River Vale Township

Bergen County

Certificate of Occupancy

Required

Certificate

Resale and/or Rental Certificate (RRC)

Issued by

River Vale Building Department (Construction Official / Zoning Official), with the Fire Prevention Bureau doing the smoke/CO part

Requirements

Building inspection for compliance with Township ordinances, including: sealed furnace/boiler flue connections; permitted and inspected water heaters and mechanical equipment; sump pumps discharging outside, not to the sanitary sewer; anti-tip brackets on stoves where required; rigid visible kitchen exhaust ducts; covered outlets, switches, boxes and panels; no lamp cords on fixed appliances
Handrails on 4 or more risers; guards on landings 30 inches above floor or grade and on open basement stairs; sheetrock on garage walls/ceilings next to the house
Pool fence and gate rules (self-closing, self-latching, outward swing, latches 54 inches high); hot tubs need approved latches
Lawn and bushes neatly trimmed
No open permits, unpaid fees or property maintenance violations; open permits must be inspected and closed before the RRC inspection
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms must match the current property tax record
Smoke/CO and secondary power source label inspection by the Fire Prevention Bureau
Someone 18 or older must be at the house for the whole inspection window

Fees

Resale/Rental Certificate, residential, combined building and fire, 11 or more business days notice	$200
Combined building and fire, 4 to 10 business days notice	$250
Combined building and fire, less than 4 business days notice	$300
Building reinspection	$50
Resale and/or rental certificate, building portion, more than 10 business days before inspection (Township Code 142-27)	$100
Building portion, 4 through 10 business days before inspection	$125
Building portion, less than 4 business days before inspection	$150

Timing

Fee depends on business days of notice before the inspection: 11 or more business days for the lowest combined fee. Inspections are Monday or Wednesday afternoons or Friday mornings; no specific time can be requested.

Phone

201-664-2346 ext. 1065

Application Official page

Smoke and CO alarm certificate

Required

Requirements

Smoke alarms on every level including the basement, within 10 feet of all bedroom doors on sleeping floors; type depends on build/renovation date (battery before 1977, electric for later homes, interconnected with battery backup for March 1991 and later)
Electric alarms cannot be replaced with battery alarms; smoke alarms over 10 years old must be replaced; no Velcro or tape mounting
Two-family homes need a smoke alarm at each landing of common hallways and stairs
Carbon monoxide alarm outside each sleeping area within 10 feet of all bedroom doors (UL 2034, NFPA 720); CO alarms over 5 years old are treated as expired unless the maker documents a longer life
Secondary Power Source Identification Label within 18 inches of the main electric panel and meter if there is a generator, solar panels or battery storage
Low voltage fire alarm systems need an NFPA 72 Report of Inspection from an approved contractor done no more than 30 days before
An agent, owner or representative must be present during the inspection window

River Vale Fire Prevention Bureau

Fees

Smoke alarm, CO alarm and secondary power source label certificate (CSACMASPSIL), requested more than 10 business days before inspection	$100
Requested 4 to 10 business days before inspection	$125
Requested fewer than 4 business days before inspection	$150
Reinspection, per occurrence	$50
Penalty for failing to obtain the certificate	$500

Timing

Fee depends on business days between the request and the inspection: more than 10 business days for the lowest fee. The certificate is valid for 6 months from issue unless occupancy or ownership changes first; it is not transferable.

Phone

201-664-2346 ext. 1201

Application Official page

Last checked October 4, 2026

Sources

Other towns in Bergen County

Look up any New Jersey property on Watchdog

Found this helpful? Show appreciation with a tip on Venmo