South Toms River Borough

Certificate of Occupancy Required

Certificate of Continued Occupancy (Resale/Rental Certificate) · Borough Zoning & Code Enforcement office

• Since March 26, 2026, a smoke detector / carbon monoxide certificate from the Ocean County Fire Marshal must be obtained first and a copy sent to the Borough

• Phone: (732) 349-0403
• Timing: Get the Ocean County Fire Marshal smoke/CO certificate first; the Borough schedules its own inspection only after it receives a copy
• Official page: https://www.southtomsriver.org/rentalsresalesapplications

Smoke and CO alarm certificate Required

• Smoke alarms on every level including the basement; on bedroom levels within 10 feet of the bedrooms
• Ceiling mounting preferred; wall alarms 4 to 12 inches below the ceiling, 4 inches from corners and at least 3 feet from air registers
• All smoke alarms, including hardwired ones, must be under 10 years old
• By year built: before 1978 at least one 10-year sealed battery alarm per level; 1978 to 1983 hardwired alarms on each level; 1984 to 1990 interconnected hardwired alarms with battery backup on each level; 1991 and later interconnected hardwired alarms with battery backup in bedrooms and on each level
• Hardwired alarms that must be replaced for age must be replaced with hardwired alarms, not battery alarms
• CO alarms in the immediate vicinity of sleeping areas when the home has a fuel-burning device or attached garage; battery-only and plug-in CO alarms under 5 years old; combination smoke/CO alarms under 10 years old
• Homes with a generator, solar panels, battery storage or other secondary power source need a printed ANSI Z535.4 label (wording like 'CAUTION: MULTIPLE SOURCES OF POWER') within 18 inches of the main electrical panel and the electric meter
• A primary low-voltage monitored fire alarm system needs a current NFPA 72 test report sent to the office before closing
• Fire extinguisher no longer required (Ocean County Fire Marshal requirements sheet, updated February 2025)