New Jersey adopted the 2024 editions of the International Codes, including the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as subcodes of the state’s Uniform Construction Code, effective August 17, 2026. For a homeowner planning brick, stone or chimney work, the main effect is a new question to ask at the permit stage: which edition applies to your project.
True Course Masonry Newark repairs brick, stone, chimneys and stoops across Newark and Essex County, with the work carried out by licensed and insured contractors, and follows permit requirements as part of each job. This post sets out what the change does and does not mean, and what is still the same. The masonry repair services page covers the work itself.
What changed
New Jersey does not write its own building code from scratch. The Uniform Construction Code, administered by the Department of Community Affairs, adopts model codes published by the International Code Council and makes them the state’s subcodes. Those model codes are revised every few years. According to the adoption notice from the NJ Department of Community Affairs, and a published ICC-NTA summary, the 2024 editions took effect on August 17, 2026.
A grace period of about six months has been reported, to roughly February 17, 2027, during which the prior edition may still be used. The exact terms, and how they apply to your application, are for the construction official to confirm.
This post does not list technical changes inside the 2024 codes that might touch masonry, because those details were not reviewed for it. If a project involves design work, such as a new wall, a rebuilt chimney or structural repairs, the person preparing drawings or the construction office can say whether anything in the new edition affects it.
What stays the same for homeowners
Permits are still required as before
The rule that sends most projects to the construction office is in the administrative part of the state code. N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, in the version current through August 17, 2026, makes it unlawful to construct, repair, renovate, alter, reconstruct or demolish a structure without first applying for and obtaining the required permit. The listed exceptions are the same three:
- Ordinary maintenance, which needs no permit or notice. It excludes work affecting structural or fire safety. The list includes repair or replacement of part of a stoop that does not support a roof, using identical or closely similar materials in the same place. It has no repointing item, and it says it is not all-inclusive.
- Minor work, which needs a permit but may start on notice. It includes total replacement of a stoop that does not support a roof.
- Emergency work, with notice as soon as practicable and a permit applied for within 72 hours.
A chimney rebuild is reconstruction that affects structural and fire safety, so it needs a permit. The masonry permits guide covers how this works in Newark, and the chimney rebuild or repoint guide explains when a chimney crosses that line.
Historic review is separate
In a Newark historic district or on a landmark, street-facing masonry work can also need review by the Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission under the city’s Chapter 41:10 regulations. That process is local and is not changed by the state’s code edition.
Contractor rules are unchanged
Home improvement contractors in New Jersey register with the Division of Consumer Affairs under N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 and must carry commercial general liability insurance. Contracts over $500 must be in writing, signed, and include a three-business-day cancellation notice. The guide to hiring a masonry contractor in NJ goes through what a contract should show.
What to do if you are planning masonry work
- Describe the job clearly. Repointing, a stoop repair, a chimney rebuild and a new wall sit in different permit categories.
- Ask the Newark construction office whether the job needs a permit or a notice, and which code edition applies if you are applying during the grace period.
- Check for historic review if the house is in a district or the work faces the street.
- Budget the permit. Fees are usually small next to labor and access; the masonry repair cost guide covers how a budget comes together.