Borough of Fort Lee, NJ Construction Codes, Uniform

Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.

[Amended 7-19-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-28; 2-12-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-10; 2-10-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-3]

The following fees for a construction permit shall be the sum of the subcode fees listed in Schedules A through D hereof and shall be paid before the permit is issued.

(1)

Schedule A: Building Subcode Fees.

[Amended 3-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-4]

New Construction:
	Based on cubic footage or structural volume		$0.045
Renovations, alterations and repairs:
	1.	Renovations, alterations and repairs (commercial)
		Per the first $1,000 of estimated cost	$75
		For each $1,000 of estimated cost thereafter	$50
	2.	Renovations, alterations (residential)
		First $1,000	$50
		Each $1,000 thereafter	$25
	3.	Additions, per cubic foot of volume	$0.025
Lead hazard abatement work
	Permit fee		$176
	Lead abatement clearance certificate		$35
Demolition:
	One- and two-family dwellings		$500
	Multifamily		$1,000
	For each unit more than 3, add		$50
	Residential detached garages, each		$100
	Commercial and industrial buildings up to 10,000 square feet		$500
	All other commercial and industrial buildings		$1,200
Certificate of Occupancy:
	One- and two-family dwellings		$100
	Other residential units, per unit		$100
	Retail		$150
	Temporary certificate of occupancy		$150
	Other:
		Continual certificate of occupancy (residential)	$100
		Continual certificate of occupancy (retail use)	$150
		Offices, existing	$150
	The fee for an application for a variation in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.10 shall be $748 for Class I structures and $151 for Class II and Class III structures. The fee for resubmission of an application for a variation shall be $289 for Class I structures and $82 for Class II and Class III structures.
	If a purchaser of property in the Borough of Fort Lee fails to obtain a continual certificate of occupancy, the Construction Code Official shall notify the property owner of the violation by posting a notice of violation at the premises. If the property owner fails thereafter to obtain a continual certificate of occupancy, the property owner shall be subject to a fine of not less than $250 for the first offense, not less than $350 for the second offense, not less than $500 for the third, and $1,000 for each subsequent offense. Each day a violation continues and a summons is issued beyond the date fixed for compliance in the notice provided shall constitute a separate offense.
Commercial or Industrial:
	First 50,000 square feet		$100
	Each 1,000 square feet over 50,000		$100
Change in Use:
Fence
	Up to 4 feet in height		No fee
	Up to 6 feet in height		$65
Air Conditioners:
	Residential		Same as alteration fee
	Commercial		Same as alteration fee
In-ground swimming pool			$250
Above-ground swimming pool			$150

(2)

Schedule B: Fire Subcode Fees.

[Amended 10-11-2012 by Ord. No. 2012-32]

New Construction:
Commercial use up to 5,000 square feet		Review/inspection fee of $500, plus $2 per fire protection/detection device, plus additional fees listed below
Commercial use over 5,000 square feet		Review/inspection fee of $1,000, plus $2 per fire protection/detection device, plus additional fees listed below
Residential		Base fee of $100, plus review/inspection fee of $100 for each unit, plus $2 per fire protection/detection device, plus additional fees listed below
Hotel/motel		Base fee of $100, plus review/inspection fee of $100 for each unit, plus $2 per fire protection/detection device, plus additional fees listed below
Renovation:
Commercial use		Review/inspection fee of $200, plus $2 per fire protection/detection device, plus additional fees listed below
Additional Fees:
Fire alarm control panel		$500
Fire pump		$500
Flexible chimney pipe		$100
Fuel storage tanks, residential:
	One- and two-family, owner-occupied multiple dwellings (same as commercial below)	$100
Fuel storage tanks, commercial:
	Up to 999 gallons	$100
	1,000 to 2,999 gallons	$200
	3,000 to 4,999 gallons	$300
	Over 5,000 gallons	$400
Gas/oil appliance (per appliance)		$100
Kitchen hood system, commercial		$200
Kitchen hood suppression systems		$100
Dry chemical, CO2, halon, foam, etc.		$300
Stand pipes (per riser)		$250
Stairwell pressurization/smoke removal systems		$1,000

(3)

Schedule C: Plumbing Subcode Fees.

[Amended 12-19-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-31; 3-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-4]

Installation/Replacement:
	Each fixture or vent stack		$25
	Water Service/Gas Service		$25
Water Heater:
	0 to 50 gallons		$50
	Over 50 gallons		$100
Sewer connection (initial or replacement)			$250
Gas-Burning Equipment, Installation and Conversion:
	Residential Buildings:
		1 to 3 families	$50
		4 to 60 families	$100
		61 to 160 families	$150
		161 families and up	$200
	Commercial Buildings:
		To 2,500 square feet of floor area	$50
		From 2,501 square feet to 5,000 square feet	$100
		From 5,001 square feet to 10,000 square feet	$150
		From 10,001 square feet to 20,000 square feet	$200
		From 20,001 square feet to 40,000 square feet	$250
		From 40,001 square feet to 80,000 square feet	$300
		All buildings greater than 80,000 square feet	$350
Special Devices:
	Grease traps, oil separators, utility service connections, refrigeration units, backflow preventers equipped with test ports (double check valve assembly, reduced pressure zone and pressure vacuum breaker backflow preventers), steam boilers, hot water boilers (excluding those for domestic water heating), active solar systems, sewer pumps and interceptors		$100 each
Minimum inspection fee:			$65

(4)

Schedule D: Electrical Subcode Fees.

(a)

Electrical fixtures and devices: receptacles, fixtures and devices, including smoke and heat detectors, alarm devices, communications outlets, light standards eight feet or less, emergency lights, exit lights, or similar electric fixtures and devices rated 20 amperes or less, including motors or equipment rated less than one horsepower or one kilowatt:

	1 to 50	$65
	Each additional block up to 25	$20

(b)

Motors, electrical devices, transformers and generators:

[1]

For each motor or electrical device rate from 1 hp or 1 kw; for each transformer or generator rated from 1 kw or 10 kva; for each replacement of wiring involving one branch circuit or part thereof; for each underwater lighting fixture; for each household electric cooling equipment rated up to 16 kw; for each security or burglar alarm control unit; for each receptacle rated from 30 amperes to 50 amperes; for each light standard greater than eight feet in height and for each communication closet: $40.

[2]

For each motor or electrical device rated from greater than 10 hp or 10 kw to 50 hp or 50 kw and for each transformer or generator rated from greater than 10 kw or 10 kva to 45 kw or 45 kva; for electric signs rated from greater than 20 amperes to 225 amperes, including associated disconnecting means; for each receptacle rated greater than 50 amperes and for each utility load management device: $65.

[3]

For each motor or electrical device rated from greater than 50 hp or 50 kw to 100 hp or 100 kw and for each transformer or generator rated from greater than 45 kw or 45 kva to 112.5 kw or 112.5 kva: $150.

[4]

For each motor or electrical device rated greater than 100 hp or 100 kw and for each transformer or generator rated greater than 112.5 kw or 112.5 kva: $500.

(c)

Service equipment, panel board, switchboard, switchgear, motor-control center or disconnecting means:

[Amended 3-3-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-4]

	0 to 200 amperes	$80
	201 to 400 amperes	$120
	401 to 800 amperes	$150
	801 to 999 amperes	$300
	1,000 amperes and above	$1,000

(d)

Swimming pool bonding (permanently installed private pools): Outlets, feeders and motors (excluding panel boards and underwater lighting):

	Aboveground pools	$75
	In-ground pools	$125
	For photovoltaic systems, the fee shall be based on the designated kilowatt rating of the solar photovoltaic system as follows:
	1 to 50 kilowatts	$75
	51 to 100 kilowatts	$100

(e)

Annual visual pool inspection: $100.

(f)

Minimum electrical fee: $65.

(5)

Schedule E: Elevator Subcode Fees.

[Amended 6-9-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-12]

(a)

The fees for witnessing acceptance tests and performing inspections on new and altered elevator devises shall be as follows:

[1]

The basis fees for elevator devices in structures not of Group R-3, R-4, or R-5, or in an exempted structure of Group R-2, shall be as follows:

Traction and winding drum elevators:
	One to 10 floors	$306
	Over 10 floors	$510
Hydraulic elevators		$272
Roped hydraulic elevators		$306
Escalators, moving walks		$272
Dumbwaiters		$68
Stairway chairlifts, inclined and vertical wheelchair lifts and manlifts		$68

[2]

Additional charges for devices equipped with the following features shall be as follows:

	Oil buffers (charge per oil buffer)	$54
	Counterweight governor and safeties	$136
	Auxiliary power generator	$102

[3]

The fee for elevator devices in structures of Group R-3, R-4, or R-5, or otherwise exempt devices in structures of Group R-2, shall be $204. This fee shall be waived when signed statements and supportive inspection and acceptance test reports are filed by an approved qualified agent or agency in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.19 and 2.20.

[4]

The fee for performing inspections of minor work shall be $68.

(b)

The fees for routine and periodic tests and inspections for elevator devices in structures not of Group R-3, R-4, or R-5, or otherwise exempt devices in structures of Group R-2, shall be as follows:

[1]

The fee for the six-month routine inspection of elevator devices shall be as follows:

Traction and winding drum elevators:
	One to 10 floors	$190
	Over 10 floors	$244
	Hydraulic elevators	$136
	Roped hydraulic elevators	$190
	Escalators, moving walks	$190

[2]

The fee for the one-year periodic inspection and witnessing of tests of elevator devices, which shall include a six-month routine inspection, shall be as follows:

Traction and winding drum elevators:
	One to 10 floors	$272
	Over 10 floors	$326
	Hydraulic elevators	$204
	Roped hydraulic elevators	$272
	Escalators, moving walks	$436
	Dumbwaiters	$108
	Manlifts, stairway chairlifts, inclined and vertical wheelchair lifts	$164

[3]

Additional yearly periodic inspection charges for elevator devices equipped with the following features shall be as follows:

	Oil buffers (charge per oil buffer)	$54
	Counterweight governor and safeties	$108
	Auxiliary power generator	$68

[4]

The fee for the three-year or five-year inspection of elevator devices shall be as follows:

Traction and winding drum elevators:
	One to 10 floors (five-year inspection)	$462
	Over 10 floors (five-year inspection)	$582
Hydraulic and roped hydraulic elevators:
	Three-year inspection	$340
	Five-year inspection	$204

(c)

The fees set forth in Subsection A(5)(b) above shall be paid annually in accordance with the following schedule, which is based on the average of the fees to be collected over a five-year period:

[1]

Basic annual fee as follows:

Traction and winding drum elevators:
	One to 10 floors	$504
	Over 10 floors	$612
Hydraulic elevators		$368
Roped hydraulic elevators		$408
Escalators, moving walks		$626
Dumbwaiters		$108
Stairway chairlifts, inclined and vertical wheelchair lifts, manlifts		$164

[2]

Additional charges for devices equipped with the following features as follows:

	Oil buffers (charge per oil buffer)		$54
	Counterweight governor and safeties		$108
	Auxiliary power generator		$68

[3]

Annual fee for inspections at seasonal facilities shall be as follows:

Traction and winding drum elevators:
	One to 10 floors	$310
	Over 10 floors	$364
Hydraulic elevators		$232
Roped hydraulic elevators		$272
Escalators, moving walks		$436
Dumbwaiters		$108
Stairway chairlifts, inclined and vertical wheelchair lifts, manlifts		$164

[4]

Additional charges for devices equipped with the following features as follows:

	Oil buffers (charge per oil buffer)	$54
	Counterweight governor and safeties $108
	Auxiliary power generator	$68

The Construction Official shall, with the advice of the subcode officials, prepare and submit to the governing body, biannually, a report recommending a fee schedule based upon the operating expenses of the agency, and any other expenses of the municipality fairly attributable to the enforcement of the State Uniform Construction Code Act. See N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.

In order to provide the training, certification and technical support programs required by the Uniform Construction Code Act and the Regulations, the enforcing agency shall collect, in addition to the fees specified above, a surcharge fee of $0.0006 per cubic foot of volume of new construction. The surcharge fee shall be remitted to the Bureau of Housing Inspection, Department of Community Affairs, on a quarterly basis for the fiscal quarters ending September 30, December 31, March 31 and June 30, and not later than one month next succeeding the end of the quarter for which it is due. In the fiscal year in which the Regulations first become effective, the fee shall be collected and remitted for the third and fourth quarters only. The enforcing agency shall report annually at the end of each fiscal year to the Bureau of Housing Inspection, and not later than July 31, the total amount of the surcharge fee collected in the fiscal year. In the fiscal year in which the Regulations first become effective, the report shall be for the third and fourth quarters only.

No person shall be charged a construction permit surcharge fee or enforcing agency fee for any construction, reconstruction, alteration or improvement designed and undertaken solely to promote accessibility by people with disabilities to an existing public or private structure or any of the facilities contained therein.

Hourly charges and fees for development-wide inspection of homes after issuance of a certificate of occupancy shall be in such amount as may be reasonable and necessary in order to ascertain whether a violation exists or to verify that any work performed has abated the violation.

There shall be an additional fee of $75 per hour per inspector for review of any amendment or change to a plan that has already been released.

There shall be a fee of $100 when a request for a change of contractor is submitted to the Building Department. This applies to each respective subcode (i.e., Building, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire).

[Added 9-23-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-19]