What if I do not get a permit?

The State of New Jersey law, the Uniform Construction Code (UCC), makes it mandatory that when a Construction Official becomes aware that an owner or his/her agent fails to obtain a required permit prior to commencing construction, the Construction Official shall issue a Notice of Violation/Order to Pay Penalty to the owner of the property and/or his/her agent.  The penalty can be up to $2,000 per subcode and an additional $2,000 per week that the violations remain outstanding.  The violation may lead to a summons to appear in municipal court to enforce the payment of the penalty.