It is a joint responsibility.  A property owner is responsible for all activity on his/her property.  A contractor, registered and/or licensed by the State of New Jersey, is obligated not to perform work that he knows requires a construction permit until the Division of Inspections has issued a permit. 

The contract between the owner of a property and the contractor should clearly indicate who is responsible for acquiring the construction permit.  Construction permit applications are standard forms used by all Municipalities in New Jersey.  A homeowner has limited experience with the process.  An experienced contractor is familiar with the construction codes, the state mandated forms, and the process for applying for a construction permit.  A homeowner should be apprehensive with their choice of contractor if the contractor refuses to be responsible for applying for the permit.