Bulkheads & Seawalls in New Jersey

New Jersey's tidal shoreline includes Atlantic barrier islands and back bays, Raritan Bay, the Hudson and Delaware river waterfronts and the Delaware Bay shore. This page summarizes the statewide permitting framework. For conditions along the ocean coast, see the Jersey Shore regional page.

How bulkhead work is typically regulated

New Jersey's main state rules for shoreline work are the Coastal Zone Management Rules, N.J.A.C. 7:7, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection. Subchapter 2 of the rules defines when a permit is required under three statutes:

Under the waterfront development section, the regulated area within the CAFRA area is the tidal waterway and the land beneath it up to mean high water, and CAFRA applies to certain development in the rest of the CAFRA area. In much of the rest of the coastal zone, the waterfront development area also includes adjacent upland within 100 feet of mean high water, and for larger properties it can extend up to 500 feet or to the first paved public road, railroad or surveyable property line meeting the rule's criteria. A bulkhead set back from the water can therefore still fall within state jurisdiction.

Coastal general permits

Subchapter 6 lists coastal general permits for routine activities. Those most relevant to shoreline walls include:

• GP 6: a bulkhead and associated fill on a substantially developed man-made lagoon.
• GP 7 and GP 8: a revetment or gabions at a single-family or duplex lot.
• GP 10: reconstruction of a legally existing functioning bulkhead.
• GP 14: a bulkhead and associated fill at a single-family or duplex lot on a natural water body.
• GP 17: vegetative stabilization of eroded shorelines along tidal waterways other than the Atlantic Ocean.
• GP 24: habitat creation, restoration, enhancement and living shoreline activities.
• GP 28: dredging of material deposited in a waterway when a bulkhead failed during a storm for which the Governor declared a state of emergency.

Each general permit has specific eligibility conditions. The Jersey Shore page summarizes several of them. Because the rules are amended periodically, confirm the current text with NJDEP. Our Permit Navigator lists the agency pages.

Federal review

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reviews work in waters of the United States. New Jersey is split between the Corps' Philadelphia and New York districts. Federal permits can involve additional reviews such as coastal zone consistency.

Tidelands and local permits

Land now or formerly flowed by the tide may be state-owned tidelands, and structures on it may need a tidelands instrument from NJDEP's Bureau of Tidelands Management. Municipal construction offices issue local permits and enforce flood damage prevention rules. Contact them early.

Storm context

Hurricane Sandy in 2012 is the benchmark recent flood for much of the state. The National Hurricane Center reported the highest water levels along the northern Jersey Shore in Monmouth and Ocean counties and severe flooding around Raritan Bay and Newark Bay. Barrier islands were inundated and in places breached. The Jersey Shore page has details by area.

Where to go next

• Bulkhead permit guide
• Bulkhead replacement
• Riprap and living shorelines
• Signs of bulkhead failure

This page is educational and does not determine permit requirements for any property. NJDEP, the Corps and the municipality make those determinations.