Yes, dogs are allowed on the Seaside Heights boardwalk, but only on a leash and only between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. as of late 2025. Dogs still aren’t permitted on the beach itself at any time. Because the borough has changed this rule more than once, it’s worth confirming the current hours on the Seaside Heights website or by phone before you go.
What Changed and What the Rule Is Now
Seaside Heights banned all non-service dogs from the boardwalk and beach in March 2021, turning a summer-only restriction into a year-round one after complaints about waste on the boards. That blanket ban has since been relaxed. Leashed dogs can now use the boardwalk during the daytime and evening window above. The beach remains off-limits.
Municipal policies here have shifted from season to season, so treat the hours as current rather than permanent and check before a long drive.
Service Dogs Are Treated Differently
A trained service animal is allowed on the boardwalk and on the beach regardless of any pet rule. Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog individually trained to perform a specific task for a person with a disability. Emotional support dogs, comfort animals, and therapy dogs do not qualify, whatever paperwork an owner carries.1U.S. Department of Justice. ADA Requirements: Service Animals
The dog has to be harnessed, leashed, or tethered unless the device would interfere with the trained task or the handler’s disability makes one impossible. In that case, the handler still has to keep control through voice, signals, or other effective means.2Borough of Seaside Heights. Frequently Asked Questions
If it isn’t obvious that a dog is a service animal, code enforcement can ask two questions: whether the dog is required because of a disability, and what task it has been trained to perform. They cannot ask for paperwork, ask about the disability, or make the dog demonstrate.3U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA Even a legitimate service animal can be removed if it’s out of control and the handler can’t regain control, or if it isn’t housebroken.4ADA.gov. Service Animals
Fines If You Get It Wrong
Having a dog on the boardwalk outside the permitted hours, or on the beach at any time, carries a fine of $100 to $1,250 under the borough ordinance. Officers can issue separate summonses for separate violations in one encounter.
Falsely claiming your pet is a service animal is its own offense. New Jersey law sets a fine of $100 to $500 for misrepresenting a dog as a guide or service animal, or for interfering with a real one.5Justia. New Jersey Code 10-5-29.5 – Violations, Misrepresentation, Interference With Disabled Persons, Guide or Service Dogs; Fine That penalty stacks on top of the local one.
Dog Royalty Day
Seaside Heights occasionally hosts Dog Royalty Day, when leashed pets are welcome on the boardwalk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It usually runs once or twice a year and gets announced through the borough site and local event calendars. Dogs are only allowed during the posted event hours, and leashes are required throughout.
Where Your Dog Can Go on the Sand
If the hours don’t work, or you want your dog on the beach itself, a few nearby options allow it.
- Island Beach State Park: Leashed dogs (six-foot leash) are allowed year-round, except on the lifeguarded swimming beach in summer and the Spizzle Creek Bird Blind Trail at any time. Entrance runs $6 to $10 for New Jersey residents and $10 to $20 for non-residents, depending on day and season.6Island Beach State Park. Island Beach State Park – Pets7State of New Jersey. Island Beach State Park
- Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area, Manasquan: One section of beach is open to dogs year-round at all hours, except during scheduled programs. The other section and the upland trails prohibit dogs, so watch the signage.8Monmouth County Park System. Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area Permitted Dog Access
- Asbury Park Dog Beach: From mid-May through mid-September, dogs can use the designated dog beach only, and only from 6 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. In the off-season, licensed leashed dogs are welcome on the dog beach at all times and on the Asbury Park boardwalk. No other Asbury Park beach allows dogs.9City of Asbury Park. Asbury Park Dog Beach Rules
Hot Boards and Salt Water
Boardwalk planks absorb heat the way pavement does. Once air temperatures reach the upper 70s, the surface can hit 125°F or higher. Press your palm flat on the boards for ten seconds; if you can’t hold it, your dog’s paws can’t either. Early morning and evening walks are safer in warm weather.
If your dog gets near the surf, watch for saltwater ingestion. Vomiting, diarrhea, or unusual lethargy after time at the beach can signal too much salt. Offer small sips of fresh water every 30 minutes and keep your dog away from the waves if symptoms show up. Persistent vomiting or confusion is a reason to see a vet right away.