Permit Watch #1: Paterson, NJ — Only 10 Mobile Car Wash Permits for the Whole City

Permit Watch #1: Paterson, NJ — Only 10 Mobile Car Wash Permits for the Whole City

Paterson, a city of about 160,000, allows just 10 mobile car wash permits to be in effect at any time. That is the headline number in Chapter 434, "Stormwater and Mobile Car Washes," adopted by the City Council on March 18, 2025, by Ordinance No. 25-002.

The rule itself is simple: no one may operate a mobile car wash business in Paterson without first obtaining a permit from the Department of Public Works, and a separate permit is required for each vehicle used. The application asks for the business name, the owner's full legal name and contact information, a list of employees and their roles, and full vehicle details — make, model, year, VIN, and plate. Applicants must also show proof of general liability and environmental insurance, and file a water disposal plan.

The fee is $500 per permit per year, paid once the permit is approved and before it is issued, and permits must be renewed annually with an updated application. That $500 is per work vehicle, not per customer car, so one permitted van covers unlimited customer cars for the year.

It is a stormwater rule as much as a licensing rule. Every permitted vehicle must carry an impervious containment mat or wash pit, an operating water recovery system with a tank of at least 50 gallons, and biodegradable agents approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Wastewater may not go into the stormwater system, engine washing is prohibited, and daily records must be kept for at least one year.

Operating limits matter too: hours are 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, the business name, phone number, and permit number must appear in letters at least three inches high on both sides of the vehicle, and operators may not work within 300 feet of a fixed-location car wash or on arterial streets. Violations can bring fines of up to $2,000 each, and a vehicle can be impounded for operating without a permit.

What to check before operating there: ask Paterson's Department of Public Works whether any of the 10 permits is currently available — the cap is a standing ceiling, so a lapse opens a slot — and confirm your containment and disposal setup meets the chapter first.

Source: City of Paterson Code, Chapter 434 — https://ecode360.com/47853865

Informational only, not legal advice — verify with the city's permit office.