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Passaic, NJ Public Conduct: Outdoor Smoking Restrictions (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Smoking-free radius
35 feet from municipal building entrances
Also covers
all city parks & recreation facilities
First-offense fine
$250
Third-and-later offense fine
$1,000
Enforcing agencies
Police, Fire, Recreation, Public Works, Health
Includes
e-cigarettes / vapor devices

Summary

Passaic bans smoking within 35 feet of the front entrance of every municipal building and throughout all city-owned or -leased parks and recreation facilities, including adjacent parking areas and driveways once posted with no-smoking signs. Smoking is also banned inside every municipal building and in any city-registered vehicle, enforced under Chapter 251 with escalating fines starting at $250.

B. Smoking shall be prohibited within a thirty-five-foot radius of the front entrance of all municipal buildings. No-smoking signs or the international no-smoking symbol ... shall be clearly, sufficiently and conspicuously posted both on the building and at the thirty-five-foot perimeter of the front entrance of all municipal buildings where smoking is prohibited by this chapter. ... The sign shall also indicate that violators are subject to a fine. C. Smoking shall be prohibited in all public parks and recreation facilities owned or leased by the City of Passaic and all property owned or leased by the City of Passaic upon which the public is invited or upon which the public is permitted and where individuals gather for recreational activities, including all areas adjacent to such facilities, including, but not limited to, any parking area, driveway or drive aisle, which have been designated with no-smoking signs.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978046; v41 updated 2026-07-01; through 07-01-2026).

Full Breakdown

§ 251-2D separately bars smoking in any vehicle registered to the City of Passaic. Every required sign must contrast in color with its background and state that violators are subject to a fine. Enforcement runs through five city departments named in § 251-3: Police, Fire, Recreation, Public Works and Health. Municipal employees who violate the chapter face discipline under city personnel policy in addition to the fine.

Violations & Fines

§ 251-4 sets fines of not less than $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second offense, and $1,000 for each subsequent offense. Municipal employees found in violation may also face discipline under the City of Passaic's personnel policies and procedures, on top of the statutory fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Passaic's smoking ban cover e-cigarettes and vaping?
Yes. § 251-1 defines "smoking" to include inhaling or exhaling smoke or vapor from an electronic smoking device, so vaping is treated the same as a lit cigarette, cigar or pipe under Chapter 251's park and municipal-building bans.
How close to a Passaic city building can I smoke?
Not within 35 feet of the front entrance. § 251-2B bars smoking inside that radius, and the city must post no-smoking signs both on the building and at the 35-foot perimeter marking where the ban begins.
What's the fine for smoking in a Passaic park?
A first offense costs at least $250, a second is $500, and each later violation is $1,000, per § 251-4. City employees caught smoking in violation of the chapter can also face internal discipline in addition to the fine.
Can I smoke inside a city-owned vehicle in Passaic?
No. § 251-2D prohibits smoking in any vehicle registered to the City of Passaic, regardless of where the vehicle is parked or driven.

Sources & Official References

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Outdoor Smoking Restrictions in Nearby Cities

How other cities in Passaic County handle outdoor smoking restrictions.

Paterson, NJ
Significant Restrictions