NJ chicken rules · Bergen County
Can you keep chickens in Borough of Paramus, NJ?
Paramus allows poultry only with an annual Board of Health permit, kept in a clean coop set at least 50 feet from any occupied building.
The rules at a glance
| Chickens allowed | Yes, with conditions |
| Hens | Not specified in the code |
| Roosters | Not specified |
| Permit | Required (annual Board of Health poultry permit; fee reported around $100/year) |
| Coop setback | No poultry within 50 ft of the doors or windows of any building used by people |
| Lot size | — |
Good to know
- Handled under the Board of Health sanitation code, not zoning; coops must be cleaned at least weekly and open to inspection.
- "Poultry" is defined broadly (chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, and other fowl).
- Confirm the current hen limit and fee with the Paramus Board of Health before you build.
Source: Borough of Paramus Code, Ch. 443 Sanitation, Art. XIII (eCode360), Ch. 443 Art. XIII — view the ordinance
Verified 2026-09. Ordinances change and zoning can differ by district — always confirm the current rules with the Borough of Paramus clerk or zoning office before you build.
Building a coop in Borough of Paramus?
Triano Farms builds custom, predator-proof chicken coops on-site across BergenCounty and all of New Jersey, sized to your flock and built to your town's rules.
New to this? Start with how to raise chickens in NJ, or what a coop costs.
Ready to keep your flock safe?
Tell us about your animals and your land. We'll design a coop built to last, on-site, just for you.