NJ chicken rules · Essex County
Backyard chicken rules in Essex County, NJ
Every town in Essex County sets its own rule. Of the 22 we have read, 13 allow backyard hens outright or with conditions, 7 ban them, and 2 have no clear rule in the code. Each town page cites the ordinance it comes from.
| Town | Hens | Roosters | Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Township of Belleville | Up to 6 birds total (rabbits, chickens, pigeons and other fowl combined) | Prohibited | Required: coop registration with the Health Department, $50 annual fee |
| Township of Bloomfield | Not permitted | Not specified | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Borough of Caldwell | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available |
| Township of Cedar Grove | No numeric cap in the code | Not addressed (no rooster-specific rule) | Annual registration with the Health Department, $5 per animal, with an annual inspection |
| City of East Orange | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Borough of Essex Fells | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Township of Fairfield | Up to 4 without a permit (the code also references a 6-fowl limit); more requires a permit | Prohibited | Board of Health permit required above the un-permitted number; a separate permit to sell live poultry; fee about $10 |
| Borough of Glen Ridge | Up to 8 fowl | Prohibited | Required: one-time registration with the Board of Health |
| Township of Irvington | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Township of Livingston | Not specified | Not specified | Not specified |
| Township of Maplewood | Up to 5 | Not permitted | Required ($30/year Health Officer permit; application needs signed consent from all contiguous neighbors) |
| Township of Millburn | Up to 4 (hens only) | Prohibited | Required ($100 permit plus a $65 inspection fee, renewed each December, with a survey) |
| Township of Montclair | Up to 25 | Prohibited | Required ($25/year Health Department license) |
| City of Newark | No stated limit | Prohibited | Required: $10 annual permit from the Department of Health and Community Wellness |
| Borough of North Caldwell | No stated limit | Not specified | Not specified |
| Township of Nutley | Not permitted | Not permitted | Not available |
| City of Orange Township | Not permitted | Prohibited | Not available (chickens are banned) |
| Borough of Roseland | Not specified | Prohibited where houses are closer than 200 ft apart | Required: special written permission of the Board of Health |
| Township of South Orange Village | Up to 5 hens per license and per property | Prohibited | Required: license from the Village Health Officer, $20 one-time application fee, renewed annually |
| Township of Verona | Not permitted | Not permitted | Not available |
| Township of West Caldwell | Up to 4 without a permit; fowl capped at 6 | Prohibited | Required for more than 4: $10 Board of Health permit |
| Township of West Orange | 3 fowl per acre | Not specified | Required (Health Department; 3 or fewer pet birds exempt) |
Rules come from each town's municipal code and are cited on the town's own page. Ordinances change, so confirm with your town before you build. See every NJ town.
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