pitched roofs (30 to 35 feet depending on zone). The R-AH zone allows 3 stories or 35 feet.
Paramus residential zones R-75 and R-100 cap building coverage at 25% and total impervious coverage at 50%. The Neighborhood Business zone allows 80% impervious; Conservation/Recreation just 20%.
Paramus prohibits both recreational and medicinal cannabis dispensaries throughout the Borough, except within the Highway Corridor Commercial (HCC) Zone District.
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.
Paramus regulates construction in flood-prone areas through Chapter 253, requiring permits, elevation standards, and variance review for development in mapped flood zones.
Paramus regulates stormwater runoff from major developments through Chapter 363, requiring runoff controls, groundwater recharge, and pollutant reduction measures consistent with NJDEP rules.
Paramus prohibits altering grades, slopes, or drainage facilities on a lot without site plan approval, and may require topographical maps, neighbor notice, and Borough Engineer review.
Paramus requires a soil erosion and sediment control plan certified by the Bergen County Soil Conservation District for sites disturbing more than 5,000 square feet of ground area.
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.
Paramus caps light trespass onto adjacent properties at 0.2 footcandle for general site lighting and 0.1 footcandle for sign illumination.
Paramus site plan rules require fully shielded luminaires with recessed lamps and demand that commercial lighting be reduced by half after business hours.
Paramus permits temporary garage sale signs only with a borough permit, limits sign size to six square feet and five feet tall, and restricts where and when signs may appear before and after the sale.
Paramus regulates political and campaign signs through its Amended Sign Ordinance (Chapter 367), adopted under Ordinance No. 20-11 in 2020 and last amended in December 2024, controlling placement, size, and the period signs may remain posted before and after elections.
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.
Paramus Chapter 322 prohibits short-term residential rentals and requires landlords to comply with registration, occupancy inspection, and certificate of occupancy requirements before any new tenancy.
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.
Paramus regulates solar panel installations through Chapter 429 Zoning, recognizing rooftop solar arrays and solar canopies as permitted rooftop equipment in commercial zones while requiring standard construction and electrical permits for residential systems.
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 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.