Lakewood, NJ Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitting office
- Township Engineer
- Permit fee range
- $100 to $300+, by opening length
- Admin fee
- $25 flat, added to permit fee
- Seasonal ban
- No permits Dec. 1 to Mar. 1
- Insurance minimum
- $500,000 per person, $1M per accident
- Penalty
- Up to $1,000 fine or 90 days
Summary
Opening, tunneling under, or otherwise disturbing any Lakewood Township street requires a permit from the Township Engineer under Code § 20-1.2. Fees run $100 to $300 by opening length plus a $25 administrative fee, and no permit issues between December 1 and March 1 except for emergencies.
STREET: Shall mean any road, highway, public way, public alley, easement or other right of way accepted or maintained by the Township as a public street, as well as any State or County road or highway over which the Township has acquired jurisdiction by agreement. ... No person shall make an excavation in or tunnel under any street without first obtaining a permit from the Township Engineer, and consulting the Police Department pursuant to subsection 11-8.2.
Full Breakdown
1 to mean 'any road, highway, public way, public alley, easement or other right of way accepted or maintained by the Township,' plus state and county roads under Township jurisdiction, so the permit requirement reaches essentially any private use of the public right-of-way that disturbs the surface. 2b, provided the application follows immediately. 2d bars new excavation permits between December 1 and March 1 outside emergencies, and requires work started after March 1 to be backfilled and restored before December 1. 4 with the block and lot, work location and dates, site plans, the contractor's 24-hour emergency contacts, and a statement agreeing to restore the street, curb, gutter and sidewalk within 48 hours.
50 per lineal foot over 400 feet, plus a flat $25 administrative fee. 8 requires public liability insurance of at least $500,000 per person and $1,000,000 per accident before work begins.
Violations & Fines
Section 20-1.14 makes any violation of the excavation and right-of-way permit requirements punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to 90 days, or both, with each day a violation continues treated as a separate offense. The Township Engineer can also deny or revoke a permit under §§ 20-1.3 and 20-1.11d for safety violations, unpermitted work, or conditions that endanger life or property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I dig up the street in front of my Lakewood home myself?
Why can't I get a street opening permit in January?
What happens if my contractor damages the road and doesn't fix it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lakewood
Compare Lakewood to another location·View the New Jersey sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle encroachment permits.