Do You Need a Permit in Haddonfield? What NJ Lets You Do Without One, and What You Can't

In Haddonfield, a lot of everyday home projects need no construction permit at all: painting, gutters, screens, replacing roof shingles, and swapping windows or doors in the same opening. Anything that touches structure, plumbing, gas, most wiring or your exits needs a permit from the borough's Construction and Zoning Office. And if you live in the Historic District, exterior changes need the Historic Preservation Commission's approval before work starts or a permit is issued.

That last sentence is the one people miss. Let's take it in order.

The state sets the rules

Haddonfield's Construction and Zoning Department enforces New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code. The state, not the borough, decides what counts as ordinary maintenance, which means no permit, no notice and no inspection. It still has to be done to code.

Usually no permit in a one or two family home

From the Department of Community Affairs' ordinary maintenance list:

• Paint and finishes. Interior and exterior painting, wallpaper, trim and flooring.
• Drywall and plaster. Under 25 percent of the home's wall area.
• Roofing. Repair or replace any amount of existing roof covering on a detached one or two family home.
• Siding. Repair or replace any amount of existing siding, except polypropylene siding.
• Windows and doors. Replacement in the same rough opening, without changing the size or framing. Glass and screens, too.
• Cabinets and other non structural parts, like a non bearing partition.
• Decks, porches and stoops, as long as the part you're fixing doesn't hold up a roof.
• Gutters and leaders.
• Insulation, except foam plastic, which needs a permit.
• Some appliance swaps, like a dryer, stove or oven with no change in fuel, pipe size, location or electrical setup, plus bathroom exhaust fans.

Definitely a permit

The state code says ordinary maintenance never includes:

• Cutting a load bearing wall or removing a beam.
• Changing a required way out of the house.
• Anything affecting structural or fire safety.
• Adding, moving or replacing water, sewer, drain, gas or vent piping.
• Most electrical wiring.
• Lead abatement work.

There's a middle category called minor work. It still needs a permit, but the state lets work begin once you've given notice to the construction office.

The Haddonfield step: the Historic District

The borough's resale page puts it plainly. All exterior changes to properties in the Historic District must be reviewed and approved by the Historic Preservation Commission before work starts or a construction permit is issued.

So a new roof can be permit free under state code and still need HPC sign off in the Historic District. Same with windows. If you're not sure you're in the district, the borough's resale and rental CO page links to a Historic District map.

Asbestos and older homes

The borough's FAQ says asbestos removal must be done by a certified contractor who files paperwork with the Construction Office, and the state Department of Community Affairs oversees it.

Who to call

• Construction and Zoning Office: Room 104, Borough Hall, 242 Kings Highway East. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
• Permit questions: 856-429-4700, ext. 210.
• Inspections: email inspections@haddonfield-nj.gov with your permit number, address and what you need inspected.

Honest advice: a two minute call costs nothing. Tearing out finished work costs a lot.

Sources

• NJ DCA: Changes to minor work and ordinary maintenance (PDF)
• N.J.A.C. 5:23-2, Uniform Construction Code administration (PDF)
• Borough of Haddonfield: Construction and Zoning
• Borough of Haddonfield: Construction FAQ
• Borough of Haddonfield: Resale and Rental CO information

Renting the place out after the work's done? Read how Haddonfield's lead-safe certificate rule works. Planning something bigger? See what the Zoning Board decided in October.

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