Harvey Cedars Borough

Ocean County

Certificate of Occupancy

Required

Certificate

Resale Certificate of Occupancy (continuing Certificate of Occupancy)

Issued by

Zoning Office (Zoning/Code Enforcement Officer)

Requirements

Completed resale application and fee, with the buyer's contact information
Original sealed survey and elevation certificate dated within 1 year of the resale date
Current-year smoke and CO alarm certificate from the Ocean County Fire Marshal
Recorded Declaration of Deed Restriction (flood regulations covenant)
Work done without required permits will be cited; any open permits must be closed before the CO is issued
Water heater relief valve piped to within 6 inches of the floor
Enclosed spaces below the base flood elevation must comply
Proper fire separation between the garage and living area
Double-keyed deadbolts replaced with an inside thumb turn
Handrail on stairs with 4 or more risers; guards on walking surfaces 30 inches or more above grade
Public Works check of the curb box, meter pit and sewer clean-out
House numbers at least 4 inches tall, contrasting with the background
Driveway no wider than 18 feet at the pavement edge; trash corral and landscaping at least 5 feet from the pavement
Right-of-way cleared of obstructions except mailboxes; easements and corner sight triangles kept clear
Fences on the Boulevard set back 2 feet with a flat walkable surface

Fees

Resale Certificate of Occupancy, per living unit	$50
Reinspection (at the Zoning Officer's discretion)	$25

Phone

609-361-6000, option 8

Required

Requirements

Smoke alarms, including hardwired ones, must be under 10 years old (Ocean County Fire Marshal, February 2025)
Battery-only and plug-in CO alarms should be under 5 years old; combination smoke/CO alarms under 10 years old
Homes built before 1978: at least one 10-year sealed battery smoke alarm on each level; newer homes need hardwired alarms by build year, and hardwired alarms must stay hardwired
Wall-mounted alarms 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling, 4 inches from corners and 3 feet from air registers
Homes with a generator, solar or battery system need a printed (not handwritten) 'CAUTION: MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER' label within 18 inches of the main panel and the meter
A monitored low-voltage fire alarm system needs a copy of its NFPA 72 test report sent to the office before closing
Borough resale checklist requires a fire certificate for the current year

Fees

Smoke and CO alarm certificate, applied for more than 10 business days before the change of occupancy	$45.00
Smoke and CO alarm certificate, applied for 4 to 10 business days before the change of occupancy	$90.00
Smoke and CO alarm certificate, applied for 3 business days or less before the change of occupancy	$161.00
Missed appointment or no entry	$30.00
Each re-inspection after the first free re-inspection	$30
Returned check processing fee	$15.00
Card payment fee / e-check fee	$6.95 / $1.99

Timing

Apply more than 10 business days before the change of occupancy for the lowest fee; certificate valid 12 months from the inspection date

Phone

732-929-2088

Last checked September 30, 2026

Sources