Building Permits in Lakewood, New Jersey
City in Ocean County
Verified August 2026
See Lakewood's fees, required documents and inspection sequence: free for 14 days, no card required.Sign inStart free trial
Adopted Construction Codes
These are the state-level code editions for New Jersey. They apply in Lakewoodunless a verified local adoption or amendment is noted — in local-adoption states, confirm the city or county's own code editions with the building department.
| Code | Edition | Adoption |
|---|---|---|
| IBC — International Building Code | 2024 | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.14 (building subcode), adopted R.2026 d.086, 58 NJR 8(2) · source ↗ |
| IEBC — International Existing Building Code | not-adopted | No IEBC adoption. Existing buildings are governed by the Rehabilitation Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-6, a New Jersey-authored subcode adopted under authority of the State Uniform Construction Code Act (P.L. 1975, c.217), N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq.; current through R.2026 d.087, eff. 2026-08-17 (57 N.J.R. 2333(a); 58 N.J.R. 1882(a)). IEBC cross-references in the adopted model codes are redirected to 5:23-6 by blanket rule at N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.14(a)2 (building), 5:23-3.20(a)2 (mechanical), 5:23-3.21(a)2 (one- and two-family) and 5:23-3.22(a)2 (fuel gas). · source ↗ |
| IECC — International Energy Conservation Code | 2024 | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.18 (energy subcode), adopted R.2026 d.086, 58 NJR 8(2), filed July 15, 2026 · source ↗ |
| IFC — | 2018 IFC (2018 IFC New Jersey Edition) — NOT the 2024 IFC | N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.1 (Code adopted, scope, and applicability) IS THE ADOPTING PROVISION — corrected at run 1035 from the prior citation, which named 5:70-3.2. VERBATIM from the codified rule: the Commissioner "hereby adopts the model code of the International Code Council, known as the '2018 International Fire Code.'" adopted "by reference as the State Fire Prevention Code for New Jersey, subject to the modifications set forth at N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.2." *** SO 5:70-3.1 DOES THE ADOPTING AND 5:70-3.2 HOLDS THE MODIFICATIONS. Confirmed first-hand this run from the State's own proposal document, VERBATIM: "N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.1 contains the adoption reference; N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.2 contains the detailed modifications and new provisions." A citation to 5:70-3.2 for the EDITION is a citation to the wrong section — it is the amendment layer, not the adoption. AUTHORITY: Uniform Fire Safety Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-192 et seq. Administered by the DCA DIVISION OF FIRE SAFETY (not the Division of Codes and Standards, which administers the UCC). ADOPTION CHAIN, BOTH ENDS NOW IN HAND: PROPOSED at 55 N.J.R. 1058, PRN 2023-051, "NEW JERSEY REGISTER, MONDAY, JUNE 5, 2023 (CITE 55 N.J.R. 1059)" (verbatim from the State PDF, read first-hand this run). ADOPTED at 56 N.J.R. 553(b), EFFECTIVE 2024-04-15 — this closes the effective_date that was deliberately left NULL at run ~69 and again at run 983. SEE THE SOURCING CAVEAT ON THIS DATE IN amendments; it is NOT from a State-published notice of adoption. PREDECESSOR EDITION WAS THE 2015 IFC, NOT THE 2006 IFC. Verbatim from the State proposal: the 2015 IFC was the "current model code, which the Department adopted by reference in January 2018". The 2006 IFC New Jersey Edition that the DFS codes page offers for free online viewing is a long-superseded relic and must not be read as the operative edition. TWO-DATE STRUCTURE, AND THE DEFERRAL APPLIES TO ONE SECTION ONLY. Verbatim from the State proposal: "The Division proposes to have these amendments become effective upon publication of the notice of adoption in the New Jersey Register, with the exception of N.J.A.C. 5:70-3.2, which will become operative six months after the effective date to allow for publishing, printing, and distribution of New Jersey Administrative Code materials." So the ADOPTION (3.1) took effect 2024-04-15 and the MODIFICATIONS (3.2) became operative 2024-10-15. The codified history note carries the matching enforcement transition: violations were to be cited under "the 2015 International Fire Code, as amended, until October 15, 2024," after which all citations must use "the 2018 International Fire Code, as amended." effective_date is set to 2024-04-15, the rule's effective date; 2024-10-15 is the operative date of the amendment layer and there is no column for it. PRIOR HISTORY: amended by 50 N.J.R. 729(a), effective 2018-02-05 (R.2018 d.074) — the readoption that put the 2015 IFC in place. · source ↗ |
| IFGC — International Fuel Gas Code | 2024 IFGC | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.22, the FUEL GAS SUBCODE of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, authority State Uniform Construction Code Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq. ADOPTING RULEMAKING: R.2026 d.086, 58 N.J.R. 8(2), FILED JULY 15, 2026, OPERATIVE/EFFECTIVE AUGUST 17, 2026, expiration February 9, 2029. VERBATIM FROM THE ADOPTION DOCUMENT, read first-hand this run at https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_rule_adoptions/model_codes_2024_adopt.pdf: "Effective Date: August 17, 2026. Expiration Date: February 9, 2029." and "Filed: July 15, 2026, as R.2026 d.086, with non-substantial changes, not requiring additional public notice and comment". THE EDITION SENTENCE ITSELF WAS READ FIRST-HAND THIS RUN IN THE RULE PROPOSAL, https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_rule_proposals/2024_prop_p1.pdf, VERBATIM: "the version of the International Fuel Gas Code cited is updated from the 2021 edition to the 2024 edition". THAT SENTENCE IS DECISIVE FOR THIS ROW IN A WAY A BARE EDITION NUMBER WOULD NOT BE -- IT NAMES THE OLD VALUE THIS ROW WAS CARRYING (2021) AND THE NEW ONE, SO IT PROVES BOTH THE CORRECTION AND ITS DIRECTION. Corroborated first-hand this run by the administering agency current-subcode table at https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/current.shtml, which lists Fuel Gas, N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.22, "International Fuel Gas Code/2024", effective August 17, 2026. PRIOR STATE OF THIS ROW: edition "2021", effective_date NULL, verified_at NULL, source_url the codreg landing page, and adoption_citation the seventeen-character label "N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.22" with no instrument text of any kind. IT WAS STALE BY ONE FULL CODE CYCLE AND HAD NEVER BEEN SOURCED. · source ↗ |
| IMC — International Mechanical Code | 2024 IMC | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.20 (mechanical subcode), adopted R.2026 d.086, 58 NJR 8(2); proposal 57 NJR (posted 2025-10-20), auth. N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq. (State Uniform Construction Code Act) · source ↗ |
| IPC — International Plumbing Code | not-adopted | No IPC adoption. Plumbing subcode is N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15 (National Standard Plumbing Code/2024 NJ ed.); model-code family named at N.J.S.A. 52:27D-123(b) · source ↗ |
| IRC — International Residential Code | 2024 | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.21 (one- and two-family dwelling subcode), adopted R.2026 d.086, 58 NJR 8(2), filed July 2026 · source ↗ |
| NEC — National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) | 2023 NEC (NFPA 70) | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.16, the ELECTRICAL SUBCODE of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, authority State Uniform Construction Code Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq. ADOPTING RULEMAKING: R.2026 d.086, 58 N.J.R. 8(2), FILED JULY 15, 2026, OPERATIVE/EFFECTIVE AUGUST 17, 2026, expiration February 9, 2029 -- read first-hand this run at https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_rule_adoptions/model_codes_2024_adopt.pdf, VERBATIM: "Effective Date: August 17, 2026. Expiration Date: February 9, 2029." and "Filed: July 15, 2026, as R.2026 d.086, with non-substantial changes, not requiring additional public notice and comment". EDITION SENTENCE READ FIRST-HAND THIS RUN IN THE RULE PROPOSAL, https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_rule_proposals/2024_prop_p1.pdf, VERBATIM: "the 2023 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC)". Corroborated first-hand this run by the administering agency current-subcode table at https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/current.shtml: Electrical, N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.16, "National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)/2023", effective August 17, 2026. IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT MUST TRAVEL WITH THIS ROW: THE NEW JERSEY ELECTRICAL SUBCODE IS NOT AN ICC CODE AT ALL. IT IS NFPA 70, PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION, AND IT RUNS ON A THREE-YEAR NFPA CYCLE THAT DOES NOT TRACK THE ICC CYCLE. A READER OR A SCRAPER THAT ASSUMES NEW JERSEY 2024 MODEL-CODE UPDATE MOVED EVERY SUBCODE TO A 2024 EDITION WILL BE WRONG HERE BY DESIGN -- THERE IS NO 2024 NEC. THE 2023 NEC IS THE CURRENT ONE. PRIOR STATE OF THIS ROW: edition "2020", effective_date NULL, verified_at NULL, source_url the codreg landing page, adoption_citation the eighteen-character label "N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.16" with no instrument text. STALE BY ONE FULL NFPA CYCLE AND NEVER SOURCED. · source ↗ |
| NSPC — | 2024 NSPC (National Standard Plumbing Code, New Jersey edition) | N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15, the PLUMBING SUBCODE of the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code, authority State Uniform Construction Code Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27D-119 et seq., with the model-code family named at N.J.S.A. 52:27D-123(b). ADOPTING RULEMAKING: R.2026 d.086, 58 N.J.R. 8(2), FILED JULY 15, 2026, OPERATIVE/EFFECTIVE AUGUST 17, 2026, expiration February 9, 2029 -- read first-hand this run at https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_rule_adoptions/model_codes_2024_adopt.pdf, VERBATIM: "Effective Date: August 17, 2026. Expiration Date: February 9, 2029." and "Filed: July 15, 2026, as R.2026 d.086, with non-substantial changes, not requiring additional public notice and comment". EDITION READ FIRST-HAND THIS RUN IN THE RULE PROPOSAL, https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/pdf_rule_proposals/2024_prop_p1.pdf, VERBATIM: "the National Standard Plumbing Code reference to the 2024 edition". Corroborated first-hand this run by the administering agency current-subcode table at https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/codreg/current.shtml: Plumbing, N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15, "National Standard Plumbing Code/2024" (NJ ed coming soon), effective August 17, 2026. THE POINT THAT MATTERS MOST ON THIS ROW, AND IT IS WHY THE COMPANION IPC ROW 2b00c2f1 CARRIES THE SENTINEL "not-adopted": NEW JERSEY DOES NOT USE THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE. IT USES THE NATIONAL STANDARD PLUMBING CODE, PUBLISHED BY THE PLUMBING-HEATING-COOLING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION (PHCC), WHICH IS A DIFFERENT MODEL CODE FROM A DIFFERENT PUBLISHER ON A DIFFERENT CYCLE. NEW JERSEY IS ONE OF VERY FEW STATES THAT DO THIS. ANY LOOKUP THAT ASSUMES "PLUMBING CODE" MEANS THE IPC RETURNS THE WRONG BOOK FOR EVERY PLUMBING QUESTION IN THIS STATE. PRIOR STATE OF THIS ROW: edition "2021", effective_date NULL, verified_at NULL, source_url the codreg landing page, adoption_citation the fifty-character label "National Standard Plumbing Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15" with no instrument text. STALE BY ONE CYCLE AND NEVER SOURCED. · source ↗ |
Permit Requirements
building permit
🔒Fees, required documents and the inspection sequence is available to BuildSpec members. Sign inStart free 14-day trial
Building Department
Phone: 732-364-3760
Apply online — Lakewood permit portal ↗
Permit fee schedule ↗ · fee schedule checked August 2026
Construction permit fees are set by ordinance: per cubic foot of volume for new construction and per $1,000 of estimated cost for alterations.
Ask BuildSpec AI about Lakewood
Get a plain-English answer grounded in this page’s verified data — e.g. “Do I need a permit for a 180 sq ft shed in Lakewood?”
Ask Code AI →Have a specific address?
Get a printable permit report for any address — jurisdiction, adopted codes, exemption rules, and who to call, on one page.
Get an Address Report →