An access permit allows for the construction, maintenance, closure, and use of a driveway or street that provides State highway access for a lot, site, lot subdivision or lot consolidation with frontages along the State highway system. It also gives the ability to use, maintain, repair, and replace a driveway or street with frontages along a State highway and/or site.
Property owners seeking traffic access to or from State highways, or roadways that fall under the jurisdiction of the State, must submit an access application to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Major Access Permits Unit through the Major Access Permit (MAP) E-Permitting portal.
Major Access E-Permitting is a web-based automated GIS-enabled application developed to manage, track, and document all aspects of the Major Access Permit process.
All improvements made to a state highway shall conform to the requirements found at N.J.A.C. 16:47 Appendix E.
Permits Are Required For:
A site owner must apply for and obtain an access permit before undertaking any of the following activities:
- Constructing driveway(s) or street(s) intersecting a State highway.
- Changing an existing driveway or street intersecting a State highway.
- Expanding land use on a site with one or more existing driveways/streets connecting to a State highway.
- Changing the use on a site with one or more existing driveways/streets connecting to a State highway.
- Subdividing a lot or consolidating two or more lots that front on a State highway.
- Constructing a temporary driveway fronting on a State highway.
- Initiating any activity that may interfere with the free and safe movement of traffic on a State highway.
- Increasing the number of trips between a State highway and a private street.
Application Requirements:
All applicants, except major with planning review applicants, shall follow the one-step application review process (N.J.A.C. 16:47-9.6). Major with planning review permit applicants can follow the two-step application review process (N.J.A.C. 16:47-9.7) unless told otherwise by NJDOT.
Application Process
Applications should reflect current conditions and include any State, county, municipal, or private projects advertised for construction or awarded in the proposed area. NJDOT projects currently advertised, planned for advertisement, or already awarded can be found on the Construction Services page.
To apply for a Major Access Permit
Permit Categories
Permit categories are based on traffic generated on a site, trips that utilize a State highway, highest average weekday and weekend trips of the site, and highest average A.M., P.M., or weekend peak hour trip generation of the site (deductions can be made for internal trips but not for pass-by trips).
Required for driveway removals, emergency driveways, and any site with less than 500 daily trips between it and a State highway.
Required for any site with greater than or equal to 500 daily trips between it and State highway.
Required for any site with greater than or equal to 500 daily trips and greater than or equal to 200 new trips in peak hours between it and a State highway.
Before submitting an access application for development within the Pinelands Area, the Highlands Region, or the Hackensack Meadowlands District, a site owner must give required notice to the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, the New Jersey Highlands Council, or the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission as appropriate. This notice will be indicated in the application.
Applicants undertaking more than one activity that requires an access permit should submit a separate application for each activity. Only one application fee (the highest applicable) will be required (N.J.A.C. 16:47-9.8).
Pre-Application Process
Pre-application meetings provide a site owner with guidance on the access application process, familiarize NJDOT with the proposed development, and identify issues. A pre-application meeting is mandatory when applying for a major with planning review permit, a permit for a new street, and when a new traffic signal is proposed. A pre-application meeting is not required when applying for a major permit, but may be held if requested. Meetings are typically not necessary when applying for a minor permit.
All pre-application meetings require the following:
A meeting request must be emailed to dot-bmap.permits@dot.nj.gov.
Submission of the information specified in the pre-application checklist must also be emailed to dot-bmap.permits@dot.nj.gov.
The applicant must provide NJDOT with the items from the pre-application checklist and the name and contact information of the professional who will be preparing the access application 7 days before the scheduled pre-application meeting. Site owners may request a traffic impact study of the proposed study area to be completed by the Department before a pre-application meeting or after a pre-application meeting, but prior to submitting an access application. The request for the review will cost $1,000, which will be credited toward the application fee.
Applications must be submitted within 12 months of the pre-application meeting. If not, another pre-application meeting must be held before submitting an application.
One-step application should include:
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A completed and signed application form
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The application fee
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All required application checklist items
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All required plan checklist items
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Documentation of permission from any affected owners
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Designated contact person
Two-step application should include:
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A completed and signed application form
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The application fee
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All required application checklist items
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All required plan checklist items
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Documentation of permission from any affected owners
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Designated contact person
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All required final access plan checklist items
Before submitting a major, major with planning review, or lot subdivision/consolidation application, you must:
Waivers
NJDOT may issue an access permit that does not meet one or more of the application requirements if compliance is not reasonably attainable at the time that of application submission or if denial of the application would leave the site without reasonable access to the general system of streets and State highways.
- The Coastal Area Facility Review Act (N.J.S.A. 13:19-1 et seq.)
- The Freshwater Wetlands Act (N.J.S.A 13:9B-1 et seq.)
- The Stream Encroachment Act (N.J.S.A 58:16A-50 et seq.)
- The Federal Flood Hazard Zone regulations
- The Delaware River Basin Commission
- The Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission
- The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
- The New Jersey Highlands Council
NJDOT will not grant waivers for fees or the spacing distance requirement (N.J.A.C. 16:47-5.1 (f)). To obtain a waiver, a site owner must submit a request on Waiver Form MT-159. If a waiver is granted, it applies to specific conditions a permit and does not guarentee application approval.