Piscataway Township Permits: Two Signed Deck Sets, Two Pool Surveys, and an Office on Sidney Road

By Eli Gewirtzman, Owner · Last checked Oct 19, 2026 against Piscataway Township’s Building Division pages, its 2026 zoning permit application and the Division’s project sheets

Before you print anything for a Piscataway permit, know where it’s going. The Building Division “is located in the Public Works building at 505 Sidney Rd,” not at the Township’s main address on Hoes Lane. Its sample deck drawing spells out the copy count: “Two copies of drawings are required,” and the owner’s signature “must be on both pages of both copies.”

These are the Township’s own checklists, project by project. Piscataway’s published sheets mostly cover decks, sheds and pools, so where the Township is silent, we say so.

Copies by project

Project	Zoning	Building Division	What the Township’s sheet says to show
Shed, 100 sq ft or less	Zoning permit only	Not required	Not stated
Shed, over 100 to 200 sq ft	Zoning permit	Building permit. No footing, but anchored or strapped down on a 4-inch bed of stone	Shed on the survey, at least eight feet from the property line
Shed, over 200 sq ft	Zoning permit	Building permit. Footings required, and “a sample plan must be submitted”	A sample plan
Deck	Not stated on the deck sheet	Two copies of the drawings, plus copies of the survey showing the deck’s size and location	Owner’s signature on both pages of both copies
Pool	Zoning permit with two copies of the survey	Building permit if the pool has a permanent pump or is 24″ deep or more	Pool and fence locations on the survey
Addition, new home, finished basement	Not stated	Construction permit. No copy count published, so confirm with the office.	Not stated

Sources: the Building Division’s shed requirements, sample deck diagram and pool permit requirements; the 2026 zoning permit application. All accessed Oct 19, 2026.

Zoning: the plan goes on the survey

The Township’s zoning permit application (revised April 15, 2026) says a plan “MUST be submitted” with it, showing:

the size and location of the lot
the dimensions and location of the proposed building or structure
the building setback and the rear and side yard dimensions
the dimensions and locations of existing buildings and structures

“All work must be drawn on said survey/site plan showing the proposed work.” Both the applicant and the owner sign the form. For fence and shed permits, the application says to call 732-562-6560 once the work is installed to get it inspected.

The application doesn’t say how many copies of the survey to bring. The pool sheet asks for two, so bring at least two and confirm.

Deck drawings: what the sample shows

The Building Division posts a sample deck drawing (a 12′ × 20′ deck) as its example of what to submit. Its notes:

two copies of the drawings, with the owner’s signature on both pages of both copies
copies of the survey showing the size and location of the deck
all wood pressure treated, with hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel fasteners for treated lumber
12″ concrete footings at least 36″ below grade
a 2×8 ledger board lagged to the house with ½” lags, 16″ on center and staggered, with joist hangers and flashing (the sample notes copper for the flashing at the deck ledger)
railings at least 36″ high with no gaps over 4″ between balusters, and a graspable handrail on the stairs
stairs at least 36″ wide, with closed risers no taller than 8¼” and treads at least 9″ deep, landing on a concrete pad

The drawing has two pages, a side view and a plan view. Piscataway inspects decks three times: the footings before concrete is poured, the open framing before the decking goes on, and a final.

Sheds: three size bands

Piscataway’s shed sheet sorts sheds by size:

100 sq ft and under: zoning permit only.
Over 100 up to 200 sq ft: zoning permit and building permit. No footing is needed, but the shed must be anchored or strapped down on a 4-inch bed of stone.
Over 200 sq ft: zoning permit and building permit, with footings and a sample plan.

Sheds over 100 sq ft count as accessory structures and have to meet the accessory setbacks in the Zoning Ordinance. The sheet’s note also says the shed “will need to be shown on the survey at least eight feet from the property line.” The sheet dates from 2012, so check the current setback for your zone before you draw.

Pools: two surveys and a grading plan

The pool permit sheet says a zoning permit is always required, with two copies of your survey showing the pool and the fence. The pool has to be in the back yard and at least 10 feet from the side and rear property lines. Corner lots need “additional planning.”

A building permit is also required if the pool has a permanent recirculating pump (regardless of the pool’s size or depth), or is 24″ deep or more. If a homeowner is doing the electrical work, a plan of that work is required.

For a built-in pool, the sheet adds:

the pool dimensions, with side and top elevations
a plot plan showing the property lines, existing structures, any cesspools, tanks or septic systems, and the pool’s distance from street lines
the height and type of the fence
a grading plan for the disturbed area, prepared by a licensed surveyor or engineer

Filing and inspections

Piscataway’s forms page sends you to the state’s construction permit application packet. The Township doesn’t say whether it takes applications online. The Building Division page mentions an SDL account only for looking up your property’s permit history, so ask the office before you plan to file digitally.

The Building Division FAQ says to plan on at least 20 business days for processing when no other approvals (zoning, engineering, health) are needed. Inspections run Monday to Friday, 9:45 AM to 3:15 PM, and you get the next available day rather than a set appointment. The Township’s list of required inspections says to call (732) 562-2325 between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM to request one. Have your block, lot, permit number, site address and inspection type ready.

Contacts: Building Division, 505 Sidney Road, Piscataway, (732) 562-2325. It’s open Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and closed for lunch from 12:20 to 1:30 PM daily. The Township’s main offices are at 455 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854.

Getting the sets printed

For a Piscataway deck, that’s two signed copies of the drawings, the survey showing the deck and a set for you. Line drawings like these print fine in black and white. Upload the PDF to the Print My Plans order form and pick 18×24, 24×36, 30×42, 36×46 or 36×48. Use the size the sheets were drawn at so the scale holds. Same price, all sizes (18×24 to 36×48). Every size is $1.95 a sheet in black and white and $3.75 in color. Order by 3 PM ET, ships same day, arrives as soon as the next day. New customers can take 20% off their first order with code WELCOME20, which can’t be combined with other codes.

Nearby guides: Edison · Woodbridge · Old Bridge · Middlesex County plan printing · all NJ town guides

Summarized from Piscataway Township’s published Building Division sheets and zoning application, checked Oct 19, 2026. Not legal advice. Piscataway publishes few plan-count rules, and some sheets are years old, so confirm counts with the Building Division before you print.

Sources (official, accessed Oct 19, 2026)

Building Division page (location, contact, hours): https://www.piscatawaynj.org/departments/community_development/contruction_and_building_sub-code_division/index.php
Building Division FAQ: https://www.piscatawaynj.org/departments/community_development/contruction_and_building_sub-code_division/frequently_asked_questions.php
Applications, Forms & Helpful Information page: https://www.piscatawaynj.org/departments/community_development/contruction_and_building_sub-code_division/applications,_forms,___helpful_information.php
Zoning Permit Application (rev. 4-15-26; PDF modified May 6, 2026): https://www.piscatawaynj.org/Document_Center/Department/Community%20Development/Planning%20Division/Applications/Zoning%20Permit%202026_New_Fillable.ver1.pdf
Shed Requirements (PDF modified Mar 20, 2012): https://www.piscatawaynj.org/Document_Center/Department/Community%20Development/Building/Shed%20Requirements.pdf
Example Deck Diagram (undated scan): https://www.piscatawaynj.org/Document_Center/Department/Community%20Development/Building/Deck%20Diagram.pdf
Pool Permit Requirements and Diagrams (PDF modified Jan 19, 2018): https://www.piscatawaynj.org/Document_Center/Department/Community%20Development/Building/Pool%20Requirements%20and%20Diagram.pdf
Required Inspections List (undated scan): https://www.piscatawaynj.org/Document_Center/Department/Community%20Development/Building/Required%20Inspections%20List.pdf