Tenafly town info
Who to call, how to get things done, and where things are in Tenafly, New Jersey. Short answers, each with its official source.
Emergency
- Emergency: Police, fire or ambulance. 911
- Police non-emergency: Tenafly Police, 24/7. 201-568-5100. Website
- Gas leak (PSE&G): Smell gas? Leave the area first, then call. 1-800-880-7734. Website
- Poison Control: NJ Poison Center, 24/7, interpreters available. 1-800-222-1222. Website
How do I…
Home & property
Pay property taxes
Taxes are due four times a year. Pay online through the borough's payment portal, set up automatic quarterly withdrawal, or pay the Tax Collector at Borough Hall. Not getting a bill doesn't excuse a late payment.
Dates: Feb 1; May 1; Aug 1; Nov 1
Contact: Tax Collector (201-568-6100 ext. 5534)
Get a building or renovation permit
Talk to the Building Department first. Additions, decks, driveways, fences, pools and sheds also need a zoning permit (with a property survey); then apply for the construction permit before work starts and book each inspection 24 hours ahead.
Contact: Building Department (201-568-6100 ext. 5505)
The permit process · Construction forms
Remove a tree
Check with Public Works before removing any tree: trees 6 inches or more across need a permit. The 2024 fees start at $25 for one tree, and the application needs a tree plan; replanting may be required.
Contact: Public Works (DPW) (201-568-4134)
Tree removal form · Tree rules
Put a storage container on my property
An on-site storage container (like a POD) needs a temporary-use permit from the Building Department: up to 90 days, $25 (extensions $10), with a survey showing where it goes.
Contact: Building Department (201-568-6100 ext. 5505)
Open the street, cut a curb, or replace a sidewalk
One application to the Borough Clerk covers curb cuts, sidewalk replacement and street openings. Street openings need a bond, released a year after the work passes Public Works' check.
Contact: Borough Clerk (201-568-6100 ext. 5542)
Streets, parking & snow
Report a pothole, streetlight or tree problem
Use the borough's online Request for Service form (you can add a photo); it covers potholes, roads, streetlights, trees, sidewalks, plowing, drainage and signs. Or call Public Works. For anything dangerous, call the police.
Contact: Public Works (DPW) (201-568-4134); Police Department (non-emergency) (201-568-5100)
Park overnight on the street
Street parking is banned on all streets from 2 to 6 AM. For a one-night exception (guests, paving, a broken-down car), request it online before 2 AM, or call the police after 2 AM. Requests are refused when snow or ice is falling or forecast.
Contact: Police Department (non-emergency) (201-568-5100)
Overnight parking request · Parking rules
Get a commuter parking permit
Annual downtown commuter parking permits come from the Borough Clerk (January to December, renewed in December). Residents can also buy daily passes. Current fees and forms are on the parking page.
Contact: Borough Clerk (201-568-6100 ext. 5542)
Snow rules
Clear the snow from your sidewalk and nearby fire hydrants promptly after it stops (the borough's resident guide says within 24 hours). Overnight street parking exceptions aren't granted while snow or ice is falling or forecast.
Contact: Public Works (DPW) (201-568-4134)
Pets
License a dog or cat
Every dog and cat 7 months or older needs a license, renewed each January, with proof of a current rabies shot. Apply online through the police permit portal or by mail to the Borough Clerk. 2026 fees: dogs $18 (spayed/neutered) or $21; cats $12 or $15. After Feb 28 there's a late fee and a summons.
Dates: Renew by Feb 28
Contact: Borough Clerk (201-568-6100 ext. 5542)
Recreation & community
Hold a garage sale
Get a garage sale license from the Borough Clerk ($10). Sales run 9 AM to 6 PM, and you can put up two signs (one at the house, one off-site) from 48 hours before.
Contact: Borough Clerk (201-568-6100 ext. 5542)
Garage sale form · Garage sales
Plan a block party
Closing a street for a block party needs approval from the Mayor and Council. Start with the request form from the Borough Clerk, well ahead of the date.
Contact: Borough Clerk (201-568-6100 ext. 5542)
Sign up for recreation programs
Programs, sports and camps are listed in the seasonal guide; residents register online through Community Pass.
Contact: Recreation Department (201-871-3008)
Register online · Registration info
Join the municipal pool
The Tenafly Municipal Pool (165 Grove Street, next to the high school) is open in summer; the 2026 season ran May 22 to September 7. Memberships are sold on Community Pass, with early-bird prices in winter. Non-residents are welcome.
Contact: Recreation Department (201-871-3008)
Municipal pool · Community Pass
Records, court & alerts
Request public records (OPRA)
Send an Open Public Records Act request to the Borough Clerk with the online form or the PDF. Police records have their own form.
Contact: Borough Clerk (201-568-6100 ext. 5542)
Pay a parking ticket or court fine
Pay online through NJMCdirect, the state's municipal court site. Many cases can be resolved without going to court; the court sits on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 5 PM.
Contact: Municipal Court (201-408-3613)
Pay tickets online · Court sessions
Get a birth, death or marriage certificate
Certified copies and marriage licenses come from the Registrar of Vital Statistics at Borough Hall (Mon to Fri, 9 AM to 3 PM).
Contact: Health Department & Vital Statistics (201-568-6100 ext. 5510)
Sign up for borough alerts
Sign up for the borough's emergency and community notifications, and use "Notify Me" on the borough site for news, agendas and alerts by email or text.
Emergency & community alerts · Notify Me
Seniors
Senior Center & senior bus
The Senior Center (20 South Summit Street) is open weekdays 9 to 4 for residents 55 and up, with classes, luncheons and trips. The Tenafly Senior Bus is 201-408-3625; the senior services coordinator (resources, Medicare counseling) is 201-741-0419.
Contact: Senior Center (201-569-2159)
Who to call
- Borough Hall (Administration): The Borough Administrator's office; service requests and complaints departments can't resolve. Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5502. Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Borough Clerk: Public records (OPRA), pet licenses, garage sale and block party permits, commuter parking permits, curb cut and street opening permits. Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5542. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Tax Collector: Property tax bills and payments. Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5534. Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Tax Assessor: Property assessments (the value your tax is based on). Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5530. Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Building Department: Construction and zoning permits, inspections, property maintenance and code enforcement. Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5505. Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (permits issued until 3 PM). 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Health Department & Vital Statistics: Birth, death and marriage certificates, marriage licenses, health inspections. Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5510. Hours: Registrar: Mon to Fri, 9 AM to 3 PM. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Police Department (non-emergency): Non-emergency calls, overnight parking, alarm registration, vacation house checks, animal bites, medicine drop-off at headquarters. Phone 201-568-5100. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Fire Prevention Bureau: Smoke, CO and extinguisher certificates for home sales and rentals; fire safety permits and inspections. Phone 201-568-6100 ext. 5566. Hours: Mon to Fri, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Tenafly Volunteer Ambulance Corps: Volunteer EMTs, 24/7. Non-emergency line; for emergencies call 911. Phone 201-568-4909.
- Public Works (DPW): Roads and potholes, snow plowing, leaves, sewers and storm drains, parks, street trees, recycling pickup and the Recycling Center. Phone 201-568-4134. Hours: Mon to Fri, 7 AM to 3 PM (closed 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM). After hours, sewer emergencies: Police, 201-568-5100. 107 Grove Street, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Recreation Department: Programs, sports, camps, the municipal pool, field permits. Phone 201-871-3008. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Tenafly Public Library: Books, programs, events and study space. Phone 201-568-8680. Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu 10 AM to 9 PM; Wed, Fri, Sat 10 AM to 5 PM; Sun 12 to 4 PM (closed Sundays in summer). 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Municipal Court: Traffic and parking tickets, municipal violations (shared with Demarest). Phone 201-408-3613. Hours: Mon to Fri, 9 AM to 4 PM. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Senior Center: For 55+: exercise and art classes, luncheons, trips; senior bus 201-408-3625. Phone 201-569-2159. Hours: Mon to Fri, 9 AM to 4 PM. 20 South Summit Street, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Youth Center: Programs for Tenafly youth. Phone 201-567-7579.
Schools
Tenafly Public Schools, 500 Tenafly Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-4500. School calendars & hours · Closings & delays
- Tenafly High School (9 to 12): 19 Columbus Drive, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-6600
- Tenafly Middle School (6 to 8): 10 Sunset Lane, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-4900
- Mackay Elementary (K to 5): 111 Jefferson Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-7700
- Maugham Elementary (K to 5): 111 Magnolia Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-7705
- Smith Elementary (K to 5): 101 Downey Drive, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-7715
- Stillman Elementary (PreK to 5): 75 Tenafly Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-816-7710
- Academy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Catholic): 10 County Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670, 201-568-0545
Parks & places
- Tenafly Nature Center: 52 acres and 7+ miles of trails beside Lost Brook Preserve; visitor center with live animals. Non-members $2 a person or $10 a family; no dogs. 313 Hudson Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670. Trails: daily, 1 hour after sunrise to 1 hour before sunset. Visitor center: daily 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
- Roosevelt Common: 10 acres with the Theodore Roosevelt monument, a pond, walking paths, play areas, a skate park and tennis courts (resident badge required); home of the July 4th celebration. Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Griffin Park: Accessible playground for ages 5 to 12, inside Roosevelt Common. Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Davis Johnson Park & Gardens: 7 acres of gardens, a rose garden, gazebo and greenhouse; can be reserved for weddings with a Public Works permit. Engle Street & Westervelt Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Huyler Park: Downtown park with veterans' memorials, next to the historic train station; summer concerts and the Memorial Day ceremony. Piermont Road at Hillside Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Sunnyside Park: Baseball, softball and soccer fields, a walking path, playgrounds and restrooms; fields by Recreation permit. Oak Avenue & Ivy Lane, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Walnut Park: Playground and open space. Walnut Drive & Leonard Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Froggy Park: Play area for ages 2 to 5. West Clinton Avenue & Foster Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Lost Brook Preserve: Borough woodland with nature trails next to the Nature Center, open all year. East Clinton Avenue & Route 9W, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Churchill Nature Preserve: 8 acres of trails and footbridges. Churchill Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Greenbrook Sanctuary: Nature sanctuary on the Palisades cliffs; annual membership required. Palisades Interstate Parkway area, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Dog park: Separate areas for large and small dogs, open dawn to dusk. Grove Street, by the high school senior parking lot, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
- Tenafly Municipal Pool: Summer pool with lap lanes, diving boards and a kiddie pool, plus basketball and volleyball; membership on Community Pass. 165 Grove Street, Tenafly, NJ 07670. Summer season (Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day).
- Tenafly Public Library: Books, programs and study space. 100 Riveredge Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670. Mon, Tue, Thu 10 AM to 9 PM; Wed, Fri, Sat 10 AM to 5 PM; Sun 12 to 4 PM (closed Sundays in summer).
- Recycling & Convenience Center: Residents with a free decal: recycling, yard waste, electronics, bulky items. 153 Grove Street, Tenafly, NJ 07670. Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
- Historic railroad station: Borough-owned 1872 station, on the National Register of Historic Places. 1 Piermont Road, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
Utilities & outages
- Power outage or downed wire (PSE&G): Electric outages and downed wires; or text OUT to 47734. 1-800-436-7734. Outage map. Website
- Gas leak (PSE&G): Leave the area first, then call. 1-800-880-7734. Website
- Water (Veolia New Jersey): Water service, main breaks and outages, 24 hours. 1-800-422-5987. Outage map. Website
- Sewer backup: Public Works weekdays 7 AM to 3 PM; other times call Police at 201-568-5100. 201-568-4134. Website
- Streetlight out: Report it to PSE&G online, or use the borough's Request for Service form. 1-800-436-7734. Website
- NJ 211: Help finding food, housing, health and other services; or text 898211. 211. Website
- NJ 511: Road conditions, traffic and closures. 511. Website
- Bergen County Emergency Management: County emergency planning and information, weekdays 8 AM to 5 PM. 201-785-5757. Website
Also on Tenafly Today: garbage & recycling days, what goes where, events.
Last checked 2026-10-03. Tenafly Today is an independent site, not affiliated with the Borough of Tenafly; the linked official pages are the final word.