What happens if my egress window fails a building inspection in NJ?

If an egress window fails a NJ building inspection, the construction official will issue a correction notice specifying which requirement was not met. Common failure reasons include the net clear opening being less than 5.7 square feet, sill height exceeding 44 inches, window well width or projection being insufficient, or absence of a required ladder in a deep well.

A failed inspection does not result in immediate penalties, but it does mean the project cannot receive a certificate of completion until the deficiency is corrected and re-inspected. You cannot legally use a basement room as a sleeping room until final inspection approval is on record.

For homeowners who installed windows without permits or without passing inspection, the path to compliance requires contacting the municipality, pulling a retroactive permit where available, and potentially modifying or replacing the window to meet current code.

Scaldino Basement Solutions installs egress windows to code the first time. If you have an existing installation that failed or was never inspected, contact us to assess the situation and outline what correction is needed.