official seal of wantage township

Wantage Township New Jersey


888 State Highway 23
973-875-7192
administrator@wantagetwp-nj.org


Inspections Hours Contact Info Forms &
Applications Permits Guides Contractor License Solid Fuel Appliances FAQs

Building Department / Construction Office

The office is located in the Municipal Building at 888 State Highway 23.

The Building Department is responsible for enforcement of the NJ Uniform Construction Code. Wantage Township has a shared service agreement with Hardyston Township for running the Building/Construction Department. Operationally, all business is conducted within Wantage Township; nothing is issued, nor can an inspection be taken in Hardyston. All checks must be made payable to Hardyston Township.

Inspections

Please call the office at 973-875-7195, option #6 for your inspection, Monday through Friday. Do not leave inspection request on the answering machine.


Office Hours

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Lunch hour is 12:30 – 1:30.
No permits issued after 4:00 p.m.
If assistance is needed outside of these hours, call Hardyston Township at (973) 823-7020 or visit the office located at 149 Wheatsworth Road, Hardyston.

Closed for holidays and emergencies.


Contact Info

Construction Secretary
Sarah Bright
Phone: 973-875-7195 (option #6)
Fax: 973-875-0816
Email: sbright@wantagetwp-nj.org

Construction Official
Joe Butto
available by appointment

Building Subcode Official
Mike Johnson
Available for inspections on Monday and Wednesday

Electrical Subcode Official
Robert Schultz
Available for inspections Tuesday and Thursday

Plumbing Subcode Official
Kevin Gould
Available for inspections on Monday and Wednesday

Fire Subcode Official
Joe Butto
Available for inspections by appointment


Municipal Forms and Applications

Municipal forms are available for download. See the forms page for the complete list.


Permits

A permit is required to construct, enlarge, repair, renovate, alter, reconstruct or demolish a structure or to install or alter equipment, such as heating or air conditioning. There are exceptions for ordinary maintenance. If questionable please contact us for guidance.

Permit Pick-up: Permits may be picked up during office hours in the Wantage Construction Office. Only cash or check is accepted for payment. Debit and credit cards are not accepted.

Construction Permit Application Packet & Related Forms are available below if you are applying for a permit. Depending on your construction project will dictate which of the subcode technical sheets you will need.

           Inspection Checklist (Black ink)
UCC-F 100  Construction Permit Application (Black ink)
UCC-F 110  Building Subcode Technical Section (Black ink)
UCC-F 120  Electrical Subcode Technical Section (Red ink)
UCC-F 130  Plumbing Subcode Technical Section (Blue ink)
UCC-F 140  Fire Subcode Technical Section (Red ink)
UCC-F 145  Mechanical Subcode Technical Section (Black Ink)
UCC-F 270  Application for Certificate (Black ink)
UCC-F 370  Chimney Verification for Replacement of Fuel–Fired Equipment (Black ink)
UCC-F 390  Framing Checklist (Black ink)

Guides and Information

Click on name to view document

Inspection Checklist

Deck Ledgers

Demolition Checklist

Plumbing Riser

Pool Guide

Required Inspections

Requirements for Stairs, Handrails & Guards

Re-Roofing Over Existing Roof

Second Layer Roofing Requirements

Sheds

Typical Deck Details


Home Improvement Contractor License

A home improvement contractor is any person engaged in the business of selling goods or making home improvements.

When hiring a contractor to do work on your house, ask if he or she has the Home Improvement Contractors License. As of January 1, 2006 the State of N.J. has required that all contractors have this prior to applying for a permit. According to the law, final inspections are required before final payment can be issued to the contractor. This requirement was instituted by the state to help stop the flood of complaints against “fly by night” contractors who don’t finish jobs or take deposits and never start a job. This is for you protection.

For more information, contact:
Office of the Attorney General
Division of Consumer Affairs
Office of Consumer Protection
Regulated Business Section
124 Halsey Street, 7th Floor
P.O. Box 46016
Newark, NJ 07101
(888) 656-6225
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/HIC/

Any remodeling, altering, painting, repairing, renovating, restoring, moving, demolishing, or modernizing of a residential structure is considered home improvement work. This includes work on the following:

Aluminum siding
Attached or inlaid floor coverings
Bathrooms
Cabinets
Central heating and air conditioning equipment
Doors
Driveways
Fences
Finished basements and basement waterproofing
Fire protection devices
Garages
Heaters
Insulation installation
Kitchens
Landscaping
Patios
Porches
Purifiers
Roofing and siding
Security protection devices
Sidewalks
Solar heating or water systems
Swimming pools
Terraces
Wall-to-wall carpeting
Water softeners
Windows


Solid Fuel Appliances

With the rising cost of home heating fuels, many homeowners are deciding to install solid fuel appliances such as wood and pellet stoves to lower their heating bills. Please be advised that permits are needed to install one in your home or business. Depending on type of unit to be installed, a fire, building, or plumbing permit maybe required. If you have installed, or you have purchased a home with an appliance, without permits, you may contact our department to apply for a permit and have your stove inspected. Our main objective is to protect the public from a loss of life or the potential of having Insurance compensation being reduced or eliminated.


FAQs

Click on question to view answer

My hot water heater broke on a Friday night, do I need to wait until Monday and get a permit before I have it replaced?
No. You are allowed to make emergency repairs and get a permit as soon as possible, but not more than 72 hours later and have all required inspection.
No. We would refer you to the phone book.
No.
No, for vinyl siding and yes, if it is polypropylene siding.
No.  Unfortunately due to the volume of inspections we can not guarantee a specific time.
We have the forms in the office or you can download them here.
You can do your own drawings if they are for an owner occupied single family home.  All other structures need to be drawn and sealed by an architect and/or engineer licensed in New Jersey.
Two (2) copies.
Yes & No. Sheds up to 199 sq. ft. do not require a building permit; they do require a zoning permit. Sheds 200 sq. ft. and over require a zoning and building permit. Please see shed handout for exact requirement.
Yes & No.  A building permit is not required for a fence unless it a barrier for a pool.  A zoning permit is required for all fences.  If you are replacing a fence around a pool, a building permit is required and it must meet the current code.
A permit is required if any of the following is true about the pool:
  • It is capable of holding water more than 24 inches in depth.
  • It has more than 250 sq. ft surface area.
  • It has re-circulating filter.
Requirements for pools can be complicated. You can pick up forms in the office or you can download the pool guide here.
Yes & No.  If the replacement window does not require the wall framing to be changed and does not  change the original opening size, a permit is not required.  If the wall framing or original size were to be changed, a permit would be required.